Union-Bulletin

College Place Public Schools Bond website says, High School - Why do we need our own high school? Timing is right - record low interest rates and no current bonds.

Those are insufficient reasons taxpayers should approve 20 years of significantly higher property taxes increasing with property reassessments.

Valid reasons for a College Place High School would be:

1. Walla Walla High School is not providing a satisfactory education.
2. Attending Wa-Hi is a hardship for College Place students.
3. Excessive Wa-Hi dropout rate.
4. Wa-Hi graduates are unsuccessful in college, trade schools and careers.
5. Wa-Hi lacks school safety.

Research including discussion with a College Place School Official indicates:

1. Wa-Hi is providing quality education.
2. Attending Wa-Hi is not a hardship of travel or busing. Five miles, 20 minute drive from proposed College Place High School to Wa-Hi.
3. Wa-Hi dropout rate is comparable to similar schools, slightly higher than smaller schools.
4. Wa-Hi graduates succeed in colleges, trade schools and careers.
5. School safety is a Wa-Hi priority. Proposed College Place High School is near a major highway, Walmart parking lot and a creekside transient campsite. Wa-Hi is a more secure location.

Conclusion, "our own" College Place high school is not a necessity to children's quality education. Wa-Hi provides that opportunity. Students failing at Wa-Hi is from lack of effort by the kid and parents. Our two kids attended grades 1-12 in four towns, two high schools and have a total of five college degrees including two masters and a law degree. I have a high school education. To those responding our kids inherited their mothers intelligence, "darn good they got her charm and beauty also."

A College Place high school is socially desirable, not a necessity. The "timing" is poor during this economy. Taxpayers are not failing the kids by voting no. They are comparing necessities versus socially desirable to build a high school that says College Place over the door. Necessities are gas, food, health care, taxes, payments, education and other rising costs of living.

Starting a College Place high school is a down payment on future tax increases to expand the school.

High school bond formulators have failed the children of College Place by presenting a bond they should have foreseen unlikely to pass.

A smaller bond replacing Davis School would likely pass. I am voting "no" on the College Place high school bond.

Al Stillman

College Place