Lansing Voters Finally Get It Right

The Lansing School District has big plans. But, before they follow through with them, they needed to find the funding. Tuesday, voters in the district overwhelmingly approved a $120 million bond proposal that will go towards massive infrastructure improvements desperately needed all across the district.

I read all sorts of objections to higher taxes on social media. Know-It-Alls who were against feeding more money to, supposedly, the same people that put the district in its current financial crisis. Since it's social media, and I've become very good at stalking profiles, it was no surprise to see most of the objectors are small business owners that either live outside of the district, send their kids to other districts, or, have no school-aged kids at all. Yes, this is a bit of a generalization, but, I can only go by what I see and read.

This bond proposal was a no-brainer in my opinion...and, apparently in the opinion of more than 60 percent of voters who showed up to the polls Tuesday. Kudos to voters who have weeded out most of the bad apples on the LSD Board of Education in recent elections for looking at the future, instead of dwelling on the past. A city is only as strong as its education system. Yes, financial mistakes have been made. And, questionable leadership hires by former Board members in the last 20 years have left a bad taste in many people's mouths. But, to be so short-sighted to say, "no higher taxes, fix your own problems that you created" is nothing but an ignorant and blind mindset.

Just remember, the grand idea by former Governor John Engler and Republican lawmakers in the 90's to create competition amongst our public schools...it's known as Schools of Choice...had just as big of a hand in failing urban school districts as mismanagement and corruption have.

It's finally time to make Lansing great again. While fixing the schools is near the top of the list of actions, involvement from residents at the election polls is the A-Number One key component.