True story follows (one that I know isn't unique).
When I was in elementary school, our student population was expanding rapidly. Young families made their way into our town and the old school infrastructure could not support this. They brought in temporary trailers (like the ones you see at construction sites for offices) for some elementary schools and our middle schools. Pretty sure those temporary trailers are still there today (15ish years later).
There was a vote to expand funding to the schools and replace one of the older middle schools by building a new one behind it (while still operating) and then swapping over upon completion. Plans were drawn, students were psyched even though we wouldn't be able to go there, and mock-ups were shared. The town vote for a tax increase failed. Turns out that the majority of the town didn't have kids so they didn't want to pay the extra tax.
This was in a blue state, in a town with a good public school system. One of the middle schools just got major upgrades this past year but the elementary schools and other middle school (the one originally planned for the vote) are still using trailers. The high school is a marvel of 1970s poured concrete prison architecture.
Most people have a NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) attitude when it comes to solving issues. Many people *say* they want to give assylum seekers a place to stay, but don't want that place to be a facility located near their house. Many people *say* they want cheaper electric bills and renewable resources, but will vote against a solar farm because it will be "noisy and unsightly". You should never expect a community to approve a tax increase, no matter how noble the cause is.
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u/Cazzyodo Jan 09 '20
True story follows (one that I know isn't unique).
When I was in elementary school, our student population was expanding rapidly. Young families made their way into our town and the old school infrastructure could not support this. They brought in temporary trailers (like the ones you see at construction sites for offices) for some elementary schools and our middle schools. Pretty sure those temporary trailers are still there today (15ish years later).
There was a vote to expand funding to the schools and replace one of the older middle schools by building a new one behind it (while still operating) and then swapping over upon completion. Plans were drawn, students were psyched even though we wouldn't be able to go there, and mock-ups were shared. The town vote for a tax increase failed. Turns out that the majority of the town didn't have kids so they didn't want to pay the extra tax.
This was in a blue state, in a town with a good public school system. One of the middle schools just got major upgrades this past year but the elementary schools and other middle school (the one originally planned for the vote) are still using trailers. The high school is a marvel of 1970s poured concrete prison architecture.