Candidates blast large tax increase adopted this year

Outrage over a 27 percent tax hike is taking center stage in the South Eastern School Board election next Tuesday.  Three candidates will compete for two open seats in Region 2 of the school district, which covers Fawn Grove and Fawn and East Hopewell townships.

Incumbent Richard Wilson is running unopposed in Region 1, which covers Cross Roads and Stewartstown boroughs and Hopewell Township.  Incumbent Todd Lowe is running unopposed for a two-year term in Region 2 and incumbent Sue Glenn is running unopposed in Region 3, which covers Delta Borough and Peach Bottom Township.

In the contested Region 2 race, Republican candidate Rebecca Reynolds, a bus driver, said with two children in the district she would like to have a say in school board decisions.

Harford County assistant high school principal Karl Wickman was appointed in May to fill a board vacancy and is now running for a school board seat. Also a Republican, Wickman said his experience as an educator gives him an insight into the issues the board faces.

David Wisel, a registered Republican who won the Democratic nomination as a write-in candidate in May, said he was encouraged to run by community members who said they felt he could represent them.

The candidates vying for seats in Region 2 are united by one thing—they all say that this year’s 4.63-mill tax increase—or $463 more for the owner of a $100,000 home—was too high and could have been handled more effectively.

However, the candidates disagree about whether the increase should be rolled back and offer differing perspectives on how large tax increases can be avoided in the future.

School officials have said the tax increase was long overdue because past boards had not raised taxes and lived off the district’s surplus, which is now depleted.

More than 900 residents have signed a petition by the South Eastern Tax Reform Coalition asking the board to roll the rate back to where it was last year. The coalition has also launched a “protest vote” campaign to urge voters to vote against incumbents or refuse to vote in uncontested races.

1. What do you think of the district’s 27 percent tax increase, and, if elected, would you attempt to roll it back?

Reynolds: She said that the board could have done more to cut back expenditures and could have phased the increase in over time. “I will absolutely do everything I can without sacrificing education to roll back the millage.”

Wickman: He said he voted against the tax increase because it seemed too high. He said he would not roll back the taxes because the funds have already been allocated and would “probably do more harm than good at this point.” He emphasized that he would like to see the board move forward, and he would not support another high increase.

Wisel: He said he understands the reasoning behind the tax increase, but “doesn’t necessarily agree with it” because it is “forcing people out of the community.” He said the tax increase was a result of “poor financial planning in the past” and “wasted money in a lot of areas.” Also, he said he believes it is too late to roll back the tax hike.

2. If elected, what would be your other priorities, and how will you address them?

Reynolds: She said she would like to look at cutting unnecessary expenditures. She would like to “see education take priority in the district, which is doesn’t always to the extent that it could.” She said she believes too much emphasis is placed on extracurricular activities and sports.

Wickman: He said he is concerned about promoting safety and a “sense of decency and a sense of empathy towards others” in the schools. He said safety is a concern in “every district in the country right now.” And he said he would like to see the district increase academic rigor, continue to hire and retain “quality people,” and promote a sense of community within the district.

Wisel: He said the budget is the “No. 1, top priority” and he would also try to reduce unnecessary expenditures. He said the school board should work harder to bring about funding changes through the state Legislature. “The school board needs to represent the community to the school and in Harrisburg instead of being a mouthpiece for the administrators.”

3. What makes you the best candidate for the job?

Reynolds: She said she has been involved and attended a lot of board meetings during the past year. Said she has talked to lots of parents and teachers and is “willing to listen and interested in what they have to say.”

Wickman: “I have multiple perspectives—I have business experience, experience as an educator, and experience as a parent.”

Wisel: “I can’t say that I am the best candidate ... but coming from a business background, I know how to do financial planning and I would run the district like a business and not like a school.”