I was alarmed when I read a letter to the editor in the last issue of the Courier. The letter stated that the plans for a new middle school would eliminate the outdoor basketball court and fail to fully replace essential athletic fields on campus.

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs. Our school referendum vote is just around the corner. We should be paying attention to the details.

I am hopeful that readers will be able to see that the long term plan seeking a 12% tax increase clearly seeks a “ middle ground” approach that is so much more responsible than the 25%+ - increase proposed in 2022.

Vote yes on the school bond. The ad by the so-called “CapeVoters” in the last Cape Courier urging you to vote no is highly deceptive. They talk at length about the cost, but the cost of a new middle school will increase property taxes by no more than 4% over their proposed solution. For the median house, that’s an increase of no more than $390/year, approximately $1/day for a solution that actually addresses Cape’s aging and somewhat decrepit school buildings, rather than paying for expensive renovations that won’t solve the fundamental problems.

I am voting YES on the school bond and asking you to join me. Why? Because our schools must be safer. The threat of gun violence in schools is real. A year ago, most of our state was on lockdown following the Lewiston shooting, and on just the second day of school in Cape Elizabeth, there was a school shooting in Georgia.

We must do better for our kids. Building schools designed for 21st-century learning and safety is part of that.

Nobody WANTS higher taxes, but done in a thoughtful way, I think these gradual increases over a 3-year span is something the majority of us can handle.

Let’s come together, vote YES on the school bond, and help ensure our schools continue to be a source of pride and opportunity for all. Let’s leave a legacy of education and community that future generations will thank us for and pass down to the next.

Whatever the issues may be, I implore our town leaders to Embrace the wisdom of the community, and engage in thoughtful dialogue responsive to the opinions of the voters; and I urge you to join me in this plea.

They voted unanimously and called it “Middle Ground.” This is exactly what we need to be doing: reaching middle ground, or perhaps, common ground! It’s what healthy communities do. They bring concerned stakeholders together for the common good, in this case, the students, the parents, the taxpayers, the employees and the officials elected to represent them all – the School Board and the Town Council. They go back, and back again, and eventually come to common ground.

There are many places to get news. For news about schools, I appreciate the measured and transparent communication of the Advancing Cape Schools group.

106 public meetings, an owner’s rep and highly reputable architect, multiple open forums and discussions, and a plan that both School Board members and Town Councilors alike said was promising. 100% of needs met with 0% student disruption.

After 4+ years of study and 900+ pages of reasons why we need to address these 60+ year-old buildings, we have to accept that there will never be a “perfect” plan or project. Concessions must be made in order to move forward with a reasonable tax increase.