Measure C crucial for Oak Park schools
Guest opinion
By Barbara Laifman OPUSD board member

For the sake of the Oak Park Unified School District, as well as the community at large, I urge the residents of Oak Park to vote yes on Measure C.

Measure C simply renews an already existing parcel tax for a period of eight years. This additional source of revenue, under the purview of a fiscal oversight committee, plays an integral role in the district's quest for academic excellence.

During a time of budgetary constraints from the state, the parcel tax, the predominant source of OPUSD's school funding, can act as a safeguard to help in the preservation of core elements essential to education. When funding from the state is less restrictive, the tax can be utilized towards maximizing the district's potential. Strengthening the district's level of operation will incur a direct benefit on the students and ultimately the community.

As a community, we have control over the amount of local revenues we want to raise for our schools. This control lies in our right and our obligation to vote. When deciding on how to vote in regard to Measure C, we need to ask ourselves why we decided to make Oak Park our homes, our place to raise our families, and our special little place in the world.

Although at the surface these responses will vary greatly, at the core will most likely be the common belief in the importance of education and community. Oak Park is a rare blend of people dedicated to upholding these values. Our safe haven needs to be nurtured.

We as a community need to vote in favor of Measure C in order to protect what we treasure.

We need to take care of what is important to us.