Editor:

I hope others with a desire to see our children and our community thrive will join me on May 2 to vote yes on Issue 2 for Preble Shawnee School District. It isn’t often that we get the opportunity to bring a large portion of state tax revenue back into our school district. I’d rather see $29.2 million come into Preble Shawnee rather than going to another community, which it will if we don’t accept it.

Where do we want to be in 15 years? Do we want to do the irresponsible thing and clear out the district’s general fund with continual bandages on already bandaged facilities? Do we want to place the financial burden of ever-increasing maintenance costs on future taxpayers? Or would we rather commit local money now to a project that’s going to more than double our investment and keep us for several decades?

I’ve heard much about the “debt” this is going to place on our taxpayers. And the school needs to “live within its means.” Public money is a democratic agreement among the taxpayers to fund services. We decide the means the school has to live within. When I look at my property tax bill and see what our school has done with so little when compared to surrounding districts, I’d be ashamed of myself if I were to ask any more of them. Now we’re deciding the future of our schools and communities.

I’d like to see the future after Issue 2 passes.

Michael Zimmerman

Camden