Vote YES on WHS bond
When the Whitefish School District rolled out a $19 million plan for the reconstruction of the high school last fall, we questioned whether it was the right time and the right amount of money for such an undertaking.
With a declining student population and a local economy still struggling, it was only natural to wonder if the community would or should support the proposed upgrades to the aging high school.
What has become clear is that one should never underestimate the Whitefish citizenry. When Whitefish residents make up their mind to go after something, they’re a force of nature. The myriad public-private projects that have been built in the last two decades are a clear testament to that willpower, from the skate park, sports complex, dog park and indoor ice rink to the fitness center, library and two performing arts facilities.
The school district has been able to shave $5 million from the total projected cost through some innovative outside funding, including $2.5 million in tax increment revenue from the city of Whitefish. Grants and private donations also have helped to reduce the amount of the proposed bond to $14 million.
Supporters of the high school reconstruction have mobilized a well-orchestrated all-out “Vote Yes!” campaign, complete with a website that cheerleads the effort at http://voteyeswhitefishhighschoolbond.com. They include a tax calculator that shows how much property owners can expect their taxes to go up if the bond passes. It’s about $57 a year for a typical $200,000 home. Another website, www.whitefishhighschoolfuture.com, does a good job of explaining the how and why of the project. Voters who are still on the fence will learn a thing or two by checking out these websites.
A more modest $7 million renovation was thrown into the mix last fall as the school district considered how to move forward. That was a Band-Aid at best, a patch job that just didn’t pencil out as cost-effective. As High School Principal Dave Carlson put it, it would have been “throwing good money after bad.”
School improvements haven’t been an easy sell for Whitefish over the years. It took several tries to get the bond passed to rebuild Central School, now called Whitefish Middle School, and this will be the third time around for the high school.
Mail ballots go out on Tuesday to voters within the Whitefish School District. They’ll be the ones to decide if the third time is a charm for the high school reconstruction. Given the groundswell of community support, we believe it’s finally time to vote yes for a new and improved Whitefish High School.