Reporter Urges 'Yes' Vote on School Referendum

VOTING IN YOUR BEST INTEREST! Below is the ballot. A “yes” vote means you vote for lower local taxes because the bonds you approve will be paid off by New York State. A “no” vote means repairs needed for schools will be paid by local taxpayers. A “no” vote means there will be no bond needed. You pay the whole bill.

Next week Tuesday, Sept. 25, the voters of Niagara Falls will be asked to vote in a School Board referendum whether to approve a $66.7 million capital improvement bond sale. A successful vote will require a 60 percent "super-majority" of voters because bond sales require that extra support.

The Niagara Falls Reporter has been supportive of the referendum because it makes financial sense for the taxpayers and residents of Niagara Falls.

If approved, 100% of the cost of the $66.7 million capital project will be reimbursed or paid for by the State of New York (technically, all of the taxpayers of New York) for the exclusive benefit of the residents of Niagara Falls. If the voters of Niagara Falls vote against the measure, the cost of the must-do project will ultimately be paid solely by the taxpayers of Niagara Falls.

It is impossible to shape an argument for voting against the proposal. It is true that Niagara Falls taxpayers are New York State taxpayers also, but as Niagara Falls Reporter Publisher Frank Parlato, Jr. pointed out, that is not a strong argument. For every $100 invested in Niagara Falls schools, taxpayers outside of Niagara Falls will pay $99.74, while Niagara Falls taxpayers will pay 26 cents.
If everyone can stipulate that no matter what, at some point, the school reconstruction and repairs will take place, it is incumbent upon us to do it as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. Voting "no" simply kicks the can down the road and forces the same vote upon the populace in another year. That is what the voters did last year, and a repeat performance would be ill-advised.

A "no" vote against the bond issuance is basically a vote for a property tax increase. These capital projects are not frivolous ventures to spend public dollars; they are essential investments in the infrastructure of the City’s educational system.
Eventually, they will be mandated by the State, if they are not already required (ADA compliance, for example). It only makes sense to take advantage of state funding for these measures while the opportunity is available.

By contrast, a "yes" vote is a recognition that buildings and structures get worn down as time goes by. Time passes, standards change and updates are needed. The chance to install science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) laboratories in each school represents a step into the 21st century and a move forward in the education of the children of Niagara Falls. If it takes a village to educate a child, the village is looking for some positive votes.

Last year, only about 2,600 out of more 25,000 registered voters took part in the referendum that stopped $130 million in state funding. That vocal minority voted "no" and put off needed roof replacements and other vital repairs. Does it seem proper or fair that such a small percentage of the population can impose a property tax on the majority of the taxpaying residents of the city? It is if the citizens fail to exercise their right to vote.

Tuesday, Sept. 25, will not be another ordinary day. It will be a day of reckoning, a day to decide the fate of the Niagara Falls school system. It is a day for voters to find their voice and to speak up for their children.