So Amber, how many letters were sent out?

The following request was made:

"It would be interesting to know how many absentee ballots the MARSHFIELD BOARD of EDUCATION requested on behalf of former students and how many actually lived here in MARSHFIELD for the full last 10 days before the election?"

So, Marshfield School Watch replies:

You raise a good point. Not too many people are aware of what the Yes Committee did to get the referendum to pass. Many tactics were used. You are referring to one that might have been their most underhanded tactic.

On behalf of the school district of Marshfield, the Yes Committee, including school board candidate Amber Kiggens-Leifheit, who served an active leadership role on the Yes Committee, sent out letters to recent graduates of Marshfield High School. The letter told these young people that if they ever participated in any sport, student club, or extra curricular activity that they needed to vote YES on the school referendum. To make things easy, they included absentee ballot applications and postage-paid return envelopes. The majority of these young people live outside of Marshfield, some outside of Wisconsin. None of them pay property taxes in Marshfield.

Requests for "public records" about elections go through the City Clerks office. I contacted her about the absentee ballots for the recent school referendum. Here was her reply:

"There is no way to tell how many were required by the YES Committee and I would not be able to tell you how many of those that voted by an Absentee Ballot either voted yes or no for the School Referendum. All ballots are run through the same ballot counter. I can tell you that we issued 702 absentee ballots and we received 633 of them back in time for the February 19, 2008 primary." (Deb M. Hall, WCPC, City Clerk).

Perhaps the Yes Committee has the information? I asked them to provide it and have received no response from them.

I suggest contacting Amber Kiggens-Leifheit directly. As treasurer of the Yes Committee she should have records of how many letters were sent out. She also works for the school district. Her email is leifheita@marshfield.k12.wi.us or you can reach her by phone at (715) 387-8464 ext. 384.

If the Yes Committee believes this was a good tactic to use, and not an underhanded one, you'd think they'd come clean and tell the community what they did.

Until they are honest with the taxpayers, I cannot support a vote for Amber Kiggens-Leifheit for Marshfield school board.