In regard to the budget & tax debate at the North Platte school board, North Platte’s location makes this issue worth looking at —
We’re one of the westernmost schools in Class A, and most of the schools in the classification cluster around Omaha, Lincoln, and the eastern part of the state (Millard, Papillion-LaVista, Bellevue, Fremont, Kearney, Grand Island, Columbus, etc.)
Road trips to Omaha-area opponents like Benson and Millard South run 260+ miles one-way — a haul most Class A teams never face since they often play schools 20-60 miles apart.
This is worth considering as the board weighs budget and levy decisions.
Home values here have gone up a lot this past year, our tax bills are already some of the highest in the country, and folks just found out what the city is considering about utility rates. Add it all up and families are getting squeezed from every direction.
Travel costs are one more expense on top of that. Taxpayers shouldn’t be an afterthought when the board makes its next move.
–Rob Kittle, North Platte
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You’ve addressed the elephant in the room, unfortunately nobody wants to see it.. I can’t say that I’ve ever heard the dollar figure spent on athletics, girls/boys across the board. Travel expenses, uniforms, transportation, equipment, gym, gym maintenance, coaches pay and related expenses..