Letter: School debate is good; referendum plan is not

If the River Falls taxpayers are just itching to pass the upcoming $39-million school referendum this April, could we at least buy bleacher seats that have backrests? You parents who spend hour after hour sitting on gym bleachers know what I’m talking about!

O.K. I’m just joking. However, it wouldn’t surprise me if plans for bleacher seat backrests are hidden somewhere in the referendum. It’s difficult to really know what the millions of dollars in each line item actually include.

I’ll tell you what the referendum doesn’t include. Our community will lose one gymnasium from the older section of the historic Academy that is slated to be demolished if this referendum passes.

I’m told the community won’t miss that gym because it’s hardly ever used. I disagree with that statement. As short as gym space is in this town, and considering that all gym space is booked almost every day, it will definitely be missed.

If this referendum passes, it won’t be long before the community will start complaining about a lack of gym space, and a new referendum for additional gyms will be required.

There are definitely needless line items that could be taken out of the referendum, and changes that could be made to get more benefit from fewer dollars.

For example, additional gym space could be added by revising the current plan, and removing unnecessary proposed floor space.

If the typical taxpaying citizen becomes informed of what the community will gain — and lose — for their $39 million, it’s unlikely the referendum in its current form will pass.

However, if this referendum gets the community interested and discussing the well-being of our schools and children, the upcoming forums and debates will be worth all the hard work already invested in the referendum.

We need a better plan!

Tags: opinion, letters, clifton, politics