Apparently not too many folks read the recent Independent news article covering the new school budget adopted at (just) one of our schools? There were few comments in the letters section of the paper (or the web site). I expect the figures involved weren’t that eye-catching? The new school year budget was just north of forty-million dollars (40 Million Dollars!) Only a (another) small increase in your taxes, up 3.75%. Pocket change for most folks nowadays, I guess?
 My column last week addressed this indirectly (at least I thought it did?). I was questioning how much money bein’ spent (just on ballfields) might finally get your attention? That News article and my (opinion) column are still posted on the papers web site. An unnamed source (whose veracity I’ll not address) told me the cost of those little ballfield “improvements” taking place up on the hill was 2.3 million dollars? (Yikes!)
 Now I’m just tryin’ to imagine the budget discussions that took place in coming to the final decision to spend that kinda taxpayer dollars on ball games? ($2,300,000?!) Bothers me too, that if governments history in spendin’ is any gauge, it’ll most likely run over budget. Probly exceedin’ three million dollars by the time the lights on the new scoreboard flicker on!
 Those deliberations on the budget mighta went something like this?
 Head Chairperson: Now that we’ve finally gotten the agonizing decisions about whether to buy more books out of the way, we can move along to truly important business. By the way, I want to congratulate the board on this decision. Those four cases of history, science and math books are going to go a long way in augmenting the use of the 708 new computers we’ve budgeted.
 Now what say we move on to the fun part of our meeting. Who wants to close out our talks about making more absolutely necessary improvements to our athletic fields? Keep in mind the tremendous educational contributions found in this area of endeavor. Raising the quality of ALL our students abilities to read, write and add up scores (not just our athletes). We need to get a positive vote on this into the record!
 Member Mrs. Scrooge: I don’t believe playing any game should be allowed on school grounds! We’re in the midst an energy crisis, you know! I believe we should be expanding our vocational programs to include operational guidance with pick, shovel and explosives. My husband is constantly complaining that good help is hard to find down at the mine. Getting (clean) coal out of the Scrooge mines and into the homes of our students should be our priority. I vote no on any ballfield improvements. 
Member Mrs. Cratchit: Bobs not going to be pleased with me, but I must agree with Mrs. Scrooge. I’m afraid we shouldn’t spend a dollar more of taxpayer money than we’ve already spent. We can get by with the existing 8 or 10 ballfields. Keeping score with those little cards hung up on the scoreboard has worked fine since I was a girl.
 I mean golly, after covering the teachers salaries, health care needs, retirement funding, learning conferences, repainting the parking space lines in their lots, we’ve already allocated nearly 40 million dollars of the budget. I timidly vote no.
 Member Mr. Rockefeller: I don’t believe money is the issue here. After all what’s $2.3 million to the counties taxpayers? They’re so many of them and their incomes are higher than ever! I vote for the fanciest, lighted scoreboards and grandest bleachers we can aquire. That’s what we’ve always done back in metropolis. I vote yes for any and all improvements!
Member Mr. Carnegie: Well now! Mr. Rockefeller, we must keep in mind not All the county taxpayers are going to pay for these improvements. There are several other school districts and each one will need to pony up the money for their own ballfields.
 But I do agree with you that only the best is good enough for our children. Therefore I certainly cast my vote in favor of raising taxes. Just enough to cover these wonderful new learning improvements. I’ll also be donating another case of spelling books to the library.
Head Chairperson: Darn! Looks as if we’re all tied up here! Now my job’s to protect the interests of our school system And the taxpayers. Therefore, I move we go into closed session. I’ll confer with the coaches and give you our decision after construction has started.
 I Don’t Know About You..., I think every citizen should pay more attention, not just more taxes.
 Cal Teeple, founder of the Observational Cogitation Consortium is often found three stools down. He may be ignored, accosted or contacted On The Web at: wayneindependent.com/cal .