- April 25, 2024
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Dear Editor:
Sixteen-thousand (13,000 students and 3,000 staff and educators) of your neighbors, friends, children and grandchildren are counting on our community to make an informed decision in the nonpartisan School Board election on Nov. 8.
Tens of thousands of dollars of outside funding are flooding into our community to explicitly misinform voters.
The PACS are at full throttle to attack a respected and decorated educator in order to get a culture warrior elected based on nothing more than his party affiliation.
If the basis of your “informed decision” is a mailer you got or a TV commercial you saw in the last 10 days, by all means vote, but just don’t vote the School Board race — just leave it blank, like that incomprehensible amendment or that vote for the judge whose name you’ve never seen.
Just don’t.
Our community, our 3000 neighbors and friends and 13000 of our kids and grandkids kids deserve a well-informed and thoughtful vote.
Jake Scully
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
The Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently voted to support the half-cent sales tax for Flagler Schools ballot initiative. We urge local voters to do the same.
The business community gets the result of our local education system, and we want future Flagler Schools graduates to be as prepared as possible for the future workforce.
It’s worth noting that this is not a new tax; it’s a continuation of an already existing sales tax, which has significantly benefited our local students.
As the father of a fifth grader, I have seen firsthand the benefits of the investments in technology at Flagler Schools using the existing sales tax funding.
Looking ahead, Flagler Schools has crafted a well-thought-out plan on administering the funding, if Flagler County voters approve the ballot measure.
As school safety continues to be at the forefront of parents’ minds, it’s comforting to know that future half-cent sales tax funding will be used to strengthen school safety and security.
Approximately $80 million will be raised via the half-cent sales tax over the next 10 years. This funding will provide the school district and teachers the tools they need to provide high quality education to our children.
The sales tax is also paid by tourists and snowbirds, which reduces the burden of school facilities on our local taxpayers.
If voters decline the half-cent sales tax for Flagler Schools ballot initiative, it will have a devastating effect on our local education system.
With some local education performance metrics declining, now is NOT the time to be cheap. The business community supports continuing to invest in Flagler Schools, and you should too.
Greg Blosé
Palm Coast
Editor's note: Blosé is president and CEO of the Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce
Dear Editor:
I would like to personally thank everyone who put the horror show together.
A lot of effort went into that! Thank you for putting so much time into it.
I took my 6 year old granddaughter and we both loved it.
It was my first time, and we will see you next year. Very much appreciated.
Pat Barile
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
Thank you for your paper's recommendations regarding the local elections. Even if I do not agree, your statements are well-reasoned, with no bias bubbling out between the lines. Very refreshing and appreciated.
There is a point regarding the School Board candidates that may seem counterintuitive, but bears consideration.
Educational experience is the least important criteria for a board member. In fact, it is the greatest asset that a school system has in abundance. Many excellent teachers have graduate degrees and expertise that can and should be sought out for their input.
A board member should be one with financial literacy and a humility to seek input of educators on their needs and the system's shortcomings.
They should have a clear vision and understand that while much is demanded from our public schools, the number one purpose for the system to exist is academics. A board member should be a shepherd leader.
The finances in most school systems are a mess. Transparency is not a buzzword, but the only solution. Income and expenditures should be posted for all the public to see, monthly and annually.
Loy Joe Shettlesworth, retired teacher
Palm Coast
