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Some service, please

Christian Breau
Letters |
Saturday, October 31, 2009

I've always been the one out of my group of friends to say, "Pay your taxes and stop complaining," but in late August of this year I found myself wondering if I was giving good advice.

I have a 5-year-old son who attends kindergarten at an elementary school in Auburn and our day care is 0.42 miles from his school. We recently found out that the Auburn schoolbus system will pick up children who live or are cared for only if they are a half-mile or farther from the school.

I don't know about other parents, but I don't think there are many who would let a 5-year-old walk 0.42 miles to school, on a street that would put that child out of sight after about 200 feet.

Why am I paying thousands of dollars per year in property taxes and cannot get transportation to school for my own son, while there are people who pay no taxes and get schoolbus service for free because they live just a fraction of a mile farther away?

My wife teaches in Lewiston and I work in Brunswick. Every day of the week one of us is late for work because we have to take turns dropping our son off at school. We can't drop him off until 8:15 a.m. because there are no teachers outside before then.

Could I please, as a paying customer of the city of Auburn, get some service?

Christian Breau, Auburn

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Displaying comments, from newest to oldest

lead dog's picture

Stop whining. State

By lead dog, unverified — Sun, 11/01/2009 - 00:19

Stop whining. State statutes say children who have less than a mile to travel are not entitled to ride the bus. Many towns use their discretionary spending to provide transportation to kids who live closer to the school. I walked 1/2 mile to and from school when I was in kindergarten. Starting in first grade I did the same walk twice a day. I walked to school in the morning, home for lunch and back to school for the afternoon classes. Other kids did that up to a mile each way. There were only a couple overweight kids in the whole school. If today's children walked to and from school it could be like that again. I know sending school children home to eat lunch wouldn't work now because not enough parents are home at lunch time but a morning and afternoon walk would be good for most children.

Scotty_O's picture

I am going to take the

By Scotty_O, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 16:53

I am going to take the liberal approach. Even if the school is on the same street 1/4 mile away, there should be equality for all children to ride the bus. Vote no on same street bus stops. All you 1/2 mile haters will get yours! Don't worry though, taxes will not go up if you choose the public (transportation) option.

rich1951's picture

very well said momoftwo

By rich1951, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 12:53

very well said momoftwo

Pirate's picture
verified

That would be a fair

By Paul St. Jean, verified user — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 12:43

That would be a fair solution wouldn't it?

scott's picture

Here is a thought. Talk to

By scott, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 11:22

Here is a thought. Talk to your employer and ask if you can show up to work 15 minutes late but work the extra 15 on the other end. Most employers know what it is like to have a family and will work with you. Or you could always sell the BMW and be a stay at home parent.

veritas's picture
verified

So "Who" doesn't pay any

By Ronald Riml, verified user — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 10:39

So "Who" doesn't pay any taxes, Mr. Breau?? How do you know this?

What in the hell does that have to do with your inability to organize your time or deal with reasonable limitations?

Could you get service? Yes - you do - apparently the same afforded to every other citizen of where you live.

I hope your pre-school child whines less than you and learns better problem solving skills.

------------------------------------------
When I was a young Sailor - I drank like a Sailor, fought like a Sailor, and screwed like a Sailor. Now that I am old and wise - I have a few scars, but many fond memories.

Robert61's picture

In Lewiston when our

By Robert61, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 09:24

In Lewiston when our children were in elementary schoolwe lived 4/10th of a mile from the school but because of heavy traffic we petitioned the city to make a bus stop to pick them up...Never had a problem for 9 years after that raising 3 kids.

Pirate's picture
verified

I can't believe someone

By Paul St. Jean, verified user — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:49

I can't believe someone can't cut a deal between the daycare, a bus driver with a brain, or a City Councillor who is there for the purpose of helping his constituents. The Pirate can certainly empathize with not wanting to let a 5 year old child walk that distance unescorted.
The parrot thinks the parents should teach the kid to fly, but he's having one of his idiot spells; got into the catnip again.

T's picture

It has absolutely nothing to

By T, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 11:51

It has absolutely nothing to do with the bus driver.

Pirate's picture
verified

Is this a forum in which to

By Paul St. Jean, verified user — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 12:39

Is this a forum in which to express opinions and ideas or are we all in attendance at a seminar dealing in only absolute truths?

T's picture

The bus driver absolutely

By T, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 18:58

The bus driver absolutely cannot stop without board approval even if he/she wanted to. The bus driver is not part of the equation.

tron's picture

the truth is that your bird

By tron, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 12:47

the truth is that your bird is much smarter than you, in my opinion!

MomOfTwo's picture

Did Nancy and Gil read this

By MomOfTwo, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:36

Did Nancy and Gil read this LTTE at all? The child is in day care, less than 1/2 mile from school. That's where the problem lies. In order for the child to get to school without having to walk 1/2 a mile, Mom and/or Dad have to bring him, but not before a teacher is outside on playground duty at 8:15. They could leave 10 minutes earlier, but not be able to drop him off until 8:15. I guess if I were the parents in this situation I'd be asking my daycare provider why she can't provide someone to walk the 1/2 mile with the child to school. If the daycare provider can't or won't provide that service, I'd find a new daycare provider who can/would. Although, it seems strange that if the daycare is 1/2 mile from school, I'm guessing at least half a dozen busses pass by that daycare on the way to the school. One of them couldn't make a 15 second stop to pick the child up?? How much more expensive would that be for the City?

T's picture

I'm a public educator. If I

By T, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 11:49

I'm a public educator. If I worked at this school and this parent explained the situation to me, I'd help them out by allowing them to drop the child off with me. Many other teachers would do the same.

Pirate's picture
verified

Something about that idea

By Paul St. Jean, verified user — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 12:41

Something about that idea that fails to leave me warm and fuzzy. The parrot doesn't even like it, and he's nuts.

Fear not the enemy at the gate, for it is the enemy within that will devour you.

T's picture

Teachers are at school long

By T, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 19:01

Teachers are at school long before their "duties" begin. Many might be available and willing to supervise this child until school begins. In fact, this happens all the time around the state.

BTW...I don't like what your implying.

Gil's picture

Perhaps it's karma for never

By Gil, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:02

Perhaps it's karma for never questioning what you were paying taxes for all these years. If the school is less than a 1/4 mile away I think you need to stop complaining and leave two or three minutes earlier so you won't be late. I sure hope neither one of you teaches math, 'cause that sounds like an easy word problem. "If Mr and Mrs Breau have to be at work at a set known time every day, and have to drop their kid off at school first, how much sooner do they have to leave in the morning in order to get to work on time like every other parent whose child doesn't ride a bus? Please show all work."
"Reasoning with a liberal is like trying to pick up a turd by the clean end. " Pirate

Nancy's picture

mmm lets see....this is a

By Nancy, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 06:38

mmm lets see....this is a tough one....
Use before and after daycare like all the rest of us had to!!

tron's picture

So Mr. Breau, where would

By tron, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 00:51

So Mr. Breau, where would you put the line, a 4 tenths of a mile, quarter mile, or no limit? Should every child get a ride to school? Are you willing to pay the higher property tax that would result? Those are questions you have to answer then inform your Councilor.

T's picture

He would set the limit at

By T, unverified — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 11:43

He would set the limit at .42 miles.

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