Letter to the Editor 10-22-21

Dear editor,
I’m writing to urge my fellow taxpayers to vote NO on the upcoming public education facility ballot initiative.
Though the proponents have stated that all possible alternatives have been explored, I’m highly skeptical of such claims. After all, these plans were drafted long before the Covid pandemic and they ignore the many lessons learned about education while dealing with the effects of such a pandemic. We know this will not be the last pandemic we face.
Can we at least agree that all alternatives have NOT been fully explored, and in the ensuing years since this plan was developed, things have changed so drastically that a new, more forward-looking approach to public education expenditures is called for? For example, have broadband projects been considered to help alleviate the connectivity issues facing farm families? Have we considered reconstituting small schools situated throughout rural areas? Were ideas such as these considered during the planning process?
I urge all of my fellow taxpayers to vote NO on the initiative and NO on the sales tax increase as well. I truly believe the planning effort conducted so far misses the mark by a great deal and that we can find much more efficient ways to achieve public education, and without applying the same tired old formulae when planning public education facilities.
VOTE NO! Please.
Sabrina Scott
Concordia native and
former advanced technology planning officer
Utah Education and Telehealth Network