Friday, October 11, 2024
LETTER: MLSD levy failure will hurt schools and community
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April 29, 2024 2:16 PM
As we all are well aware by now, the local school levy in Moses Lake failed.
Voting down a school levy usually results in reduced funding for essential programs and services:
- Services like school resource officers, additional personnel, nurses, mental health therapists, drug and alcohol prevention services, psychologists and security personnel may not be hired.
- Facility improvements like new roofs, carpets, boilers and repairing infrastructure may be put on hold.
- The school board may face difficult choices, such as cutting other programs or sacrificing savings meant for emergencies.
- Pupils may feel the effects of a levy loss with no additional staff, no improved technology, or no enhanced extracurricular programs. Investments in these areas can indirectly benefit local businesses by creating a more educated and skilled workforce.
- As it stands now, businesses can no longer rely on a skilled labor pool; the failed levy may well impact economic development in our area.
Unfortunately, the current message to the broader community is this: Moses Lake is not a good place to live in.
I wish Moses Lake had supported the levy to ensure a quality education for all pupils.
Duane Pitts
Moses Lake