Dear Editor,I am writing in response to the ad placed in your October 27th edition by Eleanor O. Johnson. As a member of the San Saba ISD Board of Trustees I find her ad very offensive. Not because it ask people to vote “no” for the bond, but because it makes false accusations. After reading this many will say it sounds like I took it personal. I did. I, along with 6 other community members serve on the SSISD Board of Trustees. We work very hard to make our schools the best they can be for our students and staff all the while keeping in mind that we are partially funded by the Taxpayers. Therefore when someone who attends no school meetings, no public forums and never ask for information accuses us of Inefficient Spending and Out of Control Taxing, I take it personal. Inefficient Spending? Read the paper, watch the news, school districts all over the state are in financial disaster right now. San Saba ISD however is not one of them. We have an administrative team that has worked very hard to make sure money is used for NEEDS not WANTS. I am amazed at how much our school achieves on the limited budget that we must adhere to each year. Our staff must also be commended for this. They are very creative and manage to get the job done on a shoestring budget. I challenge Mrs. Johnson to show me where this Inefficient Spending is. Out of Control Taxing?? I think not. San Saba County has been declared a disaster area by our State Government. I am sure this is not a surprise to anyone, but what may surprise many is that this declaration allows the school districts in the county to increase maintenance and operating (M & O) taxes to $1.17 WITHOUT, I repeat, WITHOUT having an election. This provision only applies to school districts that are not already at the $1.17 level, which San Saba ISD is not. The tax increase would only be for a 1 year period and then the tax rate would revert back to the current rate, which is $1.04 for San Saba ISD. San Saba ISD would have gained approximately $247,000 if the tax rate were increased to $1.17 for the year. I want everyone to understand that the SSISD Board of Trustees could have increased the tax rate WITHOUT an ELECTION, but they voted not to do so. The amount an increase would generate, $247,000 is a lot of money. Money our school district could certainly use, but the Board of Trustees felt that there was no way we could ask the very people the disaster is affecting the most to have their taxes increased unless of course there was an Election and the tax paying citizens made that decision. The San Saba ISD Trustees have had this opportunity twice in the past 4 years. We have passed on approximately $500,000 for our school rather than infringe on the taxpayers. I might also add that San Saba ISD is the ONLY school district in the county that is not at $1.17. Every person on the SSISD Board of Trustees is a taxpayer. Six of the seven are also business owners. More than half also work in the agriculture industry or have family that is in the agriculture industry. We are painfully aware of the crisis our state and our county are in. We have had many public meetings, we have information for anyone who wants it. We live here, work here, and are all raising our families here. We are not housed in Austin or Washington D.C., we have to look people in the eye every day. Therefore we are committed to being as transparent as possible.I currently serve as President of the San Saba ISD Board of Trustees. In the past I served as President of the San Saba County Property Owners Association. This is not my first time to be involved in a bond election. I have been involved from both sides of the fence. I have campaigned against and for Bond Elections in the past. BUT, whatever my stance was it was an informed stance and I had the facts. I attended meetings, got the information and was able to make an informed vote. This time is no different. I have the facts. The facts are available for anyone who wants them. The facts are SSISD has the opportunity to receive $5.142 million dollars at an interest rate of 0% to 1%. If the Board of Trustees did not attempt to secure this money we have failed our students and our staff as we certainly have needs at our school district. The San Saba ISD Trustees are allowing the citizens to make that decision we are not making it for them, hence the election. As a taxpayer, business person, and parent in this community, I don’t know how anyone could vote “no” after reviewing the FACTS. In closing I would encourage anyone who has any questions to please contact any of your board members or Mrs. Glaze. I thank God everyday that we live in a country that allows us the freedoms that we enjoy, the right to vote, the right to free speech and so forth. I encourage everyone to exercise your rights but be informed and do so with the Facts.Sincerely,Kim Kirk, PresidentSan Saba ISD Board of Trustees

Dear Editor,How I wish I could come to every door in San Saba, look each one in the eyes and plead for you to vote yes to the school bond election. How I wish I could plead with you to listen to the elementary teachers who, on a daily basis, teach to the best of their ability even in less than safe buildings and circumstances. How I wish I could show you how they take off shoes and wade through water when it rains and floods their classrooms. Oh how I wish you could talk to our high school science teachers and see how they struggle to teach the concepts demanded by the state of Texas with bare bones space and antiquated non-functioning equipment...knowing that our kids cannot go into a university setting with all they need to know. Oh how I wish I could explain to you how very little difference it will cost to build new than to keep putting band-aids and renovate to state code the old leaky moldy buildings...especially with the bonds we can qualify for this ONE LAST TIME. I long to photograph the faces of the teachers at the end of a day who care so deeply and struggle so hard for the students of this town as they do their dead level best, knowing with every vote that the community may not back them again and that many people believe the classrooms are just fine, just like it was 50 years ago.....So I plead with you now. Consider the school board you voted for who has gone to great lengths to make good decisions. They have done the research—most people with land will not pay that much more in taxes, like some folks suggest. Consider the caliber of teachers with families you hope to attract to this town when new ones are needed. Consider the children and decide how much their education and daily safety is worth. Walking isn’t the issue. Exercise is good.....but when a 1st grade child escapes outside on the way to music, gym, or lunch, ...what is a teacher to do? Leave the rest? Please consider the opportunity we have to pay now with very low interest bonds, and decide that our school is worth the small sacrifice. If we wait until later, the sacrifice will be much greater since we lose the chance for the low interest money. Many teachers are working long hours these days to prepare the best possible for our students of all ages. So I doubt you will see many coming door to door. Yet I believe they would go if they could...just like me.Sincerely,Tracey Thomas , Spanish/ PALs San Saba High School, San Saba, TXDear Editor,I am writing in response to the ad placed in your October 27th edition by Eleanor O. Johnson. As a member of the San Saba ISD Board of Trustees I find her ad very offensive. Not because it ask people to vote “no” for the bond, but because it makes false accusations. After reading this many will say it sounds like I took it personal. I did. I, along with 6 other community members serve on the SSISD Board of Trustees. We work very hard to make our schools the best they can be for our students and staff all the while keeping in mind that we are partially funded by the Taxpayers. Therefore when someone who attends no school meetings, no public forums and never ask for information accuses us of Inefficient Spending and Out of Control Taxing, I take it personal. Inefficient Spending? Read the paper, watch the news, school districts all over the state are in financial disaster right now. San Saba ISD however is not one of them. We have an administrative team that has worked very hard to make sure money is used for NEEDS not WANTS. I am amazed at how much our school achieves on the limited budget that we must adhere to each year. Our staff must also be commended for this. They are very creative and manage to get the job done on a shoestring budget. I challenge Mrs. Johnson to show me where this Inefficient Spending is. Out of Control Taxing?? I think not. San Saba County has been declared a disaster area by our State Government. I am sure this is not a surprise to anyone, but what may surprise many is that this declaration allows the school districts in the county to increase maintenance and operating (M & O) taxes to $1.17 WITHOUT, I repeat, WITHOUT having an election. This provision only applies to school districts that are not already at the $1.17 level, which San Saba ISD is not. The tax increase would only be for a 1 year period and then the tax rate would revert back to the current rate, which is $1.04 for San Saba ISD. San Saba ISD would have gained approximately $247,000 if the tax rate were increased to $1.17 for the year. I want everyone to understand that the SSISD Board of Trustees could have increased the tax rate WITHOUT an ELECTION, but they voted not to do so. The amount an increase would generate, $247,000 is a lot of money. Money our school district could certainly use, but the Board of Trustees felt that there was no way we could ask the very people the disaster is affecting the most to have their taxes increased unless of course there was an Election and the tax paying citizens made that decision. The San Saba ISD Trustees have had this opportunity twice in the past 4 years. We have passed on approximately $500,000 for our school rather than infringe on the taxpayers. I might also add that San Saba ISD is the ONLY school district in the county that is not at $1.17. Every person on the SSISD Board of Trustees is a taxpayer. Six of the seven are also business owners. More than half also work in the agriculture industry or have family that is in the agriculture industry. We are painfully aware of the crisis our state and our county are in. We have had many public meetings, we have information for anyone who wants it. We live here, work here, and are all raising our families here. We are not housed in Austin or Washington D.C., we have to look people in the eye every day. Therefore we are committed to being as transparent as possible.I currently serve as President of the San Saba ISD Board of Trustees. In the past I served as President of the San Saba County Property Owners Association. This is not my first time to be involved in a bond election. I have been involved from both sides of the fence. I have campaigned against and for Bond Elections in the past. BUT, whatever my stance was it was an informed stance and I had the facts. I attended meetings, got the information and was able to make an informed vote. This time is no different. I have the facts. The facts are available for anyone who wants them. The facts are SSISD has the opportunity to receive $5.142 million dollars at an interest rate of 0% to 1%. If the Board of Trustees did not attempt to secure this money we have failed our students and our staff as we certainly have needs at our school district. The San Saba ISD Trustees are allowing the citizens to make that decision we are not making it for them, hence the election. As a taxpayer, business person, and parent in this community, I don’t know how anyone could vote “no” after reviewing the FACTS. In closing I would encourage anyone who has any questions to please contact any of your board members or Mrs. Glaze. I thank God everyday that we live in a country that allows us the freedoms that we enjoy, the right to vote, the right to free speech and so forth. I encourage everyone to exercise your rights but be informed and do so with the Facts.Sincerely,Kim Kirk, PresidentSan Saba ISD Board of Trustees

Dear Editor,How I wish I could come to every door in San Saba, look each one in the eyes and plead for you to vote yes to the school bond election. How I wish I could plead with you to listen to the elementary teachers who, on a daily basis, teach to the best of their ability even in less than safe buildings and circumstances. How I wish I could show you how they take off shoes and wade through water when it rains and floods their classrooms. Oh how I wish you could talk to our high school science teachers and see how they struggle to teach the concepts demanded by the state of Texas with bare bones space and antiquated non-functioning equipment...knowing that our kids cannot go into a university setting with all they need to know. Oh how I wish I could explain to you how very little difference it will cost to build new than to keep putting band-aids and renovate to state code the old leaky moldy buildings...especially with the bonds we can qualify for this ONE LAST TIME. I long to photograph the faces of the teachers at the end of a day who care so deeply and struggle so hard for the students of this town as they do their dead level best, knowing with every vote that the community may not back them again and that many people believe the classrooms are just fine, just like it was 50 years ago.....So I plead with you now. Consider the school board you voted for who has gone to great lengths to make good decisions. They have done the research—most people with land will not pay that much more in taxes, like some folks suggest. Consider the caliber of teachers with families you hope to attract to this town when new ones are needed. Consider the children and decide how much their education and daily safety is worth. Walking isn’t the issue. Exercise is good.....but when a 1st grade child escapes outside on the way to music, gym, or lunch, ...what is a teacher to do? Leave the rest? Please consider the opportunity we have to pay now with very low interest bonds, and decide that our school is worth the small sacrifice. If we wait until later, the sacrifice will be much greater since we lose the chance for the low interest money. Many teachers are working long hours these days to prepare the best possible for our students of all ages. So I doubt you will see many coming door to door. Yet I believe they would go if they could...just like me.Sincerely,Tracey Thomas , Spanish/ PALs San Saba High School, San Saba, TX