I am a city resident, a life-long Annapolis resident and the father of a student in her first year at Hillsmere Elementary School. I graduated from Annapolis High and believe in our public schools.

That’s why I am so concerned over the City Council’s delaying again and trying to defeat a reasonable school overcrowding bill.

Alderwoman Elly Tierney defends her delaying tactic while acknowledging she will vote against the bill and this will only add to the school overcrowding problem (The Capital, Feb. 16).

I understand Tierney had pledged during her election to support a bill the same as the county’s school overcrowding law: no new development plans for four or more houses may be approved if the receiving schools are over capacity. This prohibition applies for six years or until the school is no longer over capacity. There’s nothing worse in a politician than blatantly breaking campaign promises so important to our children’s education.

This same law has worked well in the county to force the powers that be to fix the overcrowding problem under pressure from developers. Why shouldn’t the city operate under the same law as its development can overcrowd schools the same as the county’s?

I have another daughter who will be ready in another year to attend school and I hope Tierney will reconsider and honor her pledge and vote for a law that emulates the county’s. The mayor and other aldermen should also honor their pledge and finally enact a meaningful law to help stop school overcrowding.

CHARLES DAMMEYER, ANNAPOLIS

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