PUSD Bond Measure

By Dale Endreson

The PUSD Bond measure is required to maintain an adequate learning environment for our children.

I still hold the view that the board has not done enough in the past two years to present to the voters the need for a bond measure. However, I believe that education should be accomplished in safe and secure schools that are well maintained. Unfortunately, the inability over the years to find monies for maintenance, I believe reflects negatively on the board and previous PUSD administration.

Some of the older schools in the PUSD are in desperate need of repairs. And while I still believe that the board has not done enough to inform the public about the need for a bond measure in a timely manner, at the end of the day it will be the children that will suffer.

We simply cannot allow the children to suffer. The voters of the PUSD need to vote in the affirmative on the bond measure. But, whoever is elected to the board needs to understand that the voters have placed their hard-earned tax money into the hands of people that must make wise and judicious use of that money. Budgets must not be busted, promises must not be broken and at the end of the day, the facilities that have been upgraded need to be properly maintained. Deferred maintenance is a category and function that deserves a hard review to ensure that the predicament the PUSD is in will not occur again.

I have reviewed the budget of the PUSD carefully. And while I believe there are areas that can be cut, it would be a disservice to our children not to be able to provide them with adequate learning facilities. Expenditures need to be reviewed carefully to ensure that the taxpayer is getting the finest quality education for their dollar and I pledge to you that I will perform that function.