Letter to the editor
Endorsement explained
Dear editor:
At the Sept. 12, 2016, meeting of the Whittington Valley Neighborhood Association, Superintendent Mike Hernandez of the Hot Springs School District gave a presentation explaining the reasons for the district’s proposed millage increase. Afterward, our members voted unanimously to support the requested millage increase.
I want to explain why our group endorsed the millage increase.
With no significant renovations since the 1960s, Hot Springs’ public schools are in need of substantial improvements and expansion. Imagine the difference between a car built today and one built 50 years ago and ask yourself, which would be best in transporting your children? Modern educational facilities foster a more engaging, dynamic and productive learning environment which better prepares students for future challenges.
Among the points that proved persuasive to the members of our association (including winning over several skeptics in our group):
• Campuses will be consolidated. This will reduce maintenance costs. Less money spent on maintenance means more money for educational programs that benefit our children.
• Plans call for creating a multidistrict vocational campus to prepare those students who do not want to attend college with the technical skills employers currently demand.
• The creation of magnet elementary schools (for grades K-6), each providing specializing programs that appeal to families outside the district, will draw additional students back into the district.
• The members of our association own homes in the district and will have to pay the millage increase. However, the financial impact will be very modest. For an owner of a home with a market value of $75,000, the property tax increase figures to be about $5.50 per month.
• Finally, sooner than we may want to admit, these very children will be our doctors, scientists, educators and leaders; money spent today educating our children is an investment in our future.
As early voting began, a so-called “Taxpayer Alliance” sent out mailings in an attempt to convince people to vote against the millage increase. To make the millage seem shockingly burdensome, the “Alliance” reported the supposed cost calculated over 30 years. To me this was misleading. Even small amounts, when compounded over 30 years, seem huge. Buy a song off iTunes every day and over 30 years you will have spent over $14,000! That very large number sounds scary, but the real cost for those tunes, paid for at $1.29 a day, is not a worrisome concern in your everyday life.
Fortunately, Hot Springs voters showed wisdom and foresight, choosing to vote for the future of our children and refusing to be swayed by arguments advanced by certain naysayers.
The vote shows Hot Springs cares about its children. This is a good sign for our city and its future. Verna E. Linder A member of the Whittington Valley Neighborhood Association Hot Springs P.S. The members of the association asked that I write this letter explaining our group’s support for improving our city’s schools.