- Target:
- Natick Town Meeting & School Committee
- Region:
- United States of America
Thank you.
In 2002, Natick instituted a $250 per student school bus fee for elementary and middle school children living less than 2 miles from school. Those living beyong 2 miles of their school pay nothing for bus fees. As a result, nearly 60% of Natick families will pay no bus fees when their children begin middle school, and 25% will never pay bus fees. At the same time the 40% of Natick families living within 2 miles of both their elementary and middle schools are forced to buy bus fees for this entire time. At this same time, in 2003 the Natick School Department had a budgetary surplus, which it is directing toward eliminating this unfair burden on Natick families.
We, the undersigned, believe that the current $250 per student school bus fees are an economic burden to Natick families. We also believe that these fees are not being applied fairly, because only those who live less than 2 miles from a Natick elementary or middle school have to pay, while those living 2 miles or beyond get school bus service for free. Therefore, we demand that the Town of Natick either 1) eliminate school bus fees entirely; or 2) require every family with bus-riding elementary or middle school children, regardless of location, to pay bus fees in order to fairly spread this burden.
The Fairness in Natick School Bus Fees petition to Natick Town Meeting & School Committee was written by Jeff Briskin and is in the category Government at GoPetition.