Letter: Vote ‘yes’ on referendum for more classrooms

From Mary Caffrey, Robbinsville
To the editor:
   Robbinsville voters will head to the polls December 11 to vote whether to add 29 classrooms at Sharon and Pond schools, to handle severe overcrowding. The $18.9 million price tag is less than half what the Board of Education proposed when it asked voters to approve a new school in 2010. Voters said “no,” and the board listened. Parents who have spent time in our elementary and middle schools need no explanation of the space crunch, and how it affects a child’s education each day. I will let others speak to those issues. Instead, I encourage those who do not have school-age children to consider why voting yes makes sense for everyone, and makes sense now.
   It is interesting that no one — not even the referendum’s critics — doubts the need for more space. What I hear are concerns about the timing, because households are still recovering from the recession and now Hurricane Sandy. If you think putting off expansion costs is wise, I would argue that the exact opposite is true. Financial conditions are even more favorable today than they were in March 2010:
   • Borrowing costs are at historic lows. Interest rates on public sector bond sales have come in at rates below 3 percent and at times below 2 percent. We cannot assume interest rates will stay this low indefinitely; a delay brings a risk of higher borrowing costs in the future.
   • Construction bidding remains highly competitive. While the economy is showing signs of improvement, competition is fierce for jobs like a school expansion. Public entities in Robbinsville and elsewhere routinely report bids coming in lower than projections. If we wait, as a community, we risk paying more later, both in construction and in borrowing costs.
   • Projects like this help small business. It’s not just children who benefit from a school expansion. Businesses that provide supplies, landscaping, food for workers, and fuel will all get a lift. Bringing crews to two construction sites for months will help businesses that need a boost.
   If you are not convinced, consider what you are getting for your tax dollars today, compared to what you would get if the referendum passes. Think of what it means to spend your money on high rents instead of a mortgage. Today, we are “renting” trailers at the expense of our operating budget. Every dollar we lose could be put into things that lead to better test scores and admission to top colleges.
   By contrast, approving a referendum will bring higher property values, which will more than offset what each household will pay for construction. You must weigh the “savings” of a no vote against what you will lose in the value of your home.
   If the referendum fails, a young couple with two children buying a house in Robbinsville could assume that at least one child would spend a year in a portable classroom. What will happen to housing prices if this becomes the norm? With a “yes” vote, you can advertise a district with increasing test scores, a growing record of top-flight college admissions, and no more trailers.
   Vote “yes” on December 11. From a purely economic viewpoint, it’s not even close.
Mary Caffrey
Robbinsville 