At the Brunswick School Board meeting on Sept. 15, Superintendent Paul Perzanoski read a memo from the finance director stating the school department had a surplus of $2 million it did not need for the 2012-13 school year. The finance director also said the surplus would be rolled into next year’s budget. In the spring, the school department asked the Brunswick Town Council for $1 million from the municipal budget, which the Town Council voted on and approved.

If they knew then that they did not need it, why did they ask for it in the first place? As it came from the taxpayers when it was not needed, it should be repaid — seeing they have such a large surplus again.

The school board always gets what it wants — every year they inflate their budget anywhere from $2 million to $4 million. At the end of the fiscal year, they roll it back into the school budget. From what I have learned, every $300,000 in the town and school budget increases property taxes 1 percent. Do the math.

At the last Town Council meeting, the school department requested an additional $174,500 for the School Department Facilities Master Plan. A public hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 5.

Why should their request be approved if they already have a $2 million surplus in their budget? It should be denied.

This new request is to work on a plan to ask Brunswick taxpayers for $18 million so they can add 10,000 feet of space to the Coffin School and renovate Coffin and the junior high school. They are also planning a new junior high school.

People reading this are probably wondering how I know all of this. I watch Town Council and school board meetings on TV.

I think it is time that the people of Brunswick speak up and voice their concerns and disapproval of the school board’s actions.

There are some taxpayers in town who do not care how much their taxes go up every year — but that’s not how most people think. Many are on very limited budgets and are already trying to figure out how to pay their bills. There is no way they can afford hefty tax increases every year. It needs to stop.

Brunswick taxpayers, say enough is enough and stop fleecing the taxpayers. Ask the school board to make their future budgets realistic, not inflated.

Call your town councilor. Voice your displeasure of the school board’s request. And ask the council to refuse this latest request. The school board already has enough in its coffers. It is time to speak up, people.

— Jean Powers is a resident of Brunswick.