To the editor:

When you cast your ballot for the Nov. 8 election, vote yes for the Sidney City Schools Permanent Improvement Levy (PI)! The money from this levy will be used to maintain the Sidney City School facilities, buses, textbooks and technology which are all basics for a school system. None of the money can be used for salaries, wages or benefits. When you read the information provided on this levy at www.sidneyschoolslevy.org it states that it will cost $105 per year for every $100,000 of property valuation which breaks down to .29 cents a day per $100,000, which is a small price to pay for the safety of our children and to keep our schools and equipment well maintained.

Something that I never really thought about until just recently is that three of our elementary schools Emerson, Longfellow and Whittier are 66 years old. All three of these schools were built in 1950. Currently when I drive by these schools, I feel they have been well maintained. In fact most of the buildings in the Sidney City Schools are 50-60 years old, with the exception of the Sidney Middle School, and all are well maintained. We want to be able to continue to maintain our schools not only for the good of the students but also for our community.

Like so many in Sidney, I attended the Sidney City Schools, as well as my children, and now I have grandchildren in the Sidney City Schools. Therefore, I feel a commitment and sense of pride in our school system and feel we should all do our part to help keep our schools maintained. Voting yes for this levy will benefit not only our schools and children but also our community.

Joellen Walter

Sidney