Will a bond proposal ever be accepted by all?

[johnmitchell]

I realize that folks do not want their tax money spent irresponsibly on unneeded frills for the community.  However, I believe it is time once again for Fairfax to make an investment in our school that will serve many for years to come.  The facility is our community building and it needs to be used as such.  With the proposed upgrades and additions it will bring us into the 21st century and provide a facility that one can be proud to work in and to be more comfortable in attending functions The topic has been vetted and those who wish to know the details have had mutiple opportunities to do so.  To kick the vote down the road does nothing but raise the cost of the proposal.  I am voting yes and I hope the majority of the community does also. John Mitchell

[ohhman]

So I ask, will new additions that people are proud to work in bring a better educational value for our students? Many agree there are renovations needed, but to come before voters in such a quick way, not getting the word out until after their 2nd public meeting when the mailing reached most but not all Fairfax voters, and when the state has already said there is no funding there or at the federal level and the state has recently said there will be an 8% increase in education tax across the state, is it really needed for the whole plan to be set forth?  Guess there are many that disagree. Our town could potentially be faced with a 20% increase with the bond proposal, the state tax increase and the increase that will happen come March.

[dvallett]

"Kicking the vote down the road" may raise the cost of the ENTIRE proposal. However, as others have pointed out, it gives us a chance to consider a much less expensive project of making only urgent repairs and more reasonable, limited upgrades. I think what many object to is the implication that we have only one all-or-nothing chance at this. Saying that the only way get the leaky roof fixed and the walls painted is by also building a spa, a swimming pool, and a 4-car garage is indeed not a responsible way to spend taxpayers' money.

Dave Vallett   

[nhibbard]

If people are complaining now about what they think are frills, know that many schools had these frills decades ago. Taxes always go up, they will always go up and you can never know what the state or federal changes will be. Voting to only do a small part makes the whole project cost more in the long run. Costs always go up, bond rates might changes, something else might break that needs to change funding. There is know way to know what might happen. If you're worried about how much this will cost, why not go back and look at what the upgrades to schools cost your parents relative to their means. I don't ever remember hearing so many people complain about funding for schools. Salaries I'm willing to debate but construction seems illogical.

It will only ever cost more to do this project no matter what you do. A portion of this seems to be code upgrades that would be mandated no matter what you do. If you only do part and then code changes before your next phase, guess what, more code upgrades. Do it all now to code and you're covered for what you know now.

This project does not make Fairfax cutting edge. It makes it relevant related to facilities. I can't say it enough, this only upgrades the school to what most decent schools had two decades ago. This provides opportunities to host events that cannot or would not come here otherwise. A gym instead of a multi-use rooms allows focus on athletics, while still being available for a large event. An auditorium gives more comfort for large events, proper presentation for plays, music and presentations. Upgrades to common areas gives pride in the environment you're working in.

FYI, you can't fit a backpack in most of the lockers I saw in the middle school.