Measure F issue not that complex

Why does Measure F seem to be getting so complicated?

If you voted for Measure A, which has brought our school facilities barely up to the level of the 20th Century, and you are satisfied that our schools do not need to move forward into the 21st century, then vote no on F. If you feel that the children of Newport-Mesa should receive the facilities and the improvements that will be funded by Measure F, vote yes on F.

I think our children deserve Measure F. I attended Newport-Mesa public schools in the 1970s and early 1980s. During that time, there was very little discussion among local families as to where to send their children in this area. Very few children went outside the district or to private schools. Why would they? They had everything they needed in our public schools.

Move ahead 30 years to 2005, and such is not the case.

As times have changed and new communities with new facilities and new education departments have developed, we in the Newport-Mesa area have been left behind. Parents in our community are hesitant to automatically send their children to our public schools. Measure F is our chance to get our schools back -- back to where young families don’t need to question our neighborhood schools, don’t need to investigate private schools, have no desire to sell their homes and move to other districts. This is our chance to revive Newport-Mesa after years of doing nothing and letting other communities and private schools take our children out of our neighborhoods.

Lets not make this too complicated. If you care about our community, our children and the importance of our children staying involved in their neighborhood schools, vote yes on F.

We are too rich and too smart of a community to let this get too complicated.

JOHN URSINI

Newport Beach

* EDITOR’S NOTE: Ursini is a member of Costa Mesa United, a community group trying to raise money for athletic facilities at Costa Mesa and Estancia high schools.