“Today, citizenship requires that people be knowledgeable about public issues and possess the capacity to work toward a solution by acting together with a shared sense of purpose for the common good.” Toward this goal, I would like to share some thoughts on the school bond issue.

We have a group of concerned citizens who came together to look at what would be best for the children attending public school in our community and formulate a plan. I would like to ask citizens to consider another group of individuals in the community- those on a fixed income whether it is retirement, pensions or welfare.

Those who own a home will likely see a $15-$20 monthly increase in their taxes if the bond is passed. If these individuals cannot afford this increase in taxes, they may lose their home. When individuals lose their home they may become depressed and despondent, especially if they were planning to live in the home until they died. When individuals become depressed and despondent they may become ill with what may or may not be a life threatening condition.

Those who are paying rent will likely see this amount passed on to them in their monthly rent. They will have to decide which part of their budget to cut expenses in order to pay the increased rent. They may decide to move out of Hays to a lower cost surrounding community. If they have children, then the school attendance will drop.

Anyone moving to the area will consider these issues when deciding where to live. The result may be a decrease in the number of children attending school and the number of citizens in Hays, which would be opposite of what is planned as an outcome of passing the bond. One group of the community will benefit while another group may suffer.

How can we improve our schools and still consider the common good? Do we need to consider ‘need’ vs. ‘want’ and what is ‘realistic’ vs. ‘idealistic’? For example, could students live with conduit running down the walls and exposed ductwork if we had enhanced security and a new auditorium? Do we need an ongoing Strategic Planning Committee for the school to look at these complex issues? Does the school have an Endowment Fund? Would a ‘United Way’ type goal work to raise some money? Would the schools be willing to conduct more food drives to keep the community pantries filled for those who must cut expenses in their food budget to pay higher rent?

Balancing the needs of the students with the needs of those on a fixed income and the community in general should be possible but we will need to consider more options.

Sandra Watchous MN, RN, Hays