Satirical Support Angers Jeffco Schools Head

DENVER -- Jefferson County voters may be confused when they open their election notification mailing; the statement in support of measures 3A/3B appears to crticize them.

And that's the intent.

"Hurtful, lacking integrity, and cruel," is the way Cindy Stevenson, superintendent of Jefferson County Schools describes it.

Part of the statement in support of the property tax hike (A) and the bond issue (B) claims new teachers could be offered salaries "in the six-digit range".

Untrue said Stevenson.

"We edited comments about people out of the language. However, we couldn't change the basic intent of the language," Stevenson said, flanked by other, real supporters of 3A/3B.

"It's very hurtful to us who had been working on this along with senior citizens and many, many grass roots organizers across this district," said Jeffco mother Kathy Frank.

Part of the statement said "Senior citizens....should recognize that their reduced productivity calls for them to be replaced by the youth of our nation."

"Nobody's implying that it's their opinion. It's my opinion. I'm a citizen," Arvada resident Tom Graham said.

Graham admits writing the statement as satire.

"Anything as preposterous as these two issues right away rings your bell for satire," Graham said.

He hopes the measures are defeated, saying now is not the time for tax increases.

Stevenson hopes voters realize the school district did not write or endorse Graham's words, but felt it would have ended up in court if it had tried to remove them.

"Did I see it coming? Absolutely. There isn't any question. But when you have legal counsel, you all know you follow the advice of your legal counsel and you deal with the consequences," Stevenson said.

Stevenson said the district has received so many e-mails and phone calls she took a vacation day to address them, and the media.

"Our attornies advised us that we had to print it. I wish to apologize to the citizens of Jefferson County. They are smarter than this, Stevenson said.

3A would increase property taxes by $35 million.

3B is a $350 million bond issue.