Here’s a question for homeowners: If you had to sell your house tomorrow, would you like to make a profit?
I sure would.
The house my husband and I bought 10 years ago has almost doubled in value. Sure, we’re paying more in taxes, but that’s a price I’m happy to pay to have hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity.
I suspect that most homeowners would agree that they want the value of their land and homes to go up, not down. How do we increase the value of our homes? Regular care and maintenance, curb appeal, maybe a kitchen remodel.
Another way to increase property values is to live in an excellent district. When looking to buy, young homeowners seek out safe neighborhoods and great schools.
Let’s keep our community and home values strong by approving the Battle Ground Public Schools operations levy. The money it will raise is critical for the district; without it, there will be devastating cuts.
If you’re a parent of Battle Ground students and the levy fails, you can expect that your children will be in much larger classes. Gone will be the days of 21 students — district leadership will be forced to put as many students in a classroom that will fit. I wouldn’t be surprised if primary school teachers had 28-30 students each. Middle and high school teachers could be looking at class sizes of 35.
Without levy dollars, there will be less campus security. All the security officers at the middle schools will be gone. The sworn law enforcement officers at our high schools and other security personnel will be gone. The 40 crossing guards keeping your children safe on the streets will be gone.
Do you know any Kindergarten teachers? If so, please ask them about the challenging behaviors they’re seeing in a post-COVID world. Teachers need help from staff members that are trained to manage difficult behaviors.
If the levy fails, these valuable supports will be dramatically reduced.
If you don’t have children enrolled in Battle Ground, years ago when you were young, the community helped put you through school. Maybe you’re willing to continue the tradition and support BGPS students. If that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, consider your home values and how much equity you’d like to have in the bank when it’s time to sell.
Generations of BGPS alumni have made our community great. If we want to live in an area that continues to reflect this legacy, we must invest in public schools. Thank you for voting yes for BGPS.
Amy Fredericks
Vancouver
•••
Letters To The Editor
Readers are encouraged to express their views by writing to the editor of The Reflector. Letters are limited 500 words. Deadline is noon Thursday. Writers are limited to two letters per calendar quarter. All letters must be signed with name, address, plus phone number for verification. Items submitted are subject to editing and will become the property of this newspaper. Opinions expressed in the Letters to the Editor section of this newspaper do not necessarily reflect those of The Reflector or its staff.
Email: letters@thereflector.com
Mail: The Reflector, Attention: Letters to the Editor,
209 E Main St., Suite 121 Battle Ground, WA 98604
