Six ingredients of a strong housing market; how do they tie in with the school referendum?
Everywhere we turn these days we seem to be faced with dismal economic news. And there are some in this community who relish using that news to tell us why we should vote against all three of the upcoming school referenda questions. Well, this morning I read an article outlining the six ingredients for a strong housing market. Interestingly enough, the second item on the list was having good schools. Conversely, a healthy employment landscape was also on the list.
Yes, we've lost a lot of jobs here, and it is a pity for anyone who has found themselves out of work. But we can also be thankful that we've not seen the severe losses that some communities have suffered. And despite job loss, we have enjoyed a steady growth in population (number five on the list). I bring these things up because I think this all can be tied in with the state of our schools in the Oshkosh area.
It's no secret we have schools which are in disrepair. We can point fingers at full school boards or specific board members and blame them for the problems we have today, but in the end, that will do nothing to make the necessary repairs to our schools, nor will it keep others from beginning to decay. And whether we want to accept it or not, that will eventually play a role in the quality of education our community's children receive.
I somewhat see this as a version of the "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" story: People are out of work or employed in positions that may not pay the best wages in the world, so can they really afford to pay an additional $40 to $60 a year (an approximate average, if all three referenda questions were approved) in property taxes? By the same token, if we don't spend money, can we really expect things to improve? Which must come first - good-paying jobs or improving our existing buildings/infrastructure to help spur growth? And if we do nothing, how will things ever get better?
As to the specific referendum, while I believe we have to do something to make repairs to our schools, I'm not as yet convinced about the new school approach or its chosen location. I am, however, going to listen to the district's sales pitch over the next six weeks with an open mind, and I would encourage others to do the same. But to do nothing and vote no on all three questions, just because of decisions made by past school board majorities that you may disagree with doesn't solve the problem. It's irresponsible and will only cause more problems for us in the future - problems which I believe will surely be felt beyond just the confines of our school district.
Yes, we've lost a lot of jobs here, and it is a pity for anyone who has found themselves out of work. But we can also be thankful that we've not seen the severe losses that some communities have suffered. And despite job loss, we have enjoyed a steady growth in population (number five on the list). I bring these things up because I think this all can be tied in with the state of our schools in the Oshkosh area.
It's no secret we have schools which are in disrepair. We can point fingers at full school boards or specific board members and blame them for the problems we have today, but in the end, that will do nothing to make the necessary repairs to our schools, nor will it keep others from beginning to decay. And whether we want to accept it or not, that will eventually play a role in the quality of education our community's children receive.
I somewhat see this as a version of the "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" story: People are out of work or employed in positions that may not pay the best wages in the world, so can they really afford to pay an additional $40 to $60 a year (an approximate average, if all three referenda questions were approved) in property taxes? By the same token, if we don't spend money, can we really expect things to improve? Which must come first - good-paying jobs or improving our existing buildings/infrastructure to help spur growth? And if we do nothing, how will things ever get better?
As to the specific referendum, while I believe we have to do something to make repairs to our schools, I'm not as yet convinced about the new school approach or its chosen location. I am, however, going to listen to the district's sales pitch over the next six weeks with an open mind, and I would encourage others to do the same. But to do nothing and vote no on all three questions, just because of decisions made by past school board majorities that you may disagree with doesn't solve the problem. It's irresponsible and will only cause more problems for us in the future - problems which I believe will surely be felt beyond just the confines of our school district.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 11:16 AM
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