I was glad this morning to see that the DDN printed my letter. The letter is only about 120 words in length and is entitled, “Defeating Kettering school levy wasn’t motive”
Re “Maus, Gilmore, Bayless best picks,” Oct. 5: The Dayton Daily News editorial board recommended that the three incumbent Kettering school board members be re-elected, but acknowledged that the two challengers are “impressive and pushing the right issues,” and also said, “It was fortunate that Mr. Bock and Mr. Brown chose to run.”
Thanks. The editorial was thoughtful and fair, with one exception. It left the impression that I “campaigned” to defeat Kettering’s 6.9-mill renewal levy last May. Not true.
It is true I wrote on my blog Web site and I visited voters in my precinct protesting the levy ads that promised “Zero Increase In Taxes.” Since effective tax rates in Kettering are increasing, I felt the levy ads were very misleading. Defeating the levy, however, was not my motive.
Michael Bock
Kettering
I was glad to see they reprinted their non-endorsement endorsement: impressive and pushing the right issues and fortunate that Mr. Bock chose to run. Those DDN phrases of praise could be words on my campaign literature. I was wondering if that first paragaph, those positive words, in my short letter would be cut, and was glad to see that the DDN printed in full what I submitted. Now, of course, I wish I would have worded the letter a little differently. At least, it might get a few readers to think again about that “ZERO Increase In Taxes” promise, and realize that the advertisement about the 6.9 mill renewal levy — promoted by those current board members endorsed by the DDN for reelection — was slick advertisement, but very misleading.
I’m wondering how many voters will notice what I am saying, and of those who do notice, how many will care? Last May, I had several voters tell me they didn’t care if the advertisement was misleading or deliberately deceptive, even, they just wanted to make sure the levy was approved because of how they would personally benefit from a well funded system.
My letter was in response to the DDN editorial that endorsed the three incumbents and particularly the paragraph that said, “Mr. Bock is pressing the board to engage the community on big picture issues of taxes and funding and to craft a plan for the district’s future. But he also rubbed some in the district the wrong way by campaigning against Kettering’s necessary renewal levy last May.”
This is the second letter the DDN published recently — this second letter was sort of an exception to their 90 day rule. My first letter, that I submitted the last of August but was printed a month later, was entitled, DDN editorial took cheap shot at Kettering schools. The DDN has also run two articles that mentioned me by name concerning the need for a new tax levy in Kettering next May. This is the first article — Kettering undecided on school levy timing — the second was printed in the Oakwood / Kettering Neighbors’ section and it doesn’t seem to be available on DDN’s web-site.
