Letter: Critical of district

Dear Editor,

The winning bid for the old tourism information center property was $1.25 million. The appraised value of the prime piece of real estate is $2.6 million. A clear sign of the severity of the economic hard times gripping the nation — hard times that make selling a piece of real estate a nightmare. On the other hand, it creates a buyer’s paradise. Those with cash can acquire prime real estate cheap. The Hudson Country Club is a fine example of prime real estate selling for a fraction of its appraised value. Then why would the school board offer 8.25 million for a property with an appraised value of 5.01 million?

If the school board and its financial advisor are that far out of touch with the status of the present economy, as to make a 165 percent of appraised value offer, on a 10-year vacant albatross of a property, I demand that immediate action be taken to strip the board of all powers regarding financial matters. People! I am a card caring moron who, yes attended Hudson High, and even I can see the writing on the wall, something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Simply, in my opinion, the school board is either dumber than a sack of hair, or they’re on the take. Personally I don’t care which, just do it elsewhere and let the good people of the Hudson School District make wise decisions with their hard earned tax dollars. Nobody, I mean nobody, is getting 165 percent of appraised value for land today. Just ask any one of the over 800 foreclosures that took place in St. Croix County over the last year.

Whether you agree that the track property is right for the new school or not, this is about purchasing whatever site the people agree on properly. A more appropriate offer would be 2 million. Scariest of all is the fact that the board voted unanimously on the offer. Not one of our elected representatives voted against such a ridiculous offer. They all can’t be morons like me, at least I never see them at the monthly meetings.

Erickson, the board’s financial advisor, allowed this to happen? The district deserves better, the taxpayers deserve better, the children deserve better and the board deserves an indictment!

Tags: opinion, letters, money