To the Editor,
As a former Mosier Community School and North Wasco County school board member, I understand how important it is that we have safe, accessible, modern facilities to promote learning for our students and attract & retain great teachers.
As a parent of a 2nd grader at Chenowith Elementary School, I can't wait for him to have a new high school in The Dalles to attend. I will fight for him and all the other students in our district to have a safe school where they can thrive.
It is our duty as a community to take care of and upgrade our public educational facilities. We cannot keep kicking this can down the road. Someone paid for our schools, now it is time for us to pay for the schools of the future. It will be a legacy we can be proud of. It will also help our community grow economically, academically, and socially. The schools are the heart of our town.
While the taxes may be difficult for some members of our community, the vast majority of households can afford the extra $25-50/month in additional taxes to pay for the new high school. The additional property taxes will also go down as the next two Google properties come onto the tax rolls. We also have three other bonds expiring in the next 5 years. The best time to build a new high school is now. Vote Yes for the North Wasco County School District bond on Nov. 7th. Your vote matters, please use it!
-Rebecca Thistlethwaite
