When voters on Feb. 3 decide on the Dubuque Community School District's tax proposal, the decision comes down to one thing: trust. Do they trust school officials when they say this is a revenue-neutral proposition?
Basically, the school district is cash-strapped in one account and adequately funded in another -- but money from those funds cannot be commingled.
So, the proposal is that voters double the Instructional Support Levy and the school board promises to reduce the Cash Reserve Levy an equivalent amount. That way, taxpayers will pay the same but the district has the authority to spend dollars where they are most needed.
Voters should support the change.
However, taxing issues are never that simple. Taxpayers might vote against the Instructional Support Levy if they don't trust the school district to keep its word. It's a matter of trust. During this past decade, especially, the Dubuque Community School District has worked hard to earn and retain citizens' trust.
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