Thank you for sharing your perspective so openly. We hear you, and we agree — meeting real needs must be the priority, especially in these tough times when many Lopezians are struggling to stay. And that’s exactly what Lopez Rec is about: preserving the essentials we’re at risk of losing.

• School sports (which will disappear without funding)
• Afterschool & summer programming (currently running on unstable federal grants)
• Programs for all ages that already exist but need sustainable support

Without these services, families with kids will be forced to leave. And when families leave, it impacts all of us. No one wants to be pushed out of the community they love — but without strong working families, Lopez changes for everyone. If care isn’t available, if the school can’t offer sports or diverse programs, parents look elsewhere. That affects our economy, from grocery stores and restaurants hiring staff to higher costs when electricians, plumbers, and others must come from off-island. (One call-out from the mainland can cost more than an entire year of Rec support.)

Lopez Rec is the most impactful way we can keep families here and sustain our school — which benefits everyone. And it’s urgent: if the levy fails, the loss to our school and community will be devastating.

You’re right that Lopez already has many activities for adults — golf, tennis, pickleball, yoga, gyms, biking, and a pool on the way. What Lopez Rec adds is structure: insurance, registration, and coordination to keep essential programs going long-term. And during our Town Halls, the community voiced interest in even more possibilities — from sailing lessons, an off-leash dog park, little league, (which didn’t happen this year due to lack of volunteers) to art classes, bike tours, community meals, repair cafés, language and tech classes, and more. Many of these could be offered in partnership with existing groups or revived from what used to exist here.

As for the levy rate: we understand the concern about cost. But a lower rate would not allow us to save school sports and afterschool care — the biggest and most critical parts of the budget. The proposed rate was carefully designed to cover these essentials while staying below what neighboring islands collect.

This isn’t about building a “Lopezia utopia.” It’s about protecting what’s essential: saving school sports, keeping working families here, and sustaining the Lopez we all love, for toddlers and seniors alike.