Ballot Boxes and Band Aids

Lead Ballot boxes aren't just for politicians anymore. The last time voters in Bloomington went to cast their votes, they also weighed in on two referendums about school funding. One recommended a $50 million expansion of the sports facilities, providing a second field house with room for wrestlers and other activities. Another proposed a $50 million performing arts center to replace the too-small and outdated auditorium. Beginning Paragraph Voters turned down both referendums, probably scared off by the combined $100 million price tag, though the average property tax increase would be only $189 per year. The school board now believes only one project can be approved at a time, and so they are debating which to set for the next referendum. Position Statement Both projects are long overdue, but if we must choose one or the other, we should first build a new performing arts center.

Reasons (Topic Sentences) Our current auditorium cannot accommodate many of the events it is designed to host. At a maximum seating capacity of 500, the auditorium does not have enough room for an all-school assembly. When new freshmen come to orientation with their parents, about a hundred people end up standing three deep across the back of the theater. In fact, band and choir concerts that include the middle and high schools have to occur in the field house for lack of room in the auditorium. Middle Paragraphs And our big winter musicals, with more than 100 students onstage, sell out, leaving many family members outside, unable to get tickets to see these award-winning shows. The only reason the field house often has to host performances, assemblies, and other key events is that our auditorium is inadequate.

The auditorium also lacks many of the necessary features of a functional performance space. Facts and Statistics The 100+ students in most productions cannot fit on the small stage, performing in the aisle during big musical numbers in Anything Goes and Oklahoma. The electrical systems have limited plug-ins, making the lighting spotty across the stage. Examples Attempts to plug in more lights once caused a blackout during "Step in Time" on the opening night of Mary Poppins. Worse yet, the auditorium backs up on the school's central courtyard instead of an outside entrance, meaning that risers, building materials for sets, and other large equipment must be hauled in through two sets of small doors, through the cafeteria, and into the auditorium. Logical Arguments Upgrades to any of these shortcomings would only provide Band-Aid solutions to the underlying problem of an out-of-date and poorly designed space.

If voters settle for Band-Aid solutions, they might bring the auditorium to a barely functional status for our current needs, but they will completely ignore the future needs of our school. Bloomington and BHS are growing. The new microchip plant in Union City has already begun hiring, and many families are relocating to our city. Enrollment has increased by three percent in the school system for each of the last five years, which has created much of the strain on the existing infrastructure. New home starts are up as well, as are property tax revenues due to the increased population. A report commissioned this year by the city council projects a continuation of growth for the next five years. If we simply update the current facility, the auditorium will be laughably inadequate in just five years. Spending the money now, as our tax base also increases, only makes sense for the Bloomington community.

Answers to Objections Of course, the proposal to fund a new performing arts center has many detractors. At the May school board meeting, a standing-room-only audience in the auditorium included many citizens who objected to a new tax levy. However, the time is right. The mortgage on the current facility will be paid off next year, so the new levy would be partially offset by a reduction in taxes. Other citizens said that they did not have children in the public school system and so should not have to pay for public schooling. That's shortsighted. The public schools improve the quality of life for all residents, whether they have students in the system or not. Strong schools attract more families and growth. They also create an educated populace and workforce for the future. A recent study by the Washington Center for Education concluded that every dollar wisely invested in improving inadequate public school facilities yields about two dollars of value for the community.

Ending Paragraph We expect a lot out of our high school. It is open by 6:30 a.m., and on most nights, activities take place until 9:00 p.m. or later. Yes, the auditorium hosts band and choir concerts as well as plays, but it also hosts the Prom Parade, homecoming events, citywide meetings, adult-education programs, community celebrations, and even times of public mourning. The auditorium is meant to be a center for the community, but it is completely insufficient. Do we need better spaces for athletic events? Yes. But our current field house still works. Our auditorium does not. Some citizens have wished for an "Angel Donor" to provide the money we need to update our school. In the absence of such an uppercase Angel, we citizens should all become lowercase angels. For an average cost of $189 per household per year, we can gain an average benefit of $378 per household per year. That sounds like a bargain. So, the next time you face a referendum at the balance box, don't vote for a Band Aid. Instead, vote to aid the bands, choirs, plays, students, teachers, and citizens of our community with a new performing arts center.