Conejo Valley School Bond Vote

We are writing this letter in support of the Conejo Valley school bond ballot measure, Measure V. Support of this bond will assure that funds are available to provide for urgently needed improvements to our district’s schools.

Many of these schools are 30 years old. Children try to concentrate in unair-conditioned classrooms where temperatures sometimes exceed 100 degrees. Many rooms lack the wiring needed to take advantage of available computers and the Internet.

Most owners of businesses the age of many of our schools would consider it basic upkeep to make such improvements to their own property. If we would not run our local businesses or build new homes to this standard, why should we allow our schools to continue to deteriorate?

We believe that the vast majority of parents in this community stress the importance of education. Yet what message do we send our children if we do not demonstrate our willingness to provide the best learning environment possible. We urge you to support Measure V and vote “Yes” on April 14.

JILL and RALPH SMALLING, Thousand Oaks

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I do not ordinarily enter the public forum to comment on political issues but the $97-million bond issue introduced by the Conejo Valley Unified School District needs our scrutiny.

My eyebrows were raised not by the fact that it was defeated in the general election but by the fact that it was so large: $97 million is enough money to provide more than $1,000 for each student in Thousand Oaks. Wow!

It is just too much money at once for a district the size of ours--maybe even by a factor of five. I want us to have the finest secondary education that our hard-earned money can buy, but this is silly.

To my fellow Conejo taxpayers: Whether you agree with me or not, don’t forget to vote in the special election. It is your money (and lots of it) we are talking about here.

STEVE BLASINGAME, Thousand Oaks