Letters to the Editor Week of 9/21/20

A national crisis
To the editor: Our nation is in a crisis, facing a distressing mix of violence, distrust, racism, misinformation, income disparity, polarization, injustice, and political corruption. Beneath it all is a fundamental problem: our elected officials do not listen to the American people, and instead represent powerful elite interests that pour billions of dollars into elections and policy decisions.
Constitution Day was Sept 17. This is an apt date to emphasize that there is a solution to the money in politics problem. Our Constitution was designed with a brilliant strategy to ensure it would remain a living document able to grow along with our nation: the amendment process. Throughout our country’s history, the grassroots amendment process has allowed Americans to expand rights and freedoms to more people. An amendment to limit the influence of money in politics would ensure every American has a voice in the decisions that affect our lives—during these turbulent times and in the future.
Recently the American Promise movement for the 28th Amendment has seen consensus and momentum. The majority of Americans across the political spectrum support a constitutional amendment to enable citizens, elected officials, and the states to enact limits on the vast quantities of money that dominate our political system and silence our voices in our democracy.
Here in northwest Ohio we have experienced first-hand the consequences of political corruption through an alleged pay-to-play scheme. Find out how to support constitutional reform at americanpromise.net.
Ellen Greene Bush
American Promise Ohio
Port Clinton

Poppy drive
was a success
To the editor: The Genoa American Legion Auxiliary 324 would like to thank Miller’s New Market, GenoaBank and Sunoco Mini-Mart for allowing us to collect poppy donations for veterans.
Thanks to the generous donors and volunteers who helped. All of the donations go to veterans and military families.
Karen Gruben
Auxiliary president

Vote for transfer
To the editor: On Nov. 3, residents living in Lindsey village and the eastern portion of Washington Township will have the opportunity to vote for a district transfer from Fremont schools to Gibsonburg schools. A new law (Ohio Revised Code 3311.242) allows certain residents to more easily change their home school district and follow the tax rates of the new school district. If the measure passes in Washington Township, homeowners will no longer be within the Fremont City School District and concurrently, they will also see a decrease in their school taxes.
The Gibsonburg School District is approximately 7.6 percent less in property taxes than the Fremont City School District. Students can attend any local school they choose through open enrollment, while their parents have the potential to save thousands of dollars over the course of their residency here. In addition, residents would pay 1 percent income tax on earned income only. Currently, Fremont City School residents pay a 1.25 percent income tax rate on all income. With a transfer to the Gibsonburg district, retired persons and senior citizens will not be taxed on their pensions or Social Security.
The plan to leave Fremont City School District has been brewing within the community for a long time. The district's top-ranked elementary school was located in the Village of Lindsey. It is being demolished as this letter is written by the Fremont school board and not replaced. Thus, students from Lindsey will now be bused into Fremont city and attend one of the brand new elementary schools as part of a $58.6 million dollar levy that was approved in May 2017 by a majority of Fremont voters, but disapproved by Washington Township voters.
But the motivation behind changing districts is more than financial. Many believe that forming an allegiance with a city school district that is 10 miles away is a moot point now with the demolition of Washington Elementary.
Rural Washington Township (including Lindsey) sits next to four school districts (Benton-Carroll-Salem, Woodmore, Gibsonburg, and Fremont ). Over the last decade, more and more parents have open enrolled their children into one of these other smaller districts with the largest group going to Gibsonburg. Currently, 28 kids from the Lindsey area open enroll at Gibsonburg schools.
Members of the School District Transfer Committee (who are financing the ballot campaign) are asking the residents of Lindsey and the most eastern portion of Washington Township to vote yes on Nov. 3 for the Proposal to Transfer School Territory. For information go to www.schooldistricttransfer.com.
Meredith Edwards
Lindsey
Editor’s note: The state law allowing transfers of school territories has been struck down in federal court.