ROYAL SCHOOL BOND

How much will the proposed additions really cost?

They will cost $16.594 million, including 15 years of accrued interest, calculated at two payments per year, as the income is received from private sector taxpayers.

This addition, according to the district's post card, is to house 167 students, which will be at a one time cost of $99,365.27 per student. Not one dime of this money is to be used to pay for education.

What happens after 2015 if the enrollment continues to rise, there are 13 years left to pay on the construction cost, and the district is out of classroom space again?

The private sector taxpayers cannot afford an iconic school building. There are sensible alternatives for school housing, buildings that cost as little as one-tenth the cost of the proposed building.

I want my money to go toward education, not an overpriced iconic building, one that will be outdated almost before it could be finished.

Why isn't the school administration looking at alternatives? Isn't it their job to promote and improve education, not building icons?

There are sensible alternatives. District employees' first priority should be the quantity & quality of education. The second priority should be protecting the rights of the private sector, those that are being overtaxed to pay 100 percent of education expenses, including district salaries and benefits.

District employees should not be promoting overpriced buildings, buildings they do not pay for, buildings that add zero toward education and will be outdated when they are finished.

Dale Hellewell

Royal City