On October 24 the Telegraph-Herald ran an editorial urging a “yes” vote on the school bond referendum — but it offered opinion, not a single fact. Meanwhile, the district and the Yes Committee claim transparency, yet the hard numbers below, that nobody seems to want published, raise serious questions.

Consider these documented comparisons:

• A complete renovation + addition of 375,000 sq. ft. at our 100-year-old Senior High cost $65 million.
• Smart Middle School (Davenport), a 100-year-old building, was renovated for $54 million .
• Sudlow Middle School’s renovation plus an addition for 178,000 sq. ft. for about 1,100 students — cost $62 million.
• The current proposal would build a new 225,000 sq. ft. middle school for $121 million, while the district says a renovation would cost $109 million. How does that math work? Show the numbers!

Other facts that matter:

• Jefferson and Washington together total 69,900 sq. ft. and house 967 students.
• District enrollment fell by nearly 800 students in five years and by 285 in the last year!
• Seven of 11 elementary schools have 350 students or fewer with several having 300 less students. The district reports a 14:1 student–teacher ratio.
• SAVE funding brings in roughly $13 million a year — about $335 million through 2051 — yet taxpayers should still shoulder the burden?

A new, expensive building won’t fix declining enrollment. If Jefferson is going to close regardless, a thoughtfully planned renovation could consolidate space, preserve neighborhoods, and modernize schools without saddling Dubuque families with avoidable taxes.

Vote NO — send the board back to the drawing board to produce a transparent, itemized cost analysis comparing renovation and new construction.