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Bob, I do understand and agree with you. The City needs to take ownership for the school facilities and make other budget adjustments or tax increases (and I would argue that better schools would lead to larger tax base) to fund them. I am not well versed in the City finances but I do understand/have experience in how solid planning can create awareness/buy-in and can actually facilitate change that seemed impossible prior to it. I would reference you to the development of Women & Infants Hospital, it went from a local birthing facility (Providence Lying In) to an international, state of the art medical facility for women's health. It accomplished this over just a couple of decades of visionary leadership, meticulous planning, and collaboration with many public and private entities. While I hold the City responsible for funding major improvements to the schools, I hold the school district responsible for providing the leadership and accurately assessing and planning for the improvements. Funding cannot begin to be discussed without the true needs identified and comprehensive, long term planning. The school district continues to operate and plan only within the City imposed financial limits instead of proactively identifying the true, comprehensive needs. The schools need to quantify their importance to the City and the impact better facilities would have, they need a long term vision for 21st century facilities and provide examples of the investment and return schools have on a city/town. Change needs to begin somewhere and a true vision/long term plan is the best place; without it, the schools will continue to "cope", the City will continue to ignore the schools, and all of us will suffer.