It's simple. -áWe're a community. -áAs voters, we own the responsibility to make informed decisions, -áespecially regarding children safety.
Yes! Yes! Yes! -áBy now, we should already all know, this bond is not going to increase our tax rate at all. -áThis is great news. -áHowever, there is much more at stake here than intelligent financial planning. Safer schools weigh on my conscience.
Initially, it surprised me to hear someone question whether we need to renovate and fix our schools. Then it hit me! Many community members do not know how much safer our children could be simply because they haven't seen the inside one of these schools. I have, so I feel a keen sense of responsibility to share what I know GÇô so together we make an informed decision.
As a school district substitute, I work in each and every building. I know which campuses were built in the 1980s, are wide-open, without a single point of entry or exit and need to be made more secure. I know the outside-facing classroom doors at my son's school have to be locked from the outside in case of an emergency lockdown. I know which HVAC systems are failing to the point where young children wear coats nearly year-round to stay warm. On occasion, I am even asked to help place the garbage cans used to catch rainwater from our leaky roofs.
The need for this bond is severe. -áWithout 60-percent favorable turnout, we do not have money to fix our 30 to 35-year-old schools. Period.
For the sake of a logical discussion, let's ask ourselves: If your home was so cold that you and your children wore coats nearly year-round because your heating system was too old to fix, would you replace it? If your roof leaked, would you use a garbage can to collect the water or fix it? What if, in an emergency, you could only lock your door from outside?! Would you fix it? Yes, of course you would do these things! It really wouldn't be a decision, but rather a responsibility, right? So there is the answer. [The] decision we must make is passing the upcoming Monroe School bond.
For those of us who know how imperative this decision is, don't hold back. Joe Namath once said, "If you're not gonna go all the way, why go at all?GÇ¥ He had an excellent point. So if you are reading this as one of many informed supporters, take heart. Please speak louder, engage more people and jump in with both feet! -áOur community needs to understand their vote is severely needed. Our children and our grandchildren deserve our effort and our time in engaging others.
On the fence? If you need more information, please reach out, ask, tour a building, make sure you have the info (www.voteyes4monroeschools.org) to vote and help ensure our children are safer.
Remember, the children you vote "yesGÇ¥ for in April will include future leaders making important decisions affecting us in our aging years. Let's show them by example what's important. -áWhile it is awesome that the tax rate is not going up, I want you to vote yes because you don't want kids sitting in leaky, cold classrooms that could be much safer than they are today!! ' C. R. Fleury, Monroe
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