To the editor:

How many of us are still driving our first car today? I am talking about the first vehicle mom and dad taught us to drive. Vehicles full of memories of first dates, first kisses, Friday night football games, and cruising State Street with all of our friends.

For me, it costs too much for me to drive my dad’s 1984 Chevy pickup. The efficiency of that vehicle was around 15 MPG. That windshield my college roommate damaged in 1997 would mean waiting up to two weeks for a replacement to come in. Most importantly, I can not remember if it had a middle seatbelt, but at best, it probably had a lap belt. And absolutely no airbags.

Driving that vehicle here tonight costs 50% more than our present vehicle to operate. It costs time and money for repairs should anything need fixed. Most importantly, if heaven forbid, an accident were to happen in that outdated standard of safety, it could cost my 9-year-old daughter’s life.

Now, I hate car shopping more than most people in this room. I have little faith in the salesman that I am forced to put my trust into. I hate the haggling process. And I hate having a car payment and having debt over me.

Flip that analogy to the buildings in question. Yes, they are full of memories. Of friends, of teachers, and of trials. But memories won’t fix outdated heating, plumbing, and electrical components.

We have retro-fitted these buildings to be as safe as possible, but have we just put a lap belt where a harness should be? What else is out there to protect our children?

Before us are people who have done the research for us. They are not fly-by-night salesmen that we will never see again. These are families from our district that I see at the grocery store, at the bank, and at church. I have faith that they are presenting us with the “vehicle” that is going to take our kids into the future with efficiency and safety in mind.

I am not looking forward to another “payment” added to my monthly budget. But just like a 40-year-old truck as my daily driver makes no sense, the daily cost of operating 75 and 95-year-old buildings makes no sense.

J.C. SIEMBIDA,

Salem