Dear Editor,

It’s that time of year again. It’s that sickening time of year. It’s that annual sickening feeling I get whenever I receive our school tax bill in the mail. I recognize immediately what it is as I retrieve the envelope from the mailbox.

A strong sour sensation begins churning in the pit of my stomach as I handle it. I usually quickly place it on top of my dresser unopened and try to ignore it. It’ll sit there for several days festering like a bad stomach virus that won’t go away. It’ll take me awhile before I can muster up the courage to open it. As I finally look at the bill, feelings of anxiety, confusion, disgust and anger overcome me. I feel nauseous. It feels like I’ve just been robbed!

It takes me a day or two to regain my composure.

Then I begin to think. How dare they? How dare they burden Pennsylvania homeowners with an outrageous tax bill such as this. How dare they bury our fixed-income senior citizen neighbors with annual tax bills such as this. How dare they force people to sell their homes who can no longer afford to pay this ever-increasing tax. How dare they nonchalantly propose another 4.2% tax increase next year while this year’s bills are not even collected. How dare they have the nerve to place this tremendous tax burden on the backs of Pennsylvania homeowners.

It’s way past time to change the funding formula for our schools. It’s time to hold politicians, legislators and school district officials accountable. It’s time to change how these schools are funded and get it off the backs of hardworking Pennsylvania homeowners.

R. Kreimoyer

Palmerton