To the editor:

I am speaking on behalf of Butech Bliss, one of Salem’s largest companies and one that provides significant tax income for our city from designing and manufacturing heavy machinery that ships all over the world.

As a Salem native and company owner who relies on our community to attract our workforce, I strongly endorse the upcoming ballot measure to fund the construction of a new school in Salem. I believe the passage of this levy is essential for attracting a much-needed workforce, providing our teachers with the space and technology to educate our children better, and will result in a major boost to our local economy now and as our children become the highly educated workforce of tomorrow.

At Butech Bliss, we require highly educated and skilled employees who can be difficult to find and convince to come live in our town. We have successfully recruited individuals from across the country and from all over the world. I have watched firsthand how nearly all of them considered where to raise their children, yet ended up choosing other communities besides Salem, with the education system cited as a top factor in their decision.

Salem has the oldest school buildings of all the adjacent districts and is the only district that has not constructed a new school in the last 25 years. Salem City Schools’ newest building, Southeast Elementary, was constructed over 50 years ago in 1967, and our oldest building, Reilly, will be 100 years old in five years. What are these families’ perceptions of how Salem values its education when comparing our buildings to all the neighboring districts that built new schools? Employees who live outside Salem don’t just take their lunchboxes home each night; they take their family’s choice of restaurants, shopping dollars, and their municipal income tax. When they return to their home community, it is there where they serve as coaches, youth leaders, school aids, and civic volunteers.

Failing to demonstrate to the community that we value the condition and quality of our schools, especially when we have this great of an opportunity to do so, sends a clear message to potential residents that we are neglecting to value and invest in our children’s education and future.

By approving the levy, we will show our commitment to education and our children’s future, and it will make our town more attractive to families who are looking for a great place to live and raise their children. This, in turn, will help us recruit and retain the highly skilled employees we need to grow our business and strengthen our local economy.

In the current environment of high inflation with increases in everything from water bills, fuel and groceries, I understand that it’s hard to vote for more taxes, but Salem taxes will still be lower than 2/3 of nearby communities yet we’ll have the largest most modern school in the area. A new school is certain to reverse the $1.9 million currently sent out of our district with our children who open enroll in other newer schools every year, and should instead follow students from other communities who will be enticed to open enroll in Salem. In closing, I strongly urge all voters to support the upcoming ballot measure to approve a levy to build a new school. Together, we can invest in our children’s education and create a brighter, more prosperous future for our community.

Jock Buta,

Executive Vice President,

Butech Bliss,

Salem