I’m sure I’ll catch some shit for this if it gets published in the local rag, but what the hell. Everyone around me hears me bitch about it, so why not spread my gripe around town.
Tallmadge School Needs Sight-Unseen
The Mrs. and I have been residents of Tallmadge for just under a year now. She is a nurse at Akron Childrens Hospital and I graduated college with a BA in Music Education. We currently have no children but are both very supportive of the ideals that children are a top priority and the education environment must be strong.
With that said, I won’t be voting for the school bond issue this year. I have two main reasons that prevent me from being on board with this issue.
First, it has not been proven to me that a new school is needed. A report or two and a few official public statements has not solidified need, but has proven only want. If the city wants to convince it’s residents that a new school is needed, how about having an open house? Show me the things that need repairs. Show me the things that are decaying or need fixing. I think everyone would feel much more confident about the reasons why we need a new school [and paying for it] if they could see the problems with their own eyes.
Second, I question the priorities concerning the school needs over this past year. I know there are certain laws and restrictions on how city, state, sale, and property taxes can be used, but I have to seriously question the urgency in the need of new schools when we just built a new recreation center. If our children are so important, I think we should’ve spent that money on building or repairs for a school rather than on a new rec center. To me, this was no better than Cleveland building a new football stadium while the ceilings in their schools are falling in.
Christopher Laco
Tallmadge
And yes, I’ll admit it. I don’t want my property taxes to increase either. Not after every other tax under the sun has gone up due to fed money cuts.