On May 8, a meeting was held at Oak Hill High School to vote on that school’s budget for 2007-08. The figure mentioned was $5,985,650. That is $1 million more than the state’s Essential Programs and Services’ recommended budget, and is an increase of $588,634 from last year’s budget – an increase of 22 percent. The cost per student increased by $1,472 from last year.

Sabattus taxpayers at the meeting voted to cut the budget by $332,991, which upset some board members. They met the next night and voted to resubmit their budget May 23.

I believe the budget is way out of control, which has been a growing trend for several years and no one ever said “Stop, we can no longer afford this.”

It’s getting so that both parents have to work to provide for their home and families. Soon, another income will be necessary; and retired citizens on fixed incomes will no longer be able to afford to live in this town.

This year brought new tax evaluations, a proposed 22 percent increase in the high school budget and there are still the budgets for the other schools, town administration, police and fire departments, public works, transfer station and sanitation department.

Parents and teachers used to volunteer for sports as coaches and to provide transportation. Now the school does it all, and it’s not cheap. The budget listed transportation and extra-curricular activities costs as $299,841.

Something is wrong.

Joline C. Loesberg, Sabattus