Letters from Supporters

Madison School Referendum Deserves Broad Community Support

Once a decade or two ago, Wisconsin school districts did not have to ask voters, in such a direct way, to support schools through referenda. As the city has grown in complex ways around the edges, we've not been asked so directly to fund new roads, sewers, parks and protected green space, police and fire services, public transportation, new power and communications infrastructure, or a broad set of other taxpayer and ratepayer funded projects needed to make modern urban areas work. However, the high quality of our schools is one of the main reasons people come and stay in Madison.

MMSD did most everything right with this one, acquiring land in advance, projecting growth with updated numbers and a sophisticated trends analysis, looking for ways to find more space without new buildings, sharing how overcrowding threatens student learning, and getting citizens involved a year ago to form plans that were vetted by the broader community. So, by accepting this affordable and rationale request for new school space, Madison area voters can join many of us by saying, "Vote Yes for Schools!"

Jerry Eykholt, PhD