To the editor:

I am writing to urge you to vote “yes” on Feb. 12 for Bainbridge Island School District’s six-year capital levy.

As a strong supporter of Career and Technical Education (CTE), I am thrilled with the design of the new, voter-approved CTE building that will replace the 100 Building on the high school campus. The flexible design ensures that it will not only be able to accommodate existing CTE programs but new programs that emerge over the next 50 to 75 years.

The new building will also become the home of the high school commons, moving it to the center of the campus where it will be more easily accessible to students. More importantly, doing so addresses one of the high school administration’s major security priorities.

The space freed up by this move is targeted to become the home of a new voter-approved auditorium/theater that is desperately needed on the campus and wanted by our community. Using the space will also save millions of dollars over what it would cost to build a whole new building. Unfortunately, the voter-approved money is not sufficient to overcome the substantial increases in the costs of construction and construction materials, unrealized assumptions made about state funding, and other factors that have emerged since 2016.

As a retired, living on a fixed-income property owner I know all about the concerns over rising property taxes. I also know that we are blessed with outstanding schools that make our Island a very desirable place to live. More importantly, we have incredible young people who will benefit directly from our “yes” vote for years to come.

One thing is for sure. If we support what the money will be used for but want to put off a decision on this matter to some future date, my bet is that it will cost a lot more money to do it then rather than now.

TOM McCLOSKEY

Bainbridge Island