Enough is enough

To the Editor: Here is a simple math problem for Dr. Morton, Sparta schools superintendent: Assume there are approximately 17,000 Sparta residents. If the average household has three people, that’s 5667 property tax sources. If the property tax was distributed equally among the households, each household would have their taxes increased by $12,884. Of course, we will have to borrow money to avoid a tax revolt. So let’s look at acquiring an 18-year loan at 5 percent interest. Therefore, you can roughly multiply the principal by 1.5, resulting in a total cost $19,326 per household. Another rough calculation would be to price out your plan by looking at the cost per additional pupil. Assume you plan on adding 1,000 student seats. So $73.2 million financed for 18 years would be about $109.8 million, or $109,800 per student seat. If you plan on allocating 100 square feet per student, the cost of financed construction would be $1,098 per square foot. There better be a 24 karat yellow brick road in the plans somewhere at that point. Oh, by the way, does your $73.2 million construction plan include reoccurring funds for the additional teachers the 1,000 student increase would mandate? What’s the recommended ratio these days, about 15 students per teacher/administrator? That means we need to hire another 67 teachers and administrative staff. What about medical and retirement benefits for these additional personnel? And what about keeping the lights on and the heat turned up in the winter? The water fountains also need to flow and the bathroom toilets need to flush. What of construction cost overruns? What of furniture, computers, printers, networks, insurance, and toilet paper. (You mustn’t forget to budget for the toilet paper.) I paid $18,556 last year in Sparta property taxes; of which well over 50 percent went to you and your minions. Since the state is broke, I’m sure to take it in the shorts even more this year. Dr Morton, please, enough is enough. Get a grip on reality and stop wasting your valuable time and the time of the Sparta taxpayers. Think of adding prefab classrooms to the current building. Think of leasing a commercial building to carry us through the peak years and then turn it back to the owner once enrollment declines. Think of something in the range of $10 million to $15 million. We don’t need, and we certainly can’t afford, a Ferrari for a high school. Let’s be sensible and go with a nice middle of the road American car, say a mid-size GM automobile. Besides, Sparta, the state of New Jersey, and General Motors need all of the help they can get. James R. Kauffman Sparta