Dear Colleagues,
We needed 4,000 votes yesterday and only got 3,000. There is a cost to losing levies. Obviously the district will run out of money for operations more quickly. Volunteers, who feel defeated, will once again be asked to run a new campaign. Other initiatives will not get done by these people. And on and on.
How many cuts will need to be made? How many things won't get done or replaced? How many helpful programs will disappear or be scaled down? How will this change class size? Support? If you continue to work in the district this loss will affect you. If we don't get a levy passed in the next few cycles then jobs will be on the line, our salaries and benefits will be adversely impacted in negotiations next year, and more.
Thank you to all of you who helped try to get people out. Even though the number of members helping was high it was not enough. Parents know and trust us. We have an impact and we should use it. There are factions out there who do not want to see us succeed, think we are overpaid and lazy, don't like paying high taxes, and really don't like our kids. It is an uphill battle, but one that can be won if we all work together.
In Union,
Ari Klein
CHTU President