Letter to the Editor: Never a "Good" Time for New Taxes

To the Editor:

My son graduated from Burlington High School 20 years ago and even then, it was in poor shape. I have lived in Burlington for over 40 years and am proud to live in this town, but we all know that we need to take care of this high school building. It is our responsibility and it has been neglected for far too long. My granddaughter attends BECC and the idea that the fire suppression systems aren’t up to code in those buildings is deeply concerning. It’s terrible that we’ve pushed this project off for so long and gotten ourselves into this position, but we are here now and we have an opportunity to do something about it.

In my career as an education advocate, I supported families working to get services for their kids. I’ve seen firsthand that accessibility matters. It is embarrassing and shameful that our high school isn’t accessible to everyone. Every student should be able to fully experience everything that Burlington High School has to offer.

I’m disappointed to hear the detractors of this project use the “No New Taxes” argument. Buildings and infrastructure cost money. We live in a community that we must maintain. Our students deserve high quality educational facilities that are accessible and safe. 

There’s never a “good” time for new taxes. The no new tax argument will always exist and there will always be folks on fixed incomes. If we push this project off, it only becomes more expensive. Doing renovations piecemeal or “on the cheap” isn’t responsible. There are programs to assist in making property taxes affordable for those under financial hardship. Continuing to push this project back is not the answer. We don’t need a band-aid, we need a solution, which is why I’m voting Yes on November 15.

Vote yes for BHS and the students of Burlington.

Jeanne Voss
Skilton Lane