To the Editor:

We have been a part of Troy community schools for seven years. We are very pleased with the education our kids have received and the Forest school staff. All our kids will be soon out of elementary school but we could not be more supportive of the new levy for a variety of reasons.

First, one should not overlook the impact of new schools on property values. There is a possibility of lowered property values if a levy fails to pass, which can lead to host of financial pitfalls much worse than a minor tax increase. If you want proof of the outside desire of new schools, one doesn’t need to look past the school district lines of to see that new home buyers want to live in Troy but don’t want their children, or tax dollars, to go toward the Troy public school system.

Secondly, the beautiful historic architecture on the outside of the current schools masks structures that require constant upkeep and costly funds to keep functional. Nearly all schools lack air conditioning and proper heating, which not only leads to high utility bills but also safety concerns. It is not uncommon for temperatures in upper floors to reach over 100 degrees during fall and late spring when the outside temperature is only in the upper 80s. Windows are old and open only a couple inches, which significantly restricts airflow. Fans help very little in those conditions. Most adults don’t work in those conditions so how can we ask children to learn in the same conditions. If anyone doubts these conditions, I would strongly suggest you volunteer for a PTO activity in May to experience it yourself. In the winter, the heating systems are dependent on old boiler systems that require specially made replacement parts that are no longer commercially available.

Lastly, new schools will provide the opportunity to equip the elementary schools with the newest technology and safety systems. Current schools are of old layouts and not designed to contain and properly screen visitors before gaining access to the rest of school. The current practice relies on individually locked classrooms and an intercom at front door as the main safety measures.

Thank you for your time and I hope you keep this in mind when it comes time to vote for the new school levy.

— Eric and Aimee Maurer (PTO officer at Forest)

Troy