Are you in favor of the Mt. Lebanon High School project?

It seems that the strategy is to nominally reduce the scope of the project to bring the cost below the threshold where a community referendum is required. But after the project is well along and the inevitable cost overruns arise, the school board will add to the budget with the rationale that "we can't stop now with an incomplete and unuseable building," and hence avoid a community referendum.

Remember the elementary school renovation projects --- when it was all said and done, we paid far more than the original estimate.

 A new high school and athletic facility is long, long overdue.  The Board should negotiate a contract with the construction firm that mitigates taxpayer risk and puts the onus on the builder to deliver the project within budget. 

 I want to wish the taxpayers of Mt. Lebanon good luck in trying to have the school board listen to you. School boards are so out of control in Pennsylvania because Pennsylvania does not require a refendum when a school district want to impose new taxes. Most states require a referendum.

I organized the www.savebethelhigh.com organization and we are working hard to get the school board to listen to the residents. You must find someone to organize an effort to get your concerns heard.

Good luck, Jeff Becker