Re: “Maine Voices: Do we need to rebuild four schools? This crucial issue deserves closer look” (July 20): Demographics is the reason we should all support the four-school bond this November.

As a community we should be doing everything in our power to bring young, working- and middle-class families to our city.

This demographic is what will power the workforce and tax revenue for years to come. When we fix the schools we have, young families will be attracted to our city.

The LePage administration is not apt to fund any more of the Portland schools any time soon. It’s not going to happen. We have four schools that need to be fixed yesterday. We need to come together and fund this locally.

In 2013, I volunteered on the demographics task force, when Oak Point Associates was doing its research for what became the Buildings for our Future Plan.

We already have all the facts. The argument that enrollment is declining and we need to consolidate elementary schools is not accurate and needs to be put to rest. In 2016 a commitee made up of school board and City Council members reviewed and studied all the current data on the demographics issues regarding our schools. Consolidation was studied. This ad hoc committee was unanimous in support for the four-school bond.

Building megaschools on the outskirts of town and busing all of our kids is not a good option for our communities, it is a terrible financial decision and it is a deterrent for young families. Please believe me when I tell you that school consolidation has been studied. It is not the right path for our city.

If you consider our school buildings as an investment in the future of your community, the most economical way forward is to support the four-school bond and vote “no” on the two-school bond.