When this school board ran for office, they promised fiscal responsibility. They promised transparency. They promised to protect taxpayers and put the needs of Southmoreland families first. But the moment they were sworn in, those promises evaporated – replaced by decisions that benefit a massive corporation at the direct expense of the people who actually live here.
The most glaring example came with their vote to grant a real estate tax reduction to one of the largest corporations in the world. A company with billions in annual profit somehow convinced our elected officials that they needed relief – while homeowners, seniors, and small businesses are left to absorb the fallout.
This wasn’t fiscal responsibility.
This was fiscal betrayal.
A Tax Break for Them Means a Tax Hike for Us
School districts don’t get to simply “lose” revenue. When a major commercial property pays less, the district must make up the difference. And since the board chose to give away a chunk of the tax base, the burden now shifts squarely onto local residents.
That means:
Higher property taxes for families already stretched thin.
More pressure on seniors living on fixed incomes.
Small businesses paying more while a corporate giant pays less.
The board didn’t protect taxpayers – they protected corporate profits.
Schools Will Feel the Pain Too
If the district doesn’t raise taxes enough to cover the shortfall, the cuts will come from inside the schools. That means:
Larger class sizes.
Fewer support staff.
Delayed building repairs.
Reduced extracurriculars.
Less investment in curriculum and technology.
The board’s decision didn’t just hurt taxpayers – it hurt students.
A Broken Promise to the Community
The most infuriating part is that this isn’t what they ran on. They campaigned as watchdogs of the budget, champions of the community, defenders of responsible spending. But once in office, they sided with a corporation that didn’t need help and ignored the residents who trusted them.
This wasn’t a tough call.
This wasn’t a necessary compromise.
This was a choice — and they chose wrong.
Southmoreland Deserves Better
A school board’s job is to protect the district, safeguard its finances, and act in the best interest of the people who live here. Instead, this board shifted the financial burden onto the very taxpayers they claimed to defend.
Residents deserve leaders who keep their word. Students deserve a district that puts them first. And the community deserves a school board that remembers who they work for.
Right now, we don’t have that.
