Dear Editor,
I am as big as a Nationals fan as the next person.ÿ I was there for opening day, I was there for the game that student life sponsored.ÿ I have the hat, I have the programs.ÿ I am a fan.ÿ However, this new stadium is a bad idea.ÿ
ÿThe mayor has attempted to sell the citizens and the residents of the District of Columbia on it with the premise that it will be good for economic development and points to that wonderful example of what Camden Yards have done for Baltimore, as well as Campbell Field for Camden, NJ. ÿ
ÿHowever, no one has asked the question, is this the type of economic development that we need?ÿ The jobs that will be brought into the DC area are going to be largely service based, with the upper management coming not from the District but from suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia which will result in an explosion of already expensive places to live.ÿ
ÿIf, rather than developing a service based economy the city transferred the money into developing quality public schools that can attract the best teachers several things will happen.ÿ 1) The families that left DC
will move back into he city because they are attracted to good schools. 2) Better paid teachers mean middle income professionals will move into the district. 3) The economic development will be diffused throughout the district.ÿ
ÿFamilies live in Maryland and Virginia because the public schools are better.ÿ It is a middle class solu
tion to the private school problem.ÿ If those families could find quality public schools in the district they would have more of an incentive to move closer to where they work.
ÿ On the same end if we develop better schools we may attract better teachers who make more money.ÿ They will in turn make use of programs like HUD's Teacher next door program to live in the neighborhoods in which they live.ÿ This will have the impact of increasing the quality of our neighborhoods within the District of Columbia.
ÿ Finally with the return of families and the creation of more middle income level people more economic development will happen in diverse parts of the city rather than just on the waterfront.ÿ Neighborhoods that are economically depressed will have an infusion of new income which will result in new businesses developing which will provide the same benefit as the stadium and educates more students.ÿ
ÿWho knows? Better schools bringing middle and upper class people back to the city may just result in an actual vote in the House of Representatives.
Bill Peters
SIS, 2008
