Editor,

Here are the financial numbers for what the Oak Harbor School District gets annually from the federal government in general purpose grants, impact aid for maintenance and operations and special education.

2006 — $4,894,209

2007 — $5,517,906

2008 — $6,003,298

2009 — $6,135,663

2010 — $4,713,554

2011 — $6,082,463

2012 — $5,130,782

2013 — $4,997,781

2014 — $3,782,368

2015 — $4,459,739

2016 — $3,900,052

The 2006 to 2013 average per year: $5,434,457 and the 2014 to 2016 average per year: $4,047,386.

So the last three years the Oak Harbor School District has averaged about $1.4 million less per year than the previous eight year period. This represents an approximate 25 percent drop in funding at a time when the Navy population on the island is increasing. So now the property owners are picking up this shortfall in the new school levy.

I did notice the outrage of our north end politicians at this discovery as they are sending a contingent, including the mayor, a commissioner and other representatives to Washington D.C. But alas, that is not the reason they are going to D.C. They are going to ask for more of the same. I suppose once you get abused by the federal government the abuse gets easier as the time goes on.

So who do our elected officials on the north end of Whidbey Island truly represent: NAS Whidbey or the property owners whose taxes pay their salaries, which include Navy personnel who own property? Based on the above information, I think we know what the answer to that question is.

Thomas Kosloske

Oak Harbor