ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, January 26, 1996 TAG: 9601260056
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DON TERP
DO WE NEED a new Cave Spring High School now? The answer is no! Accommodations at the current high school are adequate, and the children are learning. A new high school wouldn't add one point to these children's Scholastic Assessment Test scores.
As I see it, some members of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors and the School Board are hellbent on building a new high school in the Cave Spring district. So enamored are they with this project that they have raised our assessments significantly (mine went up $12,500 this year alone), and now want to add 2 cents to the tax rate to fund the project. Remember, we already bought the high-school property with another general-obligation bond issue several years ago.
Interestingly, if they wait five years to begin this project, there will be enough money available from the current tax rate to fund it. A number of previous bond issues will be retired at that point. But, no, they have to have it now!
There's no question that our county government is great with numbers. By raising the assessments, it can get away with a ``measly'' 2 cents on the tax rate. This ploy is as transparent as window glass. Anyone with an IQ higher than his shoe size can see through it. Oh, apparently there will be a ``small reduction'' in funding for other areas to make up the slight shortfall. Watch your checkbook!
Typical of all school projects, this has become an emotional issue, and all reason is tossed out the window as the must-have crowd winds up its propaganda. Two years ago when we approved the bond issue to buy the school property, we were assured they wouldn't even start thinking of a new high school for 10 years.
What has happened to change the plans? The answer is: nothing. There's no drastic increase in the Cave Spring district's school population. With slight adjustments in the enrollments at Cave Spring Junior High and Hidden Valley Junior High (possibilities that Cave Spring parents apparently object to), everything would be hunky-dory.
Why are the powers that be pushing to build a new Cave Spring High School? A glimmer can be derived from the fact that the engine behind this project is the supervisor for the Hollins District. His real-estate business is in Southwest County. Also, there's a new development of very expensive homes out U.S. 221 that would benefit from a new high school. It would certainly make those houses easier to sell.
So, it appears that a few emotional citizens in Southwest County, the School Board and some members of the Board of Supervisors want to build a high school we don't need on the backs of the rest of the county. I guess that's what democracy is all about.
Forget that a portion of the property they intend to use for this high school is in a flood plain. Forget that the traffic in the area of the new school (Penn Forest Elementary is adjacent to the property) will be horrendous. Forget that many people in Roanoke County are on fixed incomes or are badly underemployed due to business cutbacks. Forget that all economic indicators are pointing toward a recession or depression within the next two years. Forget all of that, and put that bond issue up for a referendum vote on April 2.
It will be defeated.
Where would I spend $39,908,195? I'd spend it on education. Some of the highest SAT scores and the lowest educational costs per student come from small schools in Idaho and Montana. Let's get some counterpropaganda going.
Don Terp of Roanoke is a business consultant and Internet specialist.
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