Monroe County School Board Member John Dick joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about our schools.
Monroe County Schools have two big issues on the ballot for tomorrow.
Dick said, “They are at the end of the ballot. That’s the last two things on the ballot, no matter where you are, from Key West to Key Largo. It’s very, very important to us. One is the half cent sales tax, which we use for our building program, which you could see how we’ve accomplished that from up and down the Keys. Right now we’re working on the athletic fields and finishing up some of the buildings that we had to do. So that’s very important. We want to renew that again. None of these are new taxes. They’re just renewing taxes that are already in place. That’s a half cent sales tax, and the other one is a half mill on the property. That’s what we use to pay our teachers, which, of course, the salaries of the teachers, we brought them up to try to keep them here, and as all employers know down here, it’s hard to keep anybody because of the cost of living, but we do the best we can and get as much funding as we can to our teachers, and we do that with that half mill. These are taxes that have been in place. We’re renewing them, and I am proud to say that every group and organization that we went and spoke to about these, has supported us. We have the support of the Monroe County Republicans and the Monroe County Democrats, the party organizations of both of those organizations have supported this as have Rotaries up and down the Keys, Chambers of Commerce, no matter where we went and spoke, everybody has supported us. So on the one side you say, well, how can it miss? But there’s a lot of people voting this time, and you never can get to everybody. We’ve had ads in the newspapers and on the radio stations. So we’ve done what we tend to get it out there because it is that important to us and people should be aware that the school district does not use any of its funds to advertise. It is all from donations of concerned people in the community that want to make sure it passed. We do not use taxpayers funding to advertise for it.”
It would be devastating if either of these referendums did not pass.
Dick agreed, “It really would be extremely dangerous for the school district if these things didn’t pass. Again, the community has always stepped forward for it, but we are just concerned that it’s at the end of the ballot. People may not be aware of it, and a lot of people don’t hear it, and so we’ll see. I know I voted for it on Friday. I usually vote in the last day of early voting, and that’s what I did.”
Veterans Day coming up next Monday.
Dick said, “I can tell you that there will be events going on in the schools. Most of it will probably take place this week. At the end of this week, Veterans Day, of course, is a holiday for us, but I know the Stanley Switlik does what they call a Red, White and Blue Day. They’ve done it for as long as I can remember, and it’s a big deal. The veterans from the community come out, as do first responders. They get a big crowd, and they put on a show that encompasses the whole school, every student is up on that stage at one point or another. They do it by grade levels, and all the classes get up and they either sing or they read poems. It’s really a very moving ceremony that they do. I know that these things happen up and down the Keys in our schools. One thing I can tell you is Monroe County School District is pro-American and pro-military and we teach patriotism.”
There are still some positions that need filled in the schools.
Dick said, “This year, we only started with missing six positions, and that’s thankfully for the salaries that we’ve been able to produce and keep our teachers here and attract new ones. Again, that’s from that half mill. So, it’s very important to us.”
A school board meeting will be coming up in Marathon at 5 p.m. on November 19.
Dick said, “They’re going to be talking again about what we’re going to do with the housing initiative that they’re trying to do down in Key West on that property of Trumbo Point, and we’ll see. We’ll have another discussion about that and a presentation by the organization commission that wants to get that contract from us.”
Remember the election tomorrow.
Dick said, “Please vote for our referendum and our sales tax. Please give us a yes vote on those. It is that important to us, and I appreciate it and everybody get out and vote and support the candidates of your choice. Just make sure you choose yes for us on the last two. When people understand what we’re doing with it, what it is, and how much it costs them, they all agree with it.”