The “Build the Rock” campaign seems to have stalled at $7.5 million with $10 million needed to build a new 5,000-seat football stadium with artificial turf. Supt. Dr. Mark Keen of Westfield-Washington Schools has asked Westfield City Council to fill in the gap with $2.5 million. It seems to us the correct move to make. The current stadium will be razed at some point to make room for development (and tax income!) at U.S. 31 and Ind. 32. The schools will sell 14 acres to local investors already committed to an approximately $40-million project. It could attract subsequent development and, therefore, more tax revenue. So the stadium need a new home, and it needs more money to get a new home. Even though the council and schools don’t necessarily intersect financially on a routine basis, for our city this potential payment helps to create a winning environment for Westfield. Since school-owned land is not taxed, any “gift” from the council to the schools would be repaid, if you will, in the form of those coming tax dollars. It should take about three years, and it just makes good business sense. Decide for yourself, though, and feel free to offer your comments about the idea at the next council meeting, scheduled for May 12.
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You received your Current today because May 6 is the date of the primary election. We don’t want election information in the paper on election days, as delivery of Current can happen into the late-afternoon hours; that does you no good on Election Day. Today, though, you’ll find what you need to know about candidates and voting. And we do hope you’ll vote, because it is your right and responsibility. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is about accountability on every plane.
