Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Every year around tax and budget time, there are many letters in the Gazette-Journal’s Readers Write section expressing dismay, displeasure and despair about the increases and decreases and so on. This year, the letters are lengthy and informative with figures, percentages, comparisons and are well written. The writers have done their homework. They are serious letters, as are the topics. However, after reading them, I feel there’s still something to be said about education and taxes.

Having taught sixth grade in Mathews County for 27 years, I see my students everywhere and most have done well and are taking care of me now. Sometimes when things would get a little wild, I’d give my kids a little pep talk to get things back on track. "Work hard in school and do well, because one day you’ll be taking care of me!" (At the time, I didn’t realize what good advice that was for both them and me.)

Our country is based on the idea of public education and we have to support and pay for it by paying taxes. Everyone is entitled to go to public school. Laws have been made to ensure that we do. I think people forget where they got their education and who paid for it. The majority of Americans graduated from a public school system somewhere … at the expense of taxpayers. Each generation pays for the next—educational security, so to speak.

When I was teaching and our property tax came due, I used to joke that I was paying my own salary. I understand the tax burden on property owners in Mathews County because I pay taxes here also. New buses, teachers’ salaries, computers and whatever it takes to make Mathews County schools the best they can be should not be overlooked. The education of our students is very important to our own welfare. I am seeing this every day!

Nancy Grimstead

Mathews, Va.