Letter to the Editor: Barbara de Michele

Vote yes to maintain investment in schools

Voters will soon receive mail-in ballots for the Issaquah School District bond election. If you’re a senior citizen like me, you might be asking yourself why you should support this bond measure. Here are a few reasons that I hope will move you to vote yes.

• You already have an enormous investment in our public schools. This bond will ensure that your investment is maintained and preserved for future generations. The bond pays for maintenance work that would otherwise come from teachers’ salaries or classroom operations.
• Strong schools mean strong property values and a high quality of life. That’s the reason the Seattle-King County Realtors, and the Issaquah, Renton and Sammamish chambers all endorsed this bond.
• Construction costs are at historic lows. We will not soon again have a better environment for economically upgrading our schools.
• The Issaquah School District is extremely well-managed. For more than 25 years, the district has held a AAA bond rating. Less than 1 percent of all districts in the United States qualify for this rating. A triple-A rating has meant millions of dollars of savings for local taxpayers.
• Thanks to good management, your property taxes will actually go down if this measure is passed. The district has timed this bond measure to coincide with the retirement of earlier bonds. It’s a win-win!

We have an unparalleled opportunity to maintain our schools, expand the district’s technical and vocational education offerings, and bring old school sites into the modern age, all for a reduced tax rate. As a senior citizen, I recognize a bargain when I see one. Please join me in voting yes for the Issaquah School District bond measure.

Barbara de Michele