There comes a point when elected officials have to stop throwing good money after bad. Such is the case with Murray High School.
On Tuesday, May 2, Murray residents will be asked to support the sale of $29.5 million in general obligation bonds to build a new high school on the existing school campus. Preliminary plans envision preserving the existing gymnasium, football field and a large parking lot — saving some $5 million in construction costs — and replacing the school building with a new school two or three stories high.
Murray residents should back this proposal. To do otherwise only postpones the inevitable. Further repairs and restoration will not change the fact that the building is old and its systems are antiquated. The building simply needs to be replaced.
For the past 10 years, the Murray City School District has been debt free. It has made improvements to its schools and even built the Creekside High School, an alternative school, using ongoing funds. But the proposed Murray High School is a much larger undertaking, which should be completed as quickly as possible. A "pay-as-we-go" scenario would delay completion of the high school several years. In the meantime, the costs of repairs and renovations of the old building, which does not meet code in all areas and has seismic problems, will continue to mount. That would likely come at the expense of maintenance needs at the other 10 schools in the Murray district.
If voters approve the bond measure, construction of the new Murray High would be completed by July 2004. Meanwhile, ongoing funds could be earmarked for maintenance and improvements at other schools. Students would attend school in the existing Murray High School during the construction phase.
Not only would Murray residents end up with a new high school, preliminary plans call for construction of a new indoor pool off-campus in a joint venture with Murray City. The new pool would be used both by Murray students and the community at-large, which is a prudent use of taxpayer dollars.
The bond would increase annual property tax by about $65 on a $100,000 home, but school officials believe the number will decrease as the city's tax base grows. While no one likes a tax increase, residents need to keep in mind that Murray High School not only serves students, its central location also makes it a popular community center. A new school would further stimulate that sense of community.
It's time to retire the old and make way for the new. Murray voters should see the wisdom of this investment in their community's future.