I read the July 25 editorial, “A timeout on school budget votes,” with much interest, for a solution to the school budget concerns of Sabattus and Monmouth.

The editorial stated many concerns about “townspeople not broadening their horizons,” and the need for lawmakers to build a release valve into the budget system. Plus, that for any budget to be enacted, one side must capitulate. I saw only one sentence where the term “compromise” was used.

With the apparent single-minded methods of the school district – not listening or caring about the townspeople’s concerns – the townspeople will not capitulate.

I have some ideas for the Sabattus school district:

• Combine school bus routes to save fuel, driver costs, bus upkeep-maintenance, etc. Also, since Sabattus town proper has sidewalks, eliminate that bus route.

• Reduce teacher salaries for the summer months when school is not in session.

• Combine school buildings for less upkeep, maintenance, janitorial and school staff.

• Consider pro-rating the school tax burden. For example, families with four or more children would pay more school tax than families with just one child or none. That would include single taxpayers and senior citizens.

I am proposing these ideas so that the school officials won’t just sit in the dark about the townspeople/taxpayer concerns. Officials expect the taxpayers to compromise and pay more in taxes just to satisfy their wants.

Bill Larkin, Sabattus