2009 operating levy: Why now?

Originally published in the ECM Post Review, 9-30-09

In recent weeks a number of citizens have asked why the district is proposing operating levy questions now. Doesn’t the district know there is a recession?

Of course, we are very aware of the economic challenges facing our community. NBAPS has been experiencing the recession for six years or more already. In that time, we have cut programs, staff, and expenses equaling $10 million and spent down our fund balance to protect what we can.

As many of you are doing now, we turned every stone looking for resources, and found creative solutions to keep the district functioning. Those solutions haven’t always been popular, but losing things in tough times never is.

For six years NBAPS has constantly engaged state legislators, and fought hard for change so our students and community would no longer suffer unfairly from inequities in education funding.

To no avail.

No changes have been made, and with the exception of some one-time stop gaps, despite ever-increasing expenses our funding has stayed basically flat. No one rode in on a white horse to fix funding. No one dropped out of the sky to save the day. The hardest realization has been that, if we wanted to change our situation, if we wanted a better future for our students, we’d have to make that future ourselves.

Americans have a proud history of solving their own problems, and this is never more true than in tough times.

If the operating levy questions are passed the money won’t go to the federal government never to be seen again; and it won’t go into some generic state pot to be doled out at someone else’s pleasure. The funds will stay right here; every penny helping each student directly, every penny accounted for by you.

We did not arrive at this decision lightly, and believe me, we know what is happening in the world. Proposing an operating levy isn’t about “piling on” in a bad economy, it is about improving our corner of the world with our own two hands.

The same two hands that built our community and nation, and that will keep it great for generations to come.

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