Dear editor,
There comes a time in everyone’s life to stand up when you feel passionate about something. I am a 30-year transplant to this community and have enjoyed living and raising my family here.
I need to express my opinion about the upcoming bond issue. The USD 257 Board of Education has exhausted their possibilities on what is best for the future of the children in our district. They have studied the choices of remodeling or building new and have decided building new is our best and most responsible option. They have looked into every possible venue in the area to build closer to the present buildings, but there is just not enough land available. As a district we need at least 19 acres just to combine our present three elementary schools. The total land the district owns now is under 10 acres. They had to look elsewhere and picked the north side of town, where I hope is the future for housing in Iola.
Our town decided to build a new high school, our present building, in 1916. That was right in the middle of World War I. Do you think they could afford it at the time? Later, our town decided to build new elementary schools, our present buildings, in the late 1930s — on the heels of the Great Depression. I really doubt that they could afford it at the time, but our community thought of their children’s futures and sacrificed to do what was best. It is our time now to provide our children with buildings that are safe, efficient, and conducive to 21st Century learning.
The estimated cost per household is $6.60 per month on a $75,000 house. The sales tax would be 50 cents on every $100 you spend. The bond issue and sales tax both have to pass for the schools to be built. The children in our community deserve this investment.
Since 1993 the state has helped pay for new and remodeled projects based on the economics of the district. Out of the 293 Kansas school districts, 262 have taken advantage of this program. Our percentage paid by the state would be 51 percent of the bond and interest for the duration of the proposed project. The state has never backed out of any project that they have funded. Legislators are considering not funding future projects. Again, our time is now.
There are many questions that can be answered by attending a community meeting. The next meeting will be Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. at Lincoln school. It is our time for the future of the students and our community. Please be an informed voter on Nov. 4.
Terry Lower,
Iola Kan.
Letter to the editor — September 27, 2014
