Donate Your Tax Rebate
Initiated by the Jackson Street School PTO
Dear Parents:
It is not often that we have the opportunity to decide where our tax dollars will be spent. Without our consent, our tax dollars fund wars we don't want to fight and establish national priorities that undermine our children's well-being and future prospects. Well, for once the federal government is giving us the opportunity to decide just where we want to spend some of our tax dollars.
In the next few weeks, most of us will receive a tax rebate for the purpose of stimulating the economy. We recommend that you stimulate our local economy by directing your tax rebate to the JSS PTO. The JSS PTO in turn will donate all of the contributions to the City of Northampton's School Committee.
The money will be used to attack the significant budgetary shortfall that is projected for this year. Our children and our schools desperately need these funds. The entire school system is facing a tremendous funding gap for our next fiscal year. Major budget cuts are being considered. Your gift, and the success of this fundraising effort, may help maintain all teacher positions, keep school libraries open, keep all schools open and/or may provide professional development for teachers and basic classroom supplies for students - to name just a few of the many, many needs.
At a time when the federal and state governments have chosen other funding priorities at the expense of public education and social programs at home, it is our responsibility as a community to ensure that our schools get what is needed to provide a good education for our students. As an example, if every family donated $100 we would be giving $30,000 (a salary). If every family gave $600 (half a $1,200 rebate), we would raise $180,000 (more than 20% of the current deficit).
If you can, please help by contributing all or part of your tax rebate when it arrives. Your gift will truly maintain the quality of education in Northampton schools. We are encouraging all of the Northampton public school PTOs to do the same, to rally parents to rescue quality education in Northampton.
Please contact Gwen Agna or any of us if you need more information about re-directing the tax rebate.
In gratitude for all you do:
Kay Saakvitne, Co-Chair, JSS PTO
Deanna Subocz, Co-Chair, JSS PTO
Colleen Kellogg, Treasurer, JSS PTO
Jo Glading-DiLorenzo, Secretary, JSS PTO
And members of the JSS PTO Ad Hoc Fundraising Committee:
Alden Bourne, Monica Green, Phil Korman, Janet Spongberg, David Starr
Please print out and complete the form below and mail to Jackson Street School PTO, 120 Jackson Street, Northampton, MA 01060
Enclosed is my/our gift of:
$1200 $600 $300 $100 $50 $25 other:
$______
I would like to help by volunteering. Please contact me by phone ___________________ and/or email _________________________________.
Please add my/our email address/es to the new JSS elist for "green" communications: ________________________________, _____________________________.
Name/s____________________________________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________________________