For many voters, and some candidates, this election boils down to the question of neighborhood schools. Will we close our smaller schools: Parkview, Birchwood, Columbia, Larrabee; and build another superschool on the edge of town, putting our kids on buses or in cars twice-a-day? Would this actually save money? Or would it simply shift costs to other areas? If it did save money, is it worth the impact on our neighborhoods, removing the school, the playground, the workers, the children that give the neighborhood its character?
The proposals to close our small schools while building bigger, regional schools on the outskirts of town are about much more than saving money in next year's budget. We are talking about a major shift in the culture of Bellingham: moving away from walkable neighborhoods and urban villages to suburban sprawl and a more car-dependent city. I believe there is no consensus for such a shift. I believe the consensus in our city is to support neighborhoods and smaller elementary schools.
Help me to keep Bellingham a city of good neighborhoods, good elementary schools, and children actually walking to school every day. Vote to keep Parkview open, to keep Columbia open, to keep our neighborhoods viable. Thanks for your support.
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