I really think the Anti-Red Plan folks don't give a rip one way or the other about the future of the district or kids. They just don't want to pay any more taxes. I attended Duluth schools during the tax base heyday. We had specialists, extracurriculars, classroom supplies and text books aplenty. The end result of this diabolical plan was educated citizens.

I say a plague on both of their houses. I support what the Red Plan will do but I am not happy that people will lose their homes for parking lots. When I was a kid, we rode our bikes to school. Or walked.

Wave enough money and everyone is a willing seller.

Chester Dark is right -- I'd always been on the fence about the Red Plan, but when I saw the press conference the other day with the Plan B people, I realized they don't give a damn about the schoolchildren, it's all about keeping taxes down for them. I just wish both groups would realize that it's all about our children's future. But, if push comes to shove, and it seems like it has, I'm going to go with the plan that moves Duluth forward into the 21st century.

But Paul, if the group believes that it keeps their taxes down, wouldn't that be motivation enough? I hate to think there'd be anything more nefarious behind this -- who knows maybe it's nothing more than Harry Welty's ego wanting to be stroked. And stoked.

I think the core group behind plan B just has the sour grapes bug because they didn't bother to go to any of the community meetings, planning sessions, etc. for the long range facilities plan- which, after much community and staff input, the School Board decided on the Red Plan. Now, if you got a bug up your butt and don't have a clue, the first thing you gripe about is the price. This gets folks riled up and the anti-tax mantra becomes a rallying cry- whether or not taxes will be higher or lower with whatever plan. People will back a plan with a simplistic message: Let Duluth Vote. Referendums for the District have always been a tough sell, so ISD 709 got smart and went the community input route. It's kind of hard to sell that message when the local media have done such a lousy job with the actual facts and given the squeeky, uninformed wheels the majority of column inches.

I think it's time to stop focusing on the big, over-arching "plans" and start picking apart the individual pieces of the facilities plan--those that make sense and those that don't. For instance, it makes sense to me to build a new Western Middle School--a new facility in a more central location that can serve the specialized needs of that area's student population and not be as high of a maintenance burden. But it doesn't make sense to me to replace a relatively newly-renovated, large enough and perfectly operable Lincoln Park school with a new Piedmont elementary school on a cramped lot surrounded by houses and shopping malls far away from highly utilized park space. The devil is in the details--let's start fleshing out their impact, shall we?

Both plans have their faults.The best part of the Red Plan is realizing we only need 2 high schools.1 may be sufficient but I do not think anyone wants to fight that battle.
The worst part,that it is being shoved down our throats.
By proposing we keep 3 high schools the Let Duluth Vote are failing to make the tough decisions.
Since the red plan seems a forgone conclusion my concern is that people in the trades are telling me that many out of town laborers have already been hired for some projects.
Any comments?

Harry Welty's various groups and websites are merchandising their concepts at http://www.CafePress.com/Let_Duluth_Vote and at http://www.CafePress.com/ISD709_Election .