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Letters to the Editor

Local party leaders join in support of levy

To the editor: At a time when there is such polarization and division in politics, local Democratic and Republican leaders have found an issue in which they can join together to wholeheartedly support. That issue is the proposed new K-8 Salem City school building complex which is on the ballot this November 7th, and for which early voting has already begun. As a part of our due diligence, we are touring all three of Salem’s existing elementary schools. And what we have seen so far, the Reilly School Building dating back to 1928, shocked us beyond our worst expectations. We witnessed ...

Discussing Salem School Levy

To the editor: Talkin’ to a community member about the Salem School Levy: Q: Why is this levy so important? A: There are two important issues. Safety and savings. Our buildings are safe, but they can be safer. A new K-8 building provides state of the art doors, windows, and technology to help keep our students and staff safe. Having the presence of a school resource officer in one building rather than floating around to three separate buildings would be invaluable. A centralized location will not only improve overall security but also drastically improve drop off and pick up times ...

The least cost option is to pass the levy

To the editor: As many are aware, the citizens of the Salem School District have a choice to make November 7, on the proposed levy to build a new K-8 school. There are many strong opinions on this levy, all of which are valid. As taxpaying citizens, we have the right and obligation to question the fair use of our tax dollars. Even though I will personally be inconvenienced by the proposed K-8 school, as it will literally be built in my back yard, I fully support the levy. From a cost perspective, we will likely never have the opportunity to replace our aging schools at such a low ...

We must take advantage of this opportunity

To the editor: Well it is easy to see that we are back into the “silly season” as we are receiving requests in the mail for donations for campaigns from politicians who cannot even file for at least another year, and then we get fliers in the mail, from who knows whom, as there is no disclaimer or signature or mailing address on the flier and that is understandable as the flier is so misleading as to the Salem City School District Levy, that nobody wants to acknowledge being the author. On the other hand, we have a unique opportunity to increase the security for our school children ...

Salem Schools: Moving forward to the future by preserving the past

To the editor: I am writing this letter as president of Salem Preservation. The members of Salem Preservation stand tall and proud in their conviction that all Salem residents, young and old alike, would be best served by maintaining, adapting and reusing or selling our current school buildings. Preservation would be remiss if it did not address the very real issue of reusing and adapting sturdy, substantial and long-lived public school buildings. Members of Salem Preservation have expressed grave concern about the proposed destruction of all existing Salem City School buildings. I am ...

Letters in support of Salem Schools levy

To the editor: With the Chamber’s mission “to serve as the catalyst that creates the best possible environment for business,” the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is endorsing the 3.48 mill, 37-year property tax levy the Salem City School District is seeking in the upcoming November election. While the Chamber is sensitive to the additional tax burden it presents for city residents, we believe a strong school system is a key driver in economic development. The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors are of the opinion that having a stable educational ...