To the Editor:

Northampton Area School District has decided to replace Lehigh Elementary School with a new building complex.

While I don’t know the details, I will accept the fact there is a need for some kind of improvement and/or maintenance upgrades. But is that because things might have been neglected for too long? It does seem odd that the price of renovations is so close to the price of new construction. Usually, renovation costs are much less than new construction costs.

The superintendent’s statement on the cost of this is really not reassuring to any of us: “If there is a tax increase for the 2018-19 school year, it will not be because of the new building project because the money is allocated.”

But what about the taxes in the next 30 years? We know there will always be an annual increase as history has shown, but how much will be added for this new school in addition to the recently new middle school?

One can only assume that our school taxes will continue to be an unbearable burden on the senior citizens in our school district and beyond. Tell our representatives in Harrisburg that real change is long overdue and support eliminating the local school property tax.

Stephen L. Radakovits

Allen Township