Comparing apples, oranges doesn't help voter decide

Comparing apples, oranges doesn't help voter decide
EDITOR:
This letter is in response to a Monday letter regarding the Jackson-Milton bond issue. The letter stated that Jackson-Milton kids need a new middle/high school building. Few who have visited the building would argue. The rest of the ill-informed letter has no bearing on the 5.95- mill bond issue to build a new school.
Most informed voters realize that there is a difference between capital funds and operating expenses in school funding. The items that were mentioned in the letter were not only inaccurate, but they refer to operating expenses. The November issue before Jackson-Milton voters will raise capital funds to pay for a new school building.
In their comparison of neighboring districts, the writers neglected to tell your readers that the two oldest buildings mentioned in the Western Reserve School District underwent such extensive renovations 20 years ago that many classrooms were unusable during the school year and it required passage of tax monies to accomplish the task. The letter implies that Western Reserve pays lower millage than Jackson-Milton, when in fact they pay a higher effective rate of 35.02 mills compared to JM's 31.81 mills.
Jackson-Milton's 92 year-old building has served us well, but wear and tear through the years have left it in deplorable shape. Major safety and structural issues in the building need addressed. A 2001 architectural study of the structure estimated the cost of bringing it up to code at over $11 million. The bond issue will raise $12.4 million to build a new school. In car insurance terms, the building has been totaled. The bond issue millage has increased from 5.4 mills in the May election to 5.95 mills for November because of "vote no & quot; committee efforts. Any further delay in addressing the building problems will cost the voters more in the future.
In these economic times, does it make sense to allow property values to decline, stand by as many of the best and brightest leave a deteriorating building for open enrollment elsewhere, and keep our community from budding promise? With nearly $5 million in state funding, a new regional public library and a possible YMCA branch on the school campus hanging in the balance, the time to act is now. We can't wait for pie-in-the-sky funding solutions that may never happen.
As the writers mentioned in their letter, the kids need a new school building. We agree with them. We urge Jackson-Milton to vote for our kids and our community on Tuesday.
JACK and ANNE ACRI
North Jackson
Police presence added to success of center opening
EDITOR:
Recently I took my family, which included my 13-year old daughter, to the Convocation Center's opening night concert. She wanted to see 3-Doors Down; I wanted to see what downtown Youngstown looked like with 5,000 extra people in it.
As a downtown business owner for the past six years, I was proud to see the city so lively. From the Convocation Center's staff to the event coordinators and the event itself, everything went off without a hitch. But the real kudos must go to the Youngstown Police Department, whose security presence outside the arena left everybody attending the event feel protected. The combination of police cruisers, police motorcycles, flashing lights and the officers themselves let the visiting crowd know that they were taking the event seriously.
From the police chief on down, you helped to make the opening of the Convocation Center something everyone can be proud of.
JOHN VAN FOSSAN
Youngstown