I would like to respond to Mark Schulte’s critique of the proposed bond issue.
Eastwood is giving voters the chance to build a new K-5 facility for $70 per year. This would involve
replacing a 1922, a 1926, and a 1936 building for the cost of a value meal a month.
If that wasn’t enough, there will actually be a personal savings for taxpayers like me. The estimates are
at $350,000 per year. I may not save that money now, but we will see that savings benefit all Eastwood
taxpayers over time.
Eliminating shuttles, adding all day kindergarten, and placing all of the kids, resources, and teachers
in the same building will help improve the already solid education for all of our kids. Anyone who would
argue differently is simply ignoring the facts.
If that wasn’t enough, the district is also going to wait until 2012 before collecting the new millage.
Mr. Schulte is already preparing for his opposition to the renewal of the emergency levy and income tax
in 2010 and 2011 through his comments. Did he ever think that maybe postponing the collection of the
value meal a month might actually help people who actually support the district to vote for this even
though the economy is hurting them right now?
The Eastwood community needs to look in the mirror and ask themselves some tough questions. Where are we
going as a community? Are we going to be a community that looks to make progress or are we going to be
like the Big Three automakers and wait until the Grim Reaper is at our door before we act? No business
or in this case school district can afford to wait until things have run down past the point of no
return before it acts.
I hope we will all act sensibly and take advantage of this enormous opportunity. Remember that a no vote
will only add to the cost of fixing these problems down the road.
Cory Clay
Luckey