To the editor,

An RFSD survey suggests a potential new football stadium. That is reckless spending.

I write to express my deep concern regarding a troubling survey mailed by the School District of River Falls. In past meetings, the district is quick to complain about its financial constraints, but paradoxically, they subsequently propose a referendum that contains provisions for extravagant spending on a new and unnecessary football stadium. 

The River Falls Wildcat football program can utilize a top notch, college stadium. Yes, they rent it for each game, but can you imagine how many years it would take in rent to pay off a suggested $4 million new stadium. Keep in mind, that is just to build it, then it requires maintenance and upkeep. This is irresponsible and should have River Falls residents questioning the fiscal leadership and decisions at RFSD. If they have fiscal issues, these types of decisions are precisely why.

While it is essential to support and enrich our students' educational experiences, we must question the prioritization of these costly "want to haves" over the truly valuable "need to haves." It is imperative that we challenge the fiscal thinking of our school administration in these inflationary times. We should be directing our limited resources towards improving the quality of education and ensuring that our students have access to the best possible learning environment.

Therefore, I encourage our school district to ponder the following questions:

1. Are the funds allocated for a new football stadium justified when students' basic educational needs are not being fully met?
2. Is it responsible to burden taxpayers with these extravagant projects, especially when many families are already struggling to get by?
3. Could these resources be better spent on measures such as hiring more teachers, teacher pay, improving facilities, or investing in technology to enhance educational outcomes?

It is crucial for our school district to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and prioritize the essentials of education over frivolous expenditures. We need to ensure that our children receive the highest quality education possible, especially during these challenging times.

Deborah Ellefson

River Falls