Editor,

It’s a wide-held belief among real estate agents that you can’t just sell a prospective family on the house. You must also sell them good schools and a safe community. “How are the schools?” is one of the first questions we hear in selling real estate.

Our schools right now are easy to sell. A quick tour of our high school is enough to convince any family that this is a good place to call home. It’s fun to brag about our music and arts programs that start in kindergarten and culminate with award-winning choirs and bands in high school.

Thanks to our local school levy, we have a wide variety of opportunities for students. We should not put that at risk.

Schools make a big difference in how others view our community.

Funding schools is a good investment, helping improve business, increase property values and maintain a safe and enjoyable quality of life.

The Navy plans to add four new P-8 squadrons in the next few years, growing by 500 jobs. There are proposals currently being studied that might double that number.

In addition, about 1,000 students come and go from our schools every year. About two-thirds of those are Navy families being reassigned.

It pays to remember: whenever Navy families are assigned to NAS Whidbey, they have a choice on where they will live. We want them to choose Oak Harbor.

As a 16-year resident of Oak Harbor and parent of three very successful

children, who benefited tremendously from the education they received from kindergarten through graduation, I urge you to please vote yes for our schools.

It’s the right thing to do for our kids. It’s good for our Navy families and it is a very sound investment for our community — and yes, it does add value to your home investment.

Joseph P. Mosolino
Windermere