Written by Nate Veirs, 8th Grade Student at Jones Middle School
If I were mayor, first I would propose renovating the abandoned buildings. In Jones, there are multiple abandoned buildings just sitting there. I would court small business owners to Jones, thus increasing tax revenue through a TIF tax and bond combination, supported with a city-wide penny sales tax increase. The city would create a program to loan money to small business owners with low-interest rates. This would revitalize run-down buildings in Jones and increase revenue for the loan program.
If I were mayor, the next proposal would be to set up a foundation for Jones’s schools. Our schools don’t have enough money to pay for lots of things. Recently, Jones Public Schools had to reduce their night crew. This means the schools are going to be dirtier and harder to learn in. It also gives a higher chance for the students and teachers to get sick. This puts the students’ education at risk. Also, we don’t have enough money for supplies, and our teachers are having to buy their own supplies. This could put their families in financial hardship. If the teachers don’t have enough money for the supplies, then the students don’t have a fair chance of having a good education. A foundation would be administered by the City of Jones and only benefit the Jones Public Schools in the event of a shortfall in the budget. This is what I would do If I were mayor.
The Jones Journal 