North Dakota Preps

north1 wrote:Sorry, I should have explained myself better. I know schools don't use sales tax for their facilities. I am talking about sports training facilities shared by schools in larger metro areas. This would include baseball/softball fields, sports training and enhancement facilities with indoor basketball courts, etc. The YMCA is for that sort of thing, I don't need to pay for these facilities with my hard earned money with no benefit to my local community or to children in local schools in my area. Their excuse is adults use them too, but who is going to drive 50+ miles on a regular basis for training or use, whether they be students or adults? They need to be funded locally via increased property taxes, privately, and/or with shared funding with schools in that city.

1. Schools pay rent to use such facilities.
2. SHOP AT HOME. You should be able to find most (not all) things closer than 50+ miles from home. If your sales tax dollars are that important to you keep them local.
3. If you are the type of person that something isn't worth it if it does not benefit you or children in your local schools, pay the extra 10 cents a gallon for gas or 90 cents for your milk. Your Co-Op and Jack and Jill would appreciate it.

NDLionsFan is correct about the funding of the Events Center in Hillsboro. It was overwhelmingly approved at that time because the city AND the school bore the financial responsibility of paying for it. Since that time, the community has had numerous events there. There have been several hundred individuals that have had memberships to the community fitness room, which has led to an expansion of that facility that will almost double it in size. The business climate has been so good that the city is a month away from paying off their portion of the debt several years early.

So this is an example of tax dollars being put to use to benefit the entire community. It can be done.

But getting back to the original point of fairness, most schools in ND are run on community priorities. For some, keeping costs low to maintain affordable rural living is a priority, and other communities are willing to pay more to have updated facilities and class choices. Booster clubs and volunteers are a big factor on successful sports and academic teams.