A common cry heard from opponents to school levies in Albert Lea is how little impact the new Albert Lea High School has had on the local economy.

Poppycock.

The fact is, that new high school has had a huge impact, and you&8217;d have to live under a rock not to see it.

The day after the bond issue was approved in December 1997, Albert Lea city planner Bob Graham&8217;s telephone was ringing off the hook. Any time this community takes steps that are progressive &8212; in terms of education, especially &8212; it has helped the local economic picture.

Construction of Albert Lea High School was finished in November 2000. Since then, Albert Lea has filled the Northaire Industrial Park and much of the Habben Industrial Park. The Jobs Industrial Park continues to prove useful. Because there is a need for more industrial space, Albert Lea these days is shaping the streets for its newest industrial park on South Margaretha Avenue.

One beauty of Albert Lea is that its industrial areas largely are hidden out of sight of the main routes &8212; unlike the days when the Farmland meat-packing plant dominated Main Street. Perhaps some of the opponents just don&8217;t take drives through the industrial parks. They see Walgreens and truck stops but don&8217;t see that Albert Lea &8212; to name a few &8212; has welcomed Agilis, Soymor, Albert Lea Select Foods, Malt-O-Meal, Zumbro River Brand or witnessed the expansion of Mrs. Gerry&8217;s Kitchen, Innovance, Larson Manufacturing, Minnesota Corrugated Box, Exol (now Poet) and Alliance Benefit Group.

Economic development in rural America is much more difficult. Being in the running for big and small companies involves excellent and difficult work. Albert Lea didn&8217;t get the Ford plant or the Target warehouse, but it has been in the running against bigger cities for three reasons. One is the interstates. Two: We have land available. Three: With our support for education, health care and recreation, we are a good place to bring your family.

The Job Opportunity Building Zone program is credited with bringing more than 500 jobs to Albert Lea. But it didn&8217;t do it alone. Every city in greater Minnesota had the same program. Why did Albert Lea perform the best in the state? Because Albert Lea has other factors at play, and a big one is the support for schools. That high school is the prime example.

Perhaps the opponents don&8217;t see the expansion of Albert Lea Medical Center building as expansion of jobs, too. It indeed is jobs &8212; many of which are good-paying jobs.

Opponents argue they don&8217;t have children in school so they shouldn&8217;t pay for schools. How shortsighted! Do they not want good doctors? Doctors want their children to go to good schools. The best doctors won&8217;t come to Albert Lea if you vote against the schools. We are all connected.

True, building a new high school alone doesn&8217;t bring jobs. What brings jobs is continued support year in and year out for schools. Year in and year out support for quality of life, parks, libraries, small business, trails, health care, clean water, the list goes on.

Vote to support your schools on Nov. 6.