Letter to the Editor: Do Your Homework Before Voting for School Board

This election is the most important in many a year for the Manatee School Board because it will determine how the district will spend the monies they will be receiving, what type of education our children will be receiving and how this district is going to support our teachers who are on the front line of education.

This district is at a crossroads on who is going to control the finances of the biggest budget in Manatee County, who will make sure the Opt Out Manatee members will still have a voice for their children's education, who is going to support the best education and who will stand tall for our teachers.

For years, developers and special interest groups have controlled our school board by making sure they always have three votes by contributing to the candidate who will best support their interests. Is this what Manatee Voters really want? Are we going to fall for the same old tried promises?

The school board needs a better direction with honesty and straight talk even when it's hard to hear. The board no longer has the option of painting a rosy picture of our district.

In District 1, there is one candidate who has accepted $9,900.00 as reported on July 22, 2016, from developers and special interest groups who are salivating waiting for the possible extended Sales Tax to pass so as to keep the Manatee School District Bank open for business.

We must be very sure to elect the right person on the board to make sure the sins of the pass don't return. We need a board member who has not been bought, purchased, bribed or has sold their soul by accepting monies from these groups.