Members of the Lewiston City Council and School Department must think Lewiston citizens are stupid. First, they intend to put forth the same bloated school budget a second time — with no substantive changes — increasing residents’ already high taxes by 6 percent. Second, they wish voters to approve spending another $2.1 million, which will end up coming from the taxpayers’ pockets, to give an elementary school air conditioning and a full-size gym.

Elementary school students do not need a full-size gym. There are other facilities around the city that taxes already support that are perfectly serviceable options, in addition to the smaller gym the state is paying for.

Also, my grade school peers and I survived our education without air conditioning. If summer school is really a concern, perhaps the School Department can buy individual air conditioners for the rooms that will be used instead of cooling an entire building that won’t be in full use in the summer.

A full size gym and a central air system are luxuries the school district wants. Unfortunately, we can’t always get what we want.

By all means, Lewiston residents should let the state pay for the new school and vote yes on Question 1. But voters can send a message to the City Council and the School Department by voting no on Question 2 and the school budget.

Lewiston residents pay enough taxes as it is. Don’t let them tax us even more.

Nathan Faucher, Lewiston