Why Vote Yes on Prop U

Since January I’ve been working with a group of dedicated volunteers to inform U. City residents on the facts of Proposition U. Personally I’ve clocked countless hours on the campaign while neglecting my family, friends and personal responsibilities – because I believe Prop U is the right thing for our kids and our community.

The School District of University City is the only school district in the metro area
with robotic teams at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels.

Obviously I’m pro Prop U, but there seems to be some who oppose the betterment of our school district. What surprises me is the misleading and inaccurate information the opposition is stating as fact. Set the fallacies aside and voting Yes on Prop U seems like the best choice for our community as a whole. Let’s look at the real facts.

• Prop U is a bond Issue that will raise $19.4 million for our schools without raising our property tax rate. With a “yes” vote for Prop U, tax rates could remain stable, yielding big returns with the investment in our schools. The tax savings that would be achieved by property owners through a “no” vote would be almost indiscernible. For a full explanation of the tax implications click here.

• Our beautifully, historic school buildings are aging and in need of major repair. Just like the homes we live in, occasionally we need to make major repairs. Every school district raises funds for major capital repairs through bond issues. To properly educate our students we need to provide the proper facilities. I challenge anyone to compare U. City facilities to any of the “better” school districts and say the proposed renovations are unnecessary. Look at the brand new science building Clayton High School recently added. Prop U will only address a fraction of the $100 million in needed renovations in the district. The sale of Delmar Harvard will address some additional renovations, but there will still be a lengthy list of facility needs within the school district even if Prop U passes. A list of proposed renovations and the impact for the students and the district can be found here.

Mr. Coleman, honored by Yale University as one of the top jazz

teachers in the U.S. performs with the High School jazz band.

• U. City schools have made big improvements and there are many exciting initiatives in progress. All residents want a school district to be proud of. Good schools make for good property values and a great community. We can proudly say that the School District of University City is on the upswing. Check out some of the terrific stories coming out of U. City schools here.

Mr. Bryne leading sixth graders through a science experiment.

From my vantage point it’s hard to see why you wouldn’t vote Yes for Prop U. With no tax rate increase, we can improve the schools, the community, and the future of many U. City students.

To pass, Prop U needs 4/7ths of the vote. Every YES vote is needed. Please share this message with your friends and neighbors and remind them to vote YES on Prop U this Tuesday, April 2.

School district facilities are available for use by the community. For example, groups such as the Boy and Girl Scouts, atheletic groups and even the University City Symphony use our school buildings for meetings and practices.

Paid for by Cindy Thierry, U. City resident