To the editor:

Our school district is facing a serious budget shortfall. If state legislators don’t act now, with additional funding, that shortfall may double. I am glad that our school staff and board are working diligently to plug this funding gap, but we must remember that the funding crisis is short-term. Closing schools has long-term effects for the entire city.

When a school closes, the property values in that neighborhood diminish by as much as 10 percent, according to the Urban Journal of Economics. Property values make up a significant portion of city, county and school district funding. Closing schools can result in short-term gains but long-term monetary losses for the school district and other services. Does it make sense for the school district to lower its tax base?

Additionally, neighborhood schools are often within bike and walking distance for children. Many kids would have to be driven to their new schools. It is an acknowledged fact that children are not getting enough exercise; the result has been an epidemic in health issues such as obesity and diabetes. Is it advisable to eliminate an opportunity for kids to exercise?

Most importantly is the loss in community nurtured by neighborhood schools; this cannot be measured, but we must realize how important a school is to the integrity of a neighborhood. I ask that the school board and district staff remember that their decisions regarding school closures will reverberate throughout our city, and that the solution for a short-term funding problem should be carefully crafted to avoid long-term problems for our community.