RSU 21 should reject expensive improvement plan

In reference to the proposed improvements in Regional School Unit 21, I agree that all three buildings need extensive work. However, I am urging fellow residents in Arundel, Kennebunk and Kennebunkport to please vote no in order to give people more time to consider the real tax impact and the long-term effect this investment will have on all three towns.

In 2017, Arundel’s payment will exceed $584,494, more than the town hall administration article ($580,398), the fire department articles combined ($503,310), or road construction ($445,000), just to name a few examples.

What will get cut at Town Meeting in June? The $12,000 for the Kennebunk Free Library, $205,000 for the recreation department, $78,000 for general assistance or $92,000 for police protection?

The town also used $310,000 from its fund balance to offset tax increases last year, and the RSU used more than $1 million of reserve to offset taxes. Then think about the fact that this will hit us for the next 25 years with no turning back.

The payment will decrease each year, but it will take 10 years for Arundel’s share to drop below $500,000, and five more years before it goes below $450,000. We may secure a school in our town, but will we have a town left to have a school in? What will Kennebunk or Kennebunkport be forced to cut?

These projects are all over the top with extras, including additional square footage on all three buildings while all three are already under capacity with enrollments projected to decrease and leave even more empty space. Ten years from now, when this project is less than half paid for, KHS will have an enrollment of less than 600. Why are they proposing a school with a capacity of 750?

On top of the increases in operating costs, there is the possibility of major repairs before the end of this bond. KES had a major roof leak that cost more than $250,000 to repair and it was only 6 years old at the time.

Vote no now in order to take a step back and really take a hard look at what is being proposed and its impact on the low income, unemployed and on the elderly on fixed incomes.

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