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Editorial - December 2003 |
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Schools face sales job on $47 million bond |
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Published December 17, 2003 |
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While a lot of the attention at Monday’s Board of Commissioners meeting was given to the controversial landfill fiercely opposed by many east Lincoln residents, a far more important development came out of that meeting. The board approved putting a $47 million school bond for construction and renovations on the ballot May 4. Board members could have delayed this important measure and deliberated for weeks, but eventually would have faced a lot of pressure from Lincoln’s potent educational lobby to prepare the county’s school system for a rapidly growing population. So, in the spring voters will decide if they want to foot this rather sizable bill, barring any problems resulting from the state’s current redistricting lawsuit. School officials should not assume that it now has the support needed to pass and they must make their case. Lincoln County is still seeking to recover from an ailing economy and major job losses during the last two years. Some may take the position that they can’t shoulder the additional tax revenues that often result from a bond issue. School officials have adopted a five-year plan that projects school needs based on anticipated population growth. (There’s also a 10-year plan, which would seek another $42 million). Here’s what the proposed bond issue would fund under the 5-year-plan: construction of a new elementary school in the west to relive overcrowding at Union, Love Memorial and North Brook, $8 million; construction of a new middle school to serve the central part of the county, $15 million; renovations at existing schools, $6 million. School officials should be prepared to document these needs during the months before the spring election. Even if the needs are documented, voters often make a decision on such matters based on the job performance of the teachers and the administration. If they feel good about what’s happening in the schools, they are more likely to approve bond votes. They easily approved a $36 million bond issue in 2000 which paid for North Lincoln High. To be successful again, school officials must fully justify the school construction/renovation needs, and they must continue to show that the performance in the classrooms is well worth the cost of new school buildings.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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