I’m writing to urge voters to vote yes on the school levy on Nov. 5. Our students, teachers and staff in the Lake Pend Oreille School District need a stable foundation of funding and the security of knowing that educational and sports programs are going to continue into the future. In a state that doesn’t adequately fund public schools, it comes down to the local community to make this happen. That said, this vote does not increase our taxes — it just extends the current levy rate for our school district into the future. Any increase to this rate would require another vote.

My daughter was fortunate to grow up at a time when our community strongly supported public schools. But in recent years, support for public education is eroding while the need for highly skilled workers grows. We need to keep our schools well-funded for the sake of our children’s future — and our local economy. Businesses will not locate here and provide well-paying jobs if we do not have good schools, and we cannot have good schools without solid and reliable funding.

Vote yes for schools on Nov. 5.

SUSAN DRUMHELLER

Sagle