As communities evolve, there is always a time that can be cited as a critical moment in it’s history. I believe the upcoming South Kitsap School Levy is such a moment. As a community, we have the chance to make a positive statement about our belief in our community’s future. We also have the unique opportunity, and some might say, duty, to serve as a positive role model for a younger generation that some day will be faced with assuring it’s children of a quality education.

As the campaign for the recently announced levy kicks into gear, I am reminded of the four different types of people. There are those who are positive and make things happen, those who watch things happen, those who wonder what the heck is happening and those who focus on what is wrong with what is happening. I prefer the former rather than the latter.

A decision of the magnitude facing this community should be made only after a serious study of the facts, not misinformation and innuendo. Nor should it be influenced by the fact that the levy has failed in the past. Because South Kitsap fails levies, the presumption is that something is drastically wrong with our schools. Nothing could be further from the truth. South Kitsap, like every district in America, will always have room for improvement, but as a parent of two graduates and a current student, I have been exceptionally pleased with the education afforded my family.

My children have all been taught the “basics” and both of our sons have gone on to college as will our daughter. They have all benefited from the efforts of many teachers who have made a positive difference in their lives. Of the many things in which we can take pride is the good job our schools are doing, under increasingly difficult conditions. I think a positive statement is made when a 56 percent yes vote is achieved in a district where 70 percent of the households do not have kids in schools, as was the case in the last levy attempt.

The key in this decision is to make sure the big picture is taken into consideration and that decisions are not based on completely erroneous misinformation. The next time you hear someone say that they are voting “NO” so that the state legislature will change how they fund schools, please tell them the following: South Kitsap is the ONLY school district in the ENTIRE state (275 districts) that had a double levy failure in 2000. The reality is that unless more districts statewide fail their levies, the lawmakers are not going to change how the state funds schools.

Another favorite amongst the nay sayers is that “the district has too many administrators.” The next time you hear that as a rationale for a “NO,” remember this: According to the Superintendent of Public Schools, our district ranks 249th out of 275 school districts in the least number of administrators per student. South Kitsap would have to ADD 9 administrators just to reach the state average!

It is no secret that South Kitsap does not have a large business tax base. It is also true that we do not get the same level of federal impact dollars that other area districts receive. Given the current state law regarding school funding, the property owners of South Kitsap shoulder a greater portion of the tax burden than surrounding districts. That reality will not change in the near future, but the future of our community will. We will either become a vibrant community creating living wage jobs and a community in which we can all take pride, or a community with a reputation for being non-supportive of the children of its future. If that happens we will be forced to live with the consequences. Make no mistake, there undoubtedly will be consequences. Not one of them positive if the levy fails.

The big picture is this: the levy is more than just about schools. It is an endorsement of our collective belief in our future as a community. South Kitsap should not be just “a place to live.” As members of this community, it is time to step to the plate and affirm our support on Feb. 6. You made your home in South Kitsap for numerous reasons. Part of your decision may have been influenced by the quality of life and maybe even the school system. Twenty five years ago, that is why my wife Barbara and I, moved to Port Orchard. Today, it is why I believe so strongly there are 11, 393 reasons to vote YES. One for each student in our district and one for the future of our community. In the words of Alan Cudahy, Pastor, First Lutheran Church, “I take pride in my community and I take pride in our schools. Try as I might, I can’t do one without the other.”

(Editor’s Note: Bill Evans is a management consultant and community activist. He is also the owner of the Institute of Professional Training in Port Orchard. He may be reached at (360) 871-7574 or bevansipt@aol.com.).