Candidates generally support debt exclusion for new Salem High School, cite reimbursement and program benefits

Candidates at a Salem forum expressed broad support for a proposed debt-exclusion ballot measure to fund a new Salem High School, citing program improvements, teacher facilities and state reimbursement that would lower local cost.

Alice Merkel said the project offers “a terrific opportunity” to expand arts and CTE programs, improve educator working conditions and build a greener facility; she described the existing building as expensive to maintain and said the proposed new building would be eligible for significant state reimbursement. Conrad Brosniewski and other candidates described the existing structure as “falling apart” and argued the long-term cost of refurbishing the old building would fall solely on Salem taxpayers. One candidate gave a cost comparison discussed at the forum: “refurbish existing building … $350,000,000 plus” versus a new proposal “$455,000,000” with roughly half reimbursed by the state.

Why this matters: Candidates framed the vote as an investment in educational programs and long-term fiscal prudence. They noted the project will likely appear on a citywide ballot and that the council will vote on a bond order and a tax-override question to allow the debt exclusion.

Process and outreach: Merkel said the council will vote on a bond order and a tax override that will likely appear on the spring ballot and emphasized communicating the details to residents. Several candidates said they would support the project while noting they would have liked to see a project-labor agreement included in the contract for construction.

Ending: Candidates stressed that the city must choose between costly repairs to an aging structure and building a new facility that can better serve students and the community; several called the new-build approach a practical investment if state reimbursement materializes.