By Dick Scott

              Voter approval of ballot issues 60, 61 and 101 will be very detrimental to Kiowa County including our schools.  The same detrimental affect will apply to the entire state.  Without question, approval of these measures will result in reduced personnel and services in the county and throughout the state. 

In addition to those losses, approval of these measures will also probably close most of Colorado’s small rural schools,  like Plainview.  These measures will reduce school funding  from local tax revenue which is to be replaced by increased state funding. 

Getting increased funding from a state that is  essentially broke now and will be in even worse shape with approval of 60,61 and 101, seems naive at best.  Increased state funding could only come with extreme economies of scale and those rural districts with high cost per pupil would  likely be consolidated. Part of the mission of 60, 61 and 101 may appeal to some, but the methodology is just plain wrong.   A prime example of the old adage- “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water !”

            Denise Young, assistant county librarian, has compiled some verifiable figures that substantiate the negative impact of these ballot measures and  I assume those figures will be printed in the Kiowa County Press.