The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Dear Editor,

It’s time to step up to the plate again and VOTE. Approximately 25 percent of funds to provide a quality education come from us, local taxpayers. No district can survive without local support.

The proposed Maintenance and Operations Levy and Technology and Capital Projects Levy amounts keep our tax rates low, in fact lower than in 2013, and substantially lower than surrounding area school districts. For example, Waitsburg’s M & O levy rate is nearly 50 percent higher than our 2014 rate.

We need to direct M & O funds to the district. These funds are essential to adequately staff the schools and give students career and technical education opportunities. They are also needed to help with student activities and athletics. Our district has not had a full-time guidance counselor for several years. This levy would provide for that. This is what it takes to provide students with a well-rounded educational experience and serve all students.

Communication between buildings and from room to room has been a struggle for many years. Local emergency management dollars do not carry over to the school. The elementary intercom system shorts out and the phone system is inadequate. In case of an emergency, many children and staff would have a very tough time even hearing an emergency announcement. One cannot dial 911 from most phones without first dialing 9 (difficult if one is a visitor, a student, or under great pressure). As the first person a school shooter might see, a secretary feels helpless in the office. These problems would be addressed with the proposed Capital Projects Levy.

Basics such as exterior doors and roofs would be repaired or replaced. The irrigation system upgrades would be completed. Children would no longer have to play on bumpy and unsafe asphalt on the playground. Additional security cameras would be installed. These are all ongoing issues the district has tried for years to address without funding.

We do not see any of these needs as frivolous. We urge you to vote YES on both the M & O and Capital Projects levies. Our school needs money to operate at a reasonable level. A NO vote, or a failure to vote, hurts our students and community. Our school needs money to operate at a reasonable level. It’s up to us to fund it. Please ask questions, if you have them.

Dallas Dickinson and Mike McQuary

Dayton