Letters To The Editor

Vote yes on CV levy

I would like to encourage everyone to vote yes for the Central Valley levy on Feb. 3.

Our children need an environment that will facilitate their learning, and they deserve to have schools that are maintained well.

This levy will not increase our taxes. It is, in essence, a continuation of the current levy that will expire in December. In fact, the tax rate will be at the 1997 level, and will continue through the year 2000.

The levy will provide for the “extras” that seemed to always be there when we were young and in school.

Our children should be able to participate in school sports, drama clubs, music programs, and in gifted education programs. They should be taught in classes that are not overcrowded. They should have the most current instructional materials available to them.

These are all things that are not fully paid for by the state.

Our children deserve the best that we can give them.

Many parents think nothing of buying their child a pair of $100 sneakers, or of spending $40 on a pair of jeans.

But some think $410 for property valued at $100,000 is too much.

I don’t.

To provide my children with a quality education, with safe transportation to and from school, and for them to be able to participate in activities with their friends and to show pride in their school - well, to me that is priceless.

Please vote yes on Feb. 3. Tammy Yarbrough Liberty Lake

Back WV levy

We urge all West Valley voters to support both school levies on Tuesday’s ballot.

The maintenance and operation levy, which renews a current two-year levy, funds basic education.

We are fortunate our schools offer music, art, vocational education, athletics and programs for at-risk and gifted children. All are funded in part by the M&O levy.

The capital projects levy will fund West Valley’s technology strategic plan.

As our society moves into the 21st century, it becomes increasingly important for our children to be computer literate.

Funds are needed to adequately wire the buildings, keep current with hardware and software, and train staff. Keyboarding will start in fifth-grade for all students.

We need to give all our students a chance to be competent upon graduation.

In order to do this, our schools must include computer training in all areas of curriculum. Nancy Mahoney and Gary Matthews Millwood

‘Yes’ vote supports education

As chairman of the school board and a 15-year resident of the East Valley School District, I am writing to ask all East Valley School District voters to vote yes on the Feb. 3 levy.

This issue replaces the two-year maintenance and operations levy (at a lower tax rate) for our schools.

This issue supplies monies for many programs that are not covered by state and federal funding. These programs include technology equipment and training, music, gifted, sports, extra-curricular busing and teacher re-training, as well as other equally important services.

Again, this levy replaces the earlier tax levy and is not an additional tax.

We at East Valley School District would like to continue to provide excellent programs for its students.

Please vote yes on East Valley School District’s levy on Feb. 3.

Doing so is each patron’s opportunity to support a precious resource, the education of East Valley District’s children and young adults.

Thank you very much for your vote. Marie Francis Spokane