I voted YES! for the Sales Tax Referendum. I am writing to encourage all your readers to make the same choice. Please consider these important facts when deciding how you will vote:

Every penny of the sales tax increase (1 penny on the dollar) must be used to pay for necessary improvements to Gloucester’s schools.

The 1 percent increase excludes essential items such as groceries, prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, and utilities. Even cars and boats are exempt!

The Capital Improvement Plan is already in place. If the referendum does not pass, we will pay for the work with an increase in property taxes. Our voters have a unique opportunity to choose a better way to pay!

And what could be a better use of an extra penny on some of the dollars we spend in Gloucester than to support our schools? It’s a win for everyone in the community now and in the future. As a retired teacher with 31 wonderful years spent teaching in our schools, I am grateful that I had a chance to v...