Letter: Candidate believes referendum is best for local schools
To the Editor-
“Our children are the future, and their success is our responsibility.” Solomon Ortiz
I am on the upcoming April 2 election ballot for re-election to the Stevens Point Area Public School Board. Early voting and mail-in voting is happening right now. I am encouraging all of you to exercise your right to vote on the many important local, state and federal offices and referenda at this spring general election. Your vote matters and election results matter.
If you are supportive of the work I’ve been doing in my almost 10 years on the school board, I would greatly appreciate your vote again this year. I will continue to focus my votes in ways that support and enhance our District pillars of student achievement and success, staff recruitment/retention/support (we are blessed with amazing teachers and staff and they are key to student achievement and success), sustainable financial support for our local public schools, and connection/communication/partnership with our community.
I will also continue to do my best to be a positive contributing member on our school board and to work with the Superintendent, administration, staff, parents, families, and community to achieve our District Mission “to prepare each student to be successful.”
I also urge you to vote YES on the Stevens Point Area Public School District recurring operational referendum. Our District is facing a financial cliff brought on by ongoing inadequate state funding for public schools, ongoing inadequate state and federal funding for special education, and the loss of Covid funds that were short term and never designed to address the day to day and year by year funding of school operations.
These referendum dollars are needed to continue to provide quality public education for students in our District. With passage, our District will still have a tax mill rate lower than the state average and lower than every other Wisconsin Valley School District other than Marshfield. Like so many generations have done before us, a Yes Vote to support sustainable funding for our local public schools will be an investment in our students who are our future.
I am happy to speak with anyone regarding my candidacy or the District referendum via email at [email protected] or by phone at (715) 491-2448.
Meg Erler
Stevens Point
Candidate for Stevens Point Area Public School Board
