Letters

Curzio Successfully Balances the Needs of Students and Taxpayers

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I am supporting Trustee John Curzio in his re-election campaign to the Carmel Board of Education on Tuesday, May 21.

He has consistently proven himself to advocate for the taxpayers and always asks probing questions of the school district administration regarding the finances of the district. Curzio has served on the school board for two terms and he has never been afraid to oppose unnecessary and irresponsible tax increases, including his fearless opposition to the three high-tax bus garage and land bond votes. Mr. Curzio has the courage of his convictions to keep his campaign promises.

He also cares deeply about the education that our children receive in the Carmel schools. He was on the forefront of saving kindergarten in the upcoming school year and he is supporting the creation of a school district policy to mandate kindergarten so that it can never be threatened with elimination again. He also insisted that extracurricular activities, including sports and clubs, be preserved in addition to music and art programs. Mr. Curzio led the effort to adopt a budget with a 0 percent tax levy increase – the first time in the district’s history this has happened. This is a huge relief to our beleaguered taxpaying residents.

The school board also ordered the administration to preserve all programs for kids when deciding what to eliminate. Mr. Curzio articulated during the school board meeting that the numbers the administration provided to the school board were inaccurate, and that the administration had irresponsibly overspent multiple line items. Furthermore, Mr. Curzio pointed out that the numbers associated with some savings proposed by the administration failed to take into account other added or hidden costs. Consequently, Mr. Curzio said that the administration did not earn the trust of the school board or the community to ask for more of our tax dollars and that they would have to make do with the $141 million that they already have.

When you go to the polls on May 21 to vote for school board members, please support our children and our wallets by voting to re-elect Trustee John Curzio.

Jarred Buchanan
Carmel

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