To the editor,

We will soon be voting on two school-funding referendum questions in River Falls: 1: An additional $1 million operational needs for this year and at least each of the next two school years, and 2: An additional $28 million for facility updating and additional space. Other school districts around the area are also sponsoring operational and building referenda.

Our Republican-controlled legislature in Madison is now sitting on a nice state budget surplus legitimately gathered because of improved business and economic activity. But rather than invest in our state’s public educational system to make up for deficits and oversights during the past 12 years as Gov. Evers has proposed, our local legislators and the rest of the Republican majority all have preferred to just sit on much of the surplus, talk about refunds, and be content to let local school districts fight and plead with their residents for adequate funding via referenda. Good schools are the lifeblood of our social infrastructure, our businesses, our economic well-being, and our personal satisfaction. As a 90-year-old, I no longer have family members in our local schools but I certainly want to see those who do have the benefit of the best schools we can provide.

Some complain about increased taxes. I will bet that the increase on the average home would be about equal to or less than the cost of going to a Packers or Vikings football game for a family or group of four. Some say we should wait to see what the future economy and population levels bring, what future educational structures look like - more remote learning, more home schooling, etc. We are in the here and now. Let’s support what we need. For those who complain about the “slick” printed informational material our district has provided, I wonder how many would have just pitched it if the same information had been printed in plain black on white letter paper.

Please make the effort to get out and vote to support our schools Feb. 20.

Lou Greub

River Falls