Why have we not seen any numbers for off-Island students currently enrolled in our schools? I understand that this is a substantial number — encouraged because of state subsidies, but it is not fair that Island taxpayers must fund the buildings to house them. How about a nonpartisan committee to research this number? Is there any checking to make sure that Mercer Island addresses are valid? How about a Reporter investigation of this issue?

An article about MIYFS, on the page following the plea for bonds, states: “The economic downturn has put additional stress on families and children … as families exhaust their savings and retirement funds in a desperate attempt to hold on to their homes.” And school leaders think that this is the time to pile on more tax costs?!

Seattle-area home prices have “hit a new post-boom low … and are now 31 percent below their peak” (The Seattle Times, Feb. 1, 2012). Despite decreasing values, however, property taxes continue to rise. People in other states cannot believe our astronomical property taxes, yet officials for Washington state and Mercer Island seem to think that they should be higher.

The planets have not aligned for a huge school bond increase, as one school leader (Braman) seems to think. Leaders at the national, state and local level need to come to terms with current economic realities and find ways to cut rather than raise spending. How many students would we really have if Mercer Island only served children who really live here? Let’s get some transparency on this issue.

Maryanne Vandervelde, Ph.D