Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I regret that I was unable to find a parking place that had enough light for me to get to the entrance of the T.C. Walker Education Center for the joint meeting of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors and School Board on Feb. 23. This letter is to suffice for my remarks, I hope.

The budget that the Superintendent, Dr. Clemons, presented is a bare-bones budget. The request for added positions will still leave some classrooms at more than the state-recommended levels, most of which exceeded the levels that the school board would like to see.

The 6 percent raise that has been proposed is truly far too little. Had there been a 2 percent annual increase for the last three years, the school system would be in a better position, but still not enough to keep valuable personnel in Gloucester.

The business community realizes what needs to happen. There must be a reason for people to come to Gloucester: good schools and an infrastructure that promotes business. ...