Letter to Editor | YES vote for school levy is an investment in our kids, community

||| FROM RICK HUGHES and MARLACE HUGHES |||

Fellow islanders, my name is Rick Hughes, my wife Marlace, and I operate Ray’s General Store and Pharmacy and Con’s Pit Stop. As business operators, and former public servant, the Hughes family will be voting YES for the REPLACEMENT CAPITAL PROJECTS/TECHNOLOGY LEVY issue on the ballot you just received in the mail. This is a renewal request for an expiring technology levy for our schools. It is not a new tax but instead is the 2021 Replacement Capital Projects/Technology Levy which was previously approved by voters.

This has been a trying year for all of us, but most of all the children in the community have missed opportunities that many of us took for granite when we were in school. The school needs our support and actually more resources are needed, but supporting the renewal of this levy is a good start.

The remote learning demands of COVID revealed that all schools need to be better prepared with technology in the future. Monies from this levy can be used to support the continued renewal and improvement of technology systems, including software, and equipment, staff and teacher training, digital curriculum, assessment systems, comprehensive online access to teachers, assignments, and, of course, the computers, networks, and communications equipment they all rely on.

This levy is projected to cost approximately $0.19 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The school facilities are used by many of us islanders for community meetings and events. This is an investment in the future of our community, our kids, and our schools.

To read more about the levy, one can visit:

http://orcasislandschools.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=362399&pageId=36836084

It is our collective responsibility to support the children of this community. Do your part, VOTE YES!

Please join Marlace and I in supporting the Replacement Capital Projects/Technology Levy!