Orcas Island is a place with a unique fabric of community; our lives interwoven together. I believe that strong schools are an essential part of this fabric of community. The Orcas Island school bond is an opportunity for us to keep our community strong by voting “yes.” There are several groups of islanders that I would like to speak to with special encouragement to vote yes; these three groups are the senior islanders without school age children, my peer group; more affluent islanders, and working families with children struggling to meet financial obligations.
We seniors benefited from an education when we were young, and now it is our turn to support education for the next generation. Some say that “we don’t need good buildings for good education”, or “we didn’t need that stuff when I went to school.” However times have changed since we went to school. This generation of students is being challenged to prepare for participation in a competitive, high tech, global economy that requires infrastructure far beyond what we needed. We should provide what is needed now.
I hear some of our most comfortable islanders complaining of the costs that they will bear when the bond passes. It is true that an assessment to pay for this bond is based on property value. Islanders who have purchased expensive property and built correspondingly expensive homes should expect to pay their fair share. This is your moment to step up and participate in building strong community and to be glad to do so.
The final group that I would like to speak to is the working island families that struggle with financial obligations. I have raised a family myself and I do not discount the financial challenges that you face. However, when people say, “when the bond passes I may have to leave the island”; that sentiment needs to be examined in light of facts. The fact is that even when the school bond passes, the school assessment rate for San Juan County will be one of the lowest rates in the state. So, those who feel compelled to leave the island may only face a greater burden elsewhere. This is also the group that will derive the greatest direct benefit from the bond passing, as your children will receive one of the highest value educational experiences available anywhere.
I would like to invite all members of our community to join me; vote “yes” for the Orcas School bond.
Libby Blackwell
Orcas
I completely agree, but remember money doesn’t grow on trees and telling people they need to continually step up to the plate is inappropriate when they cannot but barely survive now due to very tough economic times. Anyone fiscally healthy enough to suggest we all step up to the plate is certainly not understanding of those who are not. People are losing their homes left and right, I say pay your bills pay off your debts defend your family then give unconditionally from your heart all you can to those who can’t, create alternate means to support our schools outside of the demands of, and by the throngs of real estate taxes, at least while the economy is nonexistent.
Spending during times such as these is extremely important from the heart when you have it to spend.
Spending during times like these is extremely catastrophic and dooming indeed when you haven’t even enough to pay for the barest of necessities, such as medical treatment housing heat and transportation needs