There are many reasons to “Vote Yes” to the 2013 Noblesville Schools Referendum, but I want to focus on one that has nothing to do with the funding of Noblesville Schools and they way their money is spent. First let me say, I am not only a resident of Noblesville, but a business owner as well. While my residential property taxes are going to go up slightly, my business property taxes will go up rather significantly. I truly believe the higher expense will deliver a much higher return for the ALL the people of this community. The opportunity to have Ivy Tech, a Community College, right here in Noblesville is huge, and needs to be seriously considered when voting on this referendum.
I co-own Hare Chevrolet with my sister Courtney, a multi-generational family business, Noblesville’s oldest business, and one of its largest private employers. We currently employ approximately 175 full time employees and about 10 additional part time employees. Many, many of these employees over the years, have attended classes at Ivy Tech while working in Noblesville, but they have to drive to Anderson or downtown Indianapolis to attend classes. Many times the expense and/or time spent on this commute deter them from continuing their education.
Obviously unemployment has been a major issue over the last few years here in Noblesville. But while there is high unemployment, there are a significant number of unfilled jobs out there. It’s called a “skills gap”. We have it in our business and I have talked with many other local business owners who have jobs openings going unfilled as well. What is skilled labor? Skilled labor is jobs like electricians, auto mechanics, computer technicians, welders, and many more. Careers in many of these jobs result in above average household incomes along with long term job security. I know first hand, there is a significant shortage of automotive technicians and welders, and this shortage all through the recent recession. We have automotive technicians who have been working at Hare for over 30 years, and have enjoyed long well paying careers. When school budgets were cut many years ago, high school curriculums cut classes like automotive shop, aviation, industrial arts, drafting, and many other lucrative careers. There are very few young people considering these careers because of lack of exposure and knowledge about the opportunities.
Ivy Tech offers many different tracks for training and certifications in these exact careers. Ivy Tech offers associates degrees as well as bachelor degrees. These are all sectors of the population that enjoy much lower unemployment rates and higher average income earnings than sectors of the population with no additional education post high school or high school drop outs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a March 2013 study of the civilian population over the age of 25, the jobless rates of high school dropouts (11.1 percent) and those with just a high school diploma (7.6 percent), both at or below the country’s unemployment level of 7.6 percent, compared to those with additional education after high school (6.4 percent) or a Bachelor’s Degree (3.4 percent).
Don’t we want to offer that to our young population? The opportunity to not have to “go away” to attend college…the opportunity to work and attend classes locally toward a degree…the opportunity to get a quality education for thousands of dollars less than attending one of our state universities an hour away…the opportunity to put affordably put themselves in a sector of the population with lower unemployment?
Beyond providing multiple opportunities to the citizens of Noblesville, a community college like Ivy Tech is going to have a significant immediate economic impact locally. The people attending these classes and driving to this destination will eat, shop, get gas, run errands, etc. They will spend money in our local businesses that make this community such a great place to live. They will broaden our business base. Each one of these businesses pays sales taxes, property taxes, payroll taxes, sponsor non-profits, sponsor youth programs, and many more, which makes our community a better place to live and ultimately lowers expenses for our residents.
The benefits of having Ivy Tech in Noblesville are significant. An opportunity like this doesn’t come along very often…WE CAN’T AFFORD TO LET IT PASS US BY. Without passing this referendum, it won’t happen. An increase in household income, a higher educated population in Noblesville resulting in more businesses and lower unemployment. How can you afford to do anything except VOTE YES?? Ivy Tech will be so good for Noblesville!! VOTE YES for Ivy Tech.
Monica Peck