‘Politics as usual’
Comments (...)(This letter is in response to Mr. Manahan’s letter “Climbing Mt. Everest” in support of Hall High School referendum.)
Mr. Manahan, your letter was charming. I, too, have memories of wonderful teachers at Hall High School. Miss Connelly, Miss Fenoglio, Mr. Fitton, Mrs. Nimee and Mr. Keyser were some of my favorites. The musical productions you have produced at Hall have been magical, too.
However, there are fewer students at Hall now than there were 50 years ago. Granted, the new $32 million building will be more comfortable for the teachers, administrators and staff who spend their entire careers at Hall. They are there eight months a year or less if you don’t count holidays and breaks. The kids spend three years of their lives in high school (if you take out three months of summer vacations).
This referendum has put the cart before the horse. First, we need to replace the factories, industries and businesses that have left Spring Valley, so that we can get some needed revenue. Then there will be a genuine need and funds for a new building. Thirty-two million dollars over 30 years (an entire generation) is a crime. It will end up costing over $40 million before it’s paid off. (Google amortization at 1.515 percent for 30 years. Real interest rate could be higher.) This is politics as usual. We can’t afford this new high school now.
Rita Peterson
Spring Valley
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Most Recent Comment wrote on ...
If now is not the time, then when is the time? We have the unique opportunity to pay for this building over thrity years, as opposed to the customary twenty years schools are normally allowed. How many times are we going to "kick the can down the road?" Do a little renovation here a little renovation there. It never fixes the true problems. Why spend 18 million over twenty years($202 on a $100,000 house) and get nothing that will really help the students when we could spend $32 million ($282 per year) and have a brand new building. The intelligent choice, the responsible choice, is HALL YES! |
