School levy will benefit city

Dear editor,

There are many aspects involved when it comes to recruiting businesses to Mountain Home. The ease of doing business in our community, available infrastructure (water, sewer, power, gas, fiber-optic), proximity to major transportation (roads, rail and air), available shovel ready land sites and existing buildings that meet the specifications of potential businesses.

But another very important aspect of economic development that people do not realize are our schools. Not only do businesses look at schools in a community before making a decision to locate there, people with children that are deciding where to live and work look at them as well. The quality of our schools help make us more economically competitive.

In order for larger businesses to locate here they need a large workforce to draw from, in order to have a large workforce we need people to live here, in order to have people live here we need businesses to locate here to provide jobs. See the circle?

Our schools are in dire need of not only facility repairs for a safe environment but also the electrical upgrades needed to accommodate the rapid evolution of technology training for students in web design, interactive media, programming, CompTIA, Microsoft IT, AutoCAD, nursing and many more programs that will help train our future workforce.

Our schools are one of the best economic investments our community can make. Public education provides economic benefits to everyone in the community not just students. Please get out and vote yes for the school levy on August 25th

-- Paula N. Riggs

Economic development

executive director,

City of Mountain Home