To the Editor:
I recently received an “opinion post card,” (really a vote-card) from the Alna/Westport Citizens for Choice on Choice committee. After reading the information letter provided, I am confused with, and disappointed in my fellow Alna residents.
What has this world come to that we attempt to get our fellow residents to either vote for, or against something through convoluted language; must we as neighbors act like so many people in the political world, getting what we want through trickery?
From what I have gathered, this committee was formed to change the right for each Alna and Westport Island resident to have “choice” regarding where their children attend school. The letter implies that “choice” would exist for current residents and be eliminated for new residents. The letter claims by eliminating choice in the future Alna residents would save $26,000 in taxes.
I am inclined to question the value of saving $26,000 at the expense of losing our rights as citizens to improve the educational opportunities of our children (by the way $26,000 is approximately less than five percent of the total Alna education budget according to the information I found). That being said, I am more concerned with how the information was shared and the lack of time given to respond.
We received the vote-card on Sat., March 5 and it is due back to the committee by Wed., March 9, not even a week. Also, the vote-card is written in such a twisted manner and expresses such an obvious bias that I question if the committee is hoping to confuse people so that they vote the opposite of what he/she really wants.
Why didn’t the vote-card simply say “Vote yes if you want to vote to change ‘choice,’ or no to keep the current ‘choice’ option in place?”
My other concerns – what is the oversight in the tallying process to obtain accurate results, how will the information accurately be presented to the legislature, is the committee comprised of citizens with varying opinions or do all members want to change choice? Whatever your opinion, please be aware of what you vote for on your vote-card and lastly, as you contemplate your vote, consider if you really want to lose your rights and those of future generations to save a buck.
Coreysha Stone, Alna
