Letter: PUSD bond: Vote YES

EDITOR:

A yes vote for the PUSD bond and override is a vote for sustaining the Prescott community that we know and love. It is common knowledge that Arizona is at the bottom of the states in per-pupil funding. It is common knowledge that Arizona is at the bottom of the states in teacher salary. It is common knowledge that Arizona teachers face some of the largest class sizes in the nation. And if actions are to speak louder than words, it is common knowledge that there is no help coming from our state and federal government.

Prescott, however, has the opportunity in this election to face these challenges head on by voting yes to PUSD's request for a bond and override. Your YES YES vote to sustain the current tax rate will be a vote to sustain PUSD and Prescott as a whole. Taxes are necessary to preserve an educated, productive and civil society. If a viable democracy is to endure in the USA, it is obviously necessary to have an educated citizenry.

More personally, if Prescott is to continue its rich history of being "Everybody's home town" it must have a viable public school system that is funded appropriately. Prescott deserves the phenomenal teachers and staff that PUSD employs. Prescott deserves the incredible educational programs that students receive. Prescott deserves a sustainable school system that creates a sustainable and highly valued workforce. Prescott deserves the business revenue that goes hand-in-hand with communities who have strong, robust school systems.

Over 90 percent of U.S. citizens acquire education through public schooling. There is no doubt that public schools are the backbone of the democracy that we are privileged to. We cannot fail our kids by underfunding education. We cannot fail our nation by underfunding education. I hope you will join me in voting YES YES for PUSDs bond and override. As John Green is quoted as saying, "Public education does not exist for the benefit of students or the benefit of their parents. It exists for the benefit of the social order. We have discovered as a species that it is useful to have an educated population. You do not need to be a student or have a child who is a student to benefit from public education. Every second of every day of your life, you benefit from public education."

Emma Gifford

Prescott