By Roger GItlin – EYE ON DEL NORTE – October 6, 2021

Many of you folks are receiving what you believe are telemarking calls from Area Code 707. The call may be very important and allow you to express your opinion on yet another tax. I answered my cell phone and learned the call was from an agency representing the Del Norte Unified School District. It seems the DNUSD is interested to know if you would support a $47 million property tax increase to improve classrooms within the District. The surveyor and his questions ooze with what appear to be infrastructure funding for classrooms, etc.

I urge you to participate and patiently answer the surveyor’s questions and NOT support yet another tax.

This survey comes in the wake of the County Office of Education in the process of acquiring its 37th property on Marshall St. The building is currently owned by Drs. Greg and Annemarie Duncan and has been vacated by the Duncans. The cost to acquire is about $400,000 which will be paid from a $1 million public monies fund collected by the County Office of Education… and paid from your tax dollars. When the transaction records, the County and City will lose valuable property tax revenue and the community will lose a turnkey medical office.

I personally pleaded with Superintendent Harris to forgo this purchase and find no shortage of adequate lease space available, but to no avail. The DNUSD Board of Education, its President Angela Greenough and Members Jamie Forkner, Don McArthur, Charlaine Mazzei and Frank Magarino voted unanimously in support of purchasing another property tax-exempt building. This decision is very disappointing and economically hurtful to the City and County.