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Does anyone else notice that there is a change in the air for Rochester?

I really feel like it is time to rally together for the future of our community.

The last time this school district had a double levy failure- people showed up in droves to the Community Meeting after the fact.

We had a great turnout- to find out what services were going to be cut- and everyone had an opinion about what programs should or should not be cut.

We lost portions of bussing, we payed (alot) for our kids to play sports, we lost music and art.... and on and on. Our one saving grace was that we had a 'reserve' to help the district stay alive.... Well.....not this time.

We've watched this town grow over the past 10 years at an amazing rate.

We LOVED that we got pretty new schools and our downtown area started spiffing things up.

Our kids are gonna be hanging around with nothing to do after school but go looking for trouble.

Will we undo all of the efforts of the Weed and Seed program by Meth labs cropping back up in our neighborhoods...............

Property taxes? REALLY? You've got to be kidding me!? If you are a land owner- then you should know the 'short-sightedness' of that theory. When levies fail- property values go down. For a variety of reasons. ( Besides the fact that this years' replacement levy is actually a LOWER tax rate than previously approved by voters )

Is it about a lack of education? That's an easy fix- go to the meetings. They are open to the public and free! Get educated about the measures on your ballot. Go find out what a levy is and what it funds... "levies are for learning"

"We don't know how we're going to feel if our Levy fails........will we 'tuck tail and run'?" "Pull our children from this school district and put them somewhere 'better'." I can honestly say that I've pondered it myself. But how about being part of the solution to the problem?

And what about Real Estate? "What is our home really worth now?" "Could we sell it in this market if we choose?"

"If the levy fails- who would buy it?" Families don't want to buy a home in an area that doesn't pass their Levies.

Did you know that only 2 school levies in the entire state of Washington DID NOT pass? Yeah- we are one of them.

The school districts that saw the greatest devastation from flooding- who's families are absolutely destitute................... Yeah- they passed their levies.

I believe that the residents of Rochester WANT to live in a clean, safe, friendly town. One that we can have pride in.

Where we can say that our sports teams win, our neighborhoods are safe. Our kids can ride their bikes, and business is kept local and honest.

I'm SO SICK of hearing that it's OK to be substandard because "we're from Rochester"

That we don't have to take pride in ourselves or our homes because- "it's just Rochester"

Every person who works, lives, or owns land in Rochester, who raises children, goes to school, rents a home, has the right to vote, or does business in Rochester- every adult in this town is a COMMUNITY LEADER. I'll say it again- LEADER.

It is our job to mentor to our kids that we care- to LEAD them- even if they aren't our birth children. They are our future leaders and we need to show them how to lead.

It's our job to turn this negative attitude around and come together.

Tuesday March 11th @6:30- Levy Work meeting. Rochester High School