I truly wish that people could be as excited about our school systems as they are about major league baseball. It is a sad stae of events when a sports team takes priority over a childs education.Maybe instead of trying to raise money for a ball park we should be raising money so our kids don't have sub-par educations. You wanna bring baseball to oregon, lets make it school sponsored baseball.

Leroy, I will let others explain to you about how it's not schools vs. baseball, it can actually benefit both.

In the mean time, please take a moment to visit this site and have a look at what is wrong with the Oregon government spending.

http://www.koin.com/webnews/20032/20030430_taxdollartycoons.shtml

Leroy, I should mention that this organization works in corporation with the Oregon Sports Authority, which raised nearly $500,000 to save PIL sports.

The schools system is a broken, and sadly in a state of overspending, in which, our children and teachers suffer for.

I have a son that will soon be 2 years old. I have a vested interest in the school system.

But...

This effort to bring Major League Baseball to Portland is not tied to that issue. If there was indeed a way to use the salaries of the Administration, or the teachers to raise bonds, without raising our taxes, then as God as my maker (and those who know me know that if I bring up God, I'm as serious as they get), that I would work it 25/7/365.

This is being done by means that are independent and remove the state government from harm.

What I see is job creation in the form of over 3,000 related construction jobs. The tourism dollars that will come in from Washington and Idaho. And retaining those dollars that are currently traveling to Seattle to watch the Mariners games, of which Oregon dollars account for 10%.

There is a serious unemployment problem in Oregon, and I should know... as an independent software contractor I have been on the rolls 3 times in 2 years.

I am concerned for the people at the Union Halls that would benefit from the construction... that have children in the broken school system that can't feed them.
I feel for the people that are unemployed that could work at the ballpark.
I feel for the people that own large and small businesses that have children.

I do not have the gifts to see a way through the school system problem. I was in a position to see the benefits here without raising taxes, or effecting services.

Leroy, I hope you have suggestions for how to help the unemployed as well as the school system. I understand the frustration, but I have chosen to be an active participant in a part of the process in which I can help.

For all that level a finger our direction I hope that they are not sitting by idly waiting for others to fix the problem for them.

You seem passionate about the subject... I hope you are actively involved and not an observer.

Thanks for your input,
Maury Brown
Information Director
Oregon Stadium Campaign

"PLAY BALL!"

[This message was edited by smokegecko on May 01, 2003 at 09:03 PM.]

quote:

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Originally posted by Leroy Talbert:
I truly wish that people could be as excited about our school systems as they are about major league baseball. It is a sad stae of events when a sports team takes priority over a childs education.Maybe instead of trying to raise money for a ball park we should be raising money so our kids don't have sub-par educations. You wanna bring baseball to oregon, lets make it school sponsored baseball.

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What part of education are you disatisfied with?

quote:

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Originally posted by smoother:

quote:

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Originally posted by Leroy Talbert:
I truly wish that people could be as excited about our school systems as they are about major league baseball. It is a sad stae of events when a sports team takes priority over a childs education.Maybe instead of trying to raise money for a ball park we should be raising money so our kids don't have sub-par educations. You wanna bring baseball to oregon, lets make it school sponsored baseball.

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What part of education are you disatisfied with?

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What's even sadder is when people in our society, grown adults at that, cannot decipher the difference between the two issues. This suggests a fundamental failure in our education system heretofore. Whoops...

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Ain't Socialism Great!