“Defeated handily” is putting it mildly. I guess that voters did a bit of reading and used a bit of common sense.
Let’s start with the funding:
47m Project
- 2m Taxpayer cost
- 5m district funds
= Approx 40m from the state. With the current deficit reaching obscene proportions, the district is taking a serious gamble. If the money falls through, the district is screwed.
The hype:
Of course the brochure sent to residents contain photos of pretty nasty looking rooms and furniture. I’ve been in the schools recently and have come to the conclusion that they had to dig a bit to find that crap. They make large the fact that improvements are needed to meet ADA guidelines. No problem with that. But they don’t mention some other things in the scope of work:
225k to change the gym courtyard into storage.
263k to expand weight room 1700 sf
1700sf. It better be a typo. My entire freaking house isn’t 1700 sf.
Now if there was a call to spend on upgrading the curriculum, improve the quality of education in the district, it would have passed with flying colors.
But a makeover heavily dependent on money from a bankrupt (both financially and ethically) Albany just won’t pass muster.
Now they have to step back and come up with Plan B. How about basic infrastructure work like they did 3 years ago? When money’s tight, you fix the Buick, not by the BMW.
