To the Editor,

Not much changed in the plan for the school. Not much has changed at all. What has stayed the same is buildings do not educate students. Inflation is at an all-time high, and wages cannot support additional taxes. Granted the health and safety issues could be addressed with the COVID dollars the school received. The funny part I think is when the school says “the district will pay for…” Who is the district?  It’s the taxpayers!   

According to the paper, after the audit, the school board members will need to take a hard look for ways to increase revenue/students in the school district in the near future to avoid continuing to dip into its reserves to pay bills. What would be the plan if the district dips into their reserves again and again? What does that mean? Another levy for general education? What makes the board and administration think that putting the district into debt for $27,000,000 is going to entice students from other districts or homeowners to move to Henning?

I have lived here for 21 years. We moved here to enjoy our property in our retirement. We came from a town that was almost the same size of Henning, same demographics and it did not keep our school from staying open because the student base was not there. Now if we go ahead with this referendum, what’s to say the enrollment decreases and continues to decrease, then we are stuck with an empty building debt that most likely will be obsolete in 10 years because the rate of technology is moving so fast. According to the calculator provided at MySchoolMyHornets.org our taxes would be over double what we pay now! I don’t know who could take this on and not feel the sting along with the increases of everyday needs of groceries, gas, heating etc.

I feel the need to encourage those that voted no on the last referendum to hold firm and talk to everyone you know to defeat this referendum again. Dan Olson said it right, No means No for the school referendum. Having a special election to wear the voters down or hope for another outcome based on poor voter turnout is just not right. And according to last week’s paper, “they (the board) will complete as much of the work they can through board approved levy options.” So you will be paying anyway. Vote no-no on May 9 on the referendum.

Elaine Hanson,

Vining