Tax levy strengthens local protection

By: 

To the editor:

The city of Shawano’s tax levy of $14.3 million will not only strengthen the protection within the schools and community, but also be a tremendous developmental change with the heavily awaited plaza project and public works upgrades waiting to take place.

The public safety budget increase as stated in the news article is, “a good tradeoff” due to the city only paying for 30% of the expenses for the new school resource officer, while the school is covering the other 70%. Agreeing with this proposal, I feel the schools will have better communication and awareness of the problems happening within. Communication with the new officer in place will lead to solutions to keep the schools running more efficiently and, most importantly, safely.

On the topic of community improvements and changes, the plaza project as well as the gradual city improvements will make the city cleaner, run smoother and keep its all-around well-being strong. In the article, Eddie Sheppard states, “as soon as we hit year 10 or 11, we really start to see the maintenance issues flare up.”

Taking the gradual steps in fixing what needs to be accomplished now, rather than dramatically increasing costs at one time, will benefit the people of the Shawano community. The public works staff will be accommodated to the new garbage trucks, as well as a recreation maintenance shop at Memorial Park to operate more effectively in the future.

Some questions that might arise based on the new budget is people asking, why they are paying more than last year or are these changes necessary? Although this might be the case, the changes being made in the community are well needed to keep the city running smoothly. I know with the people leading, the choices they are making are for the betterment of the people.

There are still things that need to be changes within the community, but this budget sets the people of Shawano in the right path to make this great city prosper. This budget is worthy of our support, time and effort to make the city of Shawano in 2021 the best we can.

Austin Kohl, Oshkosh