Yes on plant facilities levy

It would be easy to make a case for not supporting the special plant facilities levy.

The $14.1 million levy couldn'd5t come at a worse time.

Nobody has to be reminded that food and gas prices are at record levels or that the softening economy has seriously jeopardized the American dream of owning a home.

With that backdrop, who in the world would want to dig into their pockets to pay more taxes?

Who, indeed.

How about anyone who believes there is a civic responsibility to adequately fund our schools and that includes making them safe?

The state of Idaho and its leaders have impaled public education in Idaho by underfunding school districts and forcing nearly every Idaho school district to run maintenance and operation levies almost yearly. More than 80 percent of Idaho schools currently have a school bond or levy in place.

Here are a few facts that reinforce our support for public education in the Lake Pend Oreille School District:

' Not one penny from this levy will be used for salaries for teachers or administrators.

' While every school in our district needs work, the constant underfunding of education here makes it impossible to make our schools safe. This levy helps replace a sewer system, removes asbestos, recovers damaged roofs and even updates a fire alarm system.

' The needs are real and the cost of materials can only rise.

It's hard to believe we are even discussing faulty sewer lines and asbestos removal for our children 'or anyone's children for that matter.

Kootenai School and Sagle School will receive the bulk of the levy dollars to add classrooms, a gym and a kitchen to Kootenai as well classrooms and additional restrooms at Sagle.

This levy has nothing to do with the 'three Rs,' these are safety issues and that's a shame.

While other school districts have moved past funding safety issues and have focused more on enhancing education, for some reason patrons in this district have allowed our schools to fall into disrepair.

If you value safety for our students and believe the cost of making these needed repairs will only increase with time, you should consider voting yes on Tuesday.

If you believe the improvements I have listed 'd1 and many more 'aren't needed and this levy is just a scheme to take money from you, then vote no.

It is high time we fix our schools and to reinvest in education here. A yes vote on Tuesday will be a step in the right direction.

We urge you to vote yes on Tuesday.

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee.