To the Editor:

I received the Voorheesville School District budget notice less than one week before the vote on May 17. The proposal that struck me with surprise was the capital improvements to the pedestrian bridge over the Vly Creek at the Voorheesville Grade School at a cost of $275,000. I would like somebody to explain to the taxpayers why a small bridge over a small creek that only carries foot traffic costs as much as an upper-middle-class home that is completely finished and ready to move in and also includes a piece of land.

I graduated from the Voorheesville school system in 1979 and since then they have replaced that pedestrian bridge at least once already. What should be the lifespan of a bridge crossing a small creek and costs $275,000?

I helped Don Otterness, I believe it was the summer of 1978, build the covered pedestrian bridge by the bus garage and it still stands. I’m sure the cost of it was not even relatively close, given the times, to what is being proposed for this new bridge.

I’m sure some school administrator will provide some kind of reasoning for the inflated price but I’m sorry to say, under any conditions, I find a price tag of $275,000 unacceptable. I say we should not build the bridge, but we should spend $275,000 to hire more teachers and reduce class sizes!

We have a perfectly acceptable sidewalk along the Route 85A bridge at the east end of the elementary school parking lot. The Route 85A bridge hardly requires a person to walk much farther to access the front door of the elementary school and who couldn’t use the exercise.

I wish politicians and administrators of our tax dollars would stop allowing the taxpayer to be ripped off by these public-works projects. Exercise some common sense with regard to what the taxpayer should be responsible for when educating our community’s  children.

Academia, school studies, reading, writing, science, mathematics, history, geography, current events, and gym class with outdoor time and sporting team work are what’s needed. These are the responsibilities of all taxpayers, with children or without. That is what we owe our society.

The frills, like an expensive unneeded bridge, should be considered only when you have accomplished a good education for all. This is done by having more than enough educators and teachers providing not only small class sizes for ensured academic effectiveness but also diverse educational enrichment for all, not just a select few. You don’t have to go to college to understand this!

Timothy J. Albright

Meadowdale