The June 18 editorial regarding “fast budget cuts” fails to focus on the entire issue at hand. Your chastisement and vilification of taxpayers performing their constitutional right was insensitive and reckless.

The fact of the matter is the budget that was submitted to the Wales taxpayers was irresponsible, given the sensitivity of high property taxes and burgeoning living expenses. The school board was overreaching when they suggested to the taxpayers a budget that exceeded the state’s own EPS recommendation by $353,000.

Wales taxpayers do not have a problem funding their school at the state-recommended levels, and even agreed to give an additional $133,000 over and above the state’s EPS recommendation – a fact the editorial writer was ignorant of, or conveniently chose to ignore.

The idea of cutting music, art, physical education, gifted and talented, health and Spanish, as well as extracurricular activities and bus service to the high school, was calculating and irresponsible. These programs existed in last year’s budget, and to assume that they now break the camel’s back is ludicrous. The programs were suggested knowing that they would strike the ire of your uninformed editorial board so you could be used as a tool to cast your opinions on the masses that follow your lead without investigating the facts for themselves.

Shame on you for castigating the taxpayers, and shame on the school board and the Wales school administration for playing dirty politics with our children’s education.

Paul F. Landry, Wales