Your editorial opposing Proposition 55 (the state school bond initiative), "Don't add school bonds to state debt" [Feb. 16], does not address why public schools need to float bonds in the first place.

The reason is that the more than 1,000 school districts in the state spend "paycheck to paycheck" and are unable to set aside the incredible amounts of money necessary for capital improvements.

Regardless of how the rules evolved over the decades, this is the game that all districts must play. Any school district that sets aside too much money for capital expenditures will pay the price by losing staff to higher paying, more financially competitive districts. In addition, new recruitment will dry up completely, and unexpected "back end" costs will surface.

When faced with the choice of preparing for the long-term future of the buildings or keeping a school district competently staffed, all districts will opt for the latter. Educating children is their first priority and, since all districts in the state are in the same mess, the state will have to bail us out eventually.

The only alternative to floating expensive state bonds is for the California Legislature to take the responsible action of requiring each school district in the state to set aside a small but sufficient percentage of its annual budget for future construction and modernization.

With a set-aside mandate in place, all school districts will compete for employees on an even playing field, and the public, the state and the school districts won't be saddled with more long-term debt.

Unfortunately, until Sacramento does its job, the public school system is left with no practical alternatives.

Bill Lewis

Orange

member, Orange Unified Board of Trustees

It would be unwise for Californians to vote in favor of Prop. 55 this year as we are already in the straits of debt, and the proposed bond is not a financial investment. We should give our children the gift of being fiscally responsible now. If we choose to incur more debt, they are the ones who will be paying it off for the next 30 years. Countries around the world provide excellent education for students in lesser facilities. Let's focus on instructing knowledgeable and responsible citizens rather than burdening their future with financial debt.

Anna Hanson

Placentia

Why are we asked yet again to give our hard-earned money to the schools? Why? It seems that every election that we are asked to give up money to them. What did they do with the money that we gave them in the past? How about some tough love for them? When we give our kids an allowance, they have to live with it. They just don't get to come back with their hands out and ask for more. I say to the schools, live with what you've received from us. Learn to budget your money just like the rest of us. So I voted a resounding No on Prop. 55.

John Murray

Mission Viejo