When the citizens of Concord vote on the middle school project next week, they should look at the facts and not be swayed by misinformation.
In last week’s issue, an article (“Those voting no on the school article vent their displeasure”) quoted an anonymous NextDoor user who claimed the new school will cost $145,000 per student. This statement is misleading and should not have been used in a news piece. That math would only be correct if the school were used for a single year. In reality, if the building is used for 50 years, more than 12,000 kids will pass through Concord Middle School at a cost closer to $3,000 per child per year (assuming current enrollment levels). In the opinion section (“Consider of those who cannot afford a tax hike”) a writer claimed that passing Question 1 would increase taxes by $73 a month. That is also incorrect. The amount is actually $73 a year, or just over $6 a month.
I implore my fellow citizens: if we are going to argue over numbers, let’s at least get them right. The Concord Bridge has acted irresponsibly by allowing false information to be printed without being fact checked. The people of this town should demand a higher standard of journalistic integrity from this newspaper.
This community is full of careful, intelligent people, so however you end up voting on the 16th, please make your decision using real information.
Rachel D’Erminio
Peter Spring Road