Editor,
I want to say that I loved the article (April 4, “Rebuilding through a Referendum.”) I will be voting “Yes” because I support our teachers, children and education. Whenever you have a growth rate of about 250 students a year to a system, you must expand it. Especially when you are one of the most popular place in America to live! If you don’t keep your educational system top notch then you will soon find people will stop wanting to come live in Westfield because the word will soon spread that the educational system is not up to speed.
Some people may want to keep Westfield small, but let’s face facts. The Greater Indianapolis area is going to grow, and Westfield is the place to be right now unless we make it not the place to be. For one we are next to Carmel, a wonderful cultured area of Indiana. Two, we have U.S. 31 and Ind. 32 running right through us. These are major thoroughfares for people in Indiana. Third, we are currently experiencing a robust expansion in many areas of our community – Grand Park, the new Riverview Hospital, the newly finished expansion of U.S. 31 and I am sure there is much more I am missing.
These things all brings more opportunity for everyone in Westfield like better jobs, homes and services but we must be willing to contribute our part to the growth. Let’s look at our cost: ($32/month or $1.07/day on a $250,000) ($16/month or $.54/day on a $125,000) home is nothing for all of this. I know the generations before us paid for my education, my father’s education and so on all the way back to when the system started.
Soon there will be more business and hotels around Grand Park. Westfield will be a rival to Carmel if our growth keeps up. Yet if we don’t do what we need to do, this opportunity will pass us by and someone else will benefit from our stubborn, miserly way towards our children the future of our city, state and country.
Being a retired military member, I fully support our youth and our teachers. Without a strong, first-class education, no community can fully succeed.
Jason Straw,
Westfield