I wanted to thank Federal Way City Councilman Jim Ferrell for his vote of “no” on the council’s decision to dump $750,000 toward the proposed civic center.

The last thing we need here in Federal Way is a civic center. Consider how else this money could be used to benefit more people. How about pumping that money into our schools? Maybe some new computers or hey, even a few new teachers?

Believe me, that $750,000 would most definitely benefit all of the people in Federal Way by spending it on our kids.

It seems to me by this vote tally that the council is an elite group of highly-paid adults that have no idea of the basic crisis of education our kids are in. I think it would be beneficial to the real understanding of how our schools are struggling if these council members would go into our schools for a week or so and observe, or better yet volunteer as a parent, not a celebrity.

You know, without tools for a good education, nobody in the future will even need or use a civic center. It will be another empty piece of real estate that will make the council and city officials say “oops.”

Laura St. Dinius, Federal Way