LETTER: MLSD levy failure will hurt schools and community

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:

1. Services like school resource officers, additional personnel, nurses, mental health therapists, drug and alcohol prevention services, psychologists and security personnel may not be hired.
2. Facility improvements like new roofs, carpets, boilers and repairing infrastructure may be put on hold.
3. The school board may face difficult choices, such as cutting other programs or sacrificing savings meant for emergencies. 
4. 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. 
5. 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