Your Vote Could

Tip The Scales

To the Editor:

This week I attended one of the “Coffee Chats with the Superintendent.” The discussion centered around the NHS expansion. There were people representing both sides of the argument. The bottom line appears to be a discrepancy of 170 students projected out ten years from now. The question was, “Do you trust the consultants making these projections?” If you do, then you agree the “box” being built is the correct size. If not, you believe the “box” is too large. Lisa Schwartz stated that she researched back ten years of projections by both of these consultants, in regards to student population. Both consultants were incorrect about our current student enrollment projections. The current enrollment is larger than projected, thus putting the town in its present predicament. The best these consultants can offer our town is an educated guess.

It’s not a question of “if” we need more space. Everyone, including those not happy with the current project, agree we need more space. It also sounded like everyone agreed this project is our only hope at this late hour in order to have the new space available for the seventh grade population bulge entering the high school in two years. A No vote could delay any NHS expansion too long, thus causing further overcrowding. So, if we all agree that this expansion project is our only hope, then we should vote Yes when this project comes to referendum.

I’m not advocating a large tax increase, but I don’t want my housing values to decline because of a school system on “warning” status possibly going to “probation” status. I also don’t want a flood of homes in town put on the market. That hurts everyone, whether you have a child in the school system or not. I hope you will vote in the next referendum on April 22. Your vote could be the vote that tips the scales one way or the other.

Noreen Menousek

9 Brookwood Drive, Newtown                                       March 28, 2008