Opinion

Preserve the Keizer Way

Whether anyone likes it or not, Keizer is growing. Our city’s growth is expected to continue on an upward path for the forseeable future. That’s what happens when you are successful.

Through both planning and happenstance Keizer is one of the most desirable addresses one can have in the mid-Willamette Valley. We all must ensure that the Keizer Way is the beacon that draws people and businesses to our city.

Our low tax rate attracts homebuyers who want to get more house for their money than their counterparts in nearby cities.

Money aside, Keizer is also attractive because of our local schools. The elementary schools and middle schools are led by dedicated and engaged principals and staffed by teachers who are eager to instruct our kids in ways both traditional and creative.

McNary High is positioning itself as a world-class school. The rallying cry at the school from the principal on down is: Be bold. And the school is on a bold path. It’s AVID program is a model for other schools, not only here but around the country. Giving one’s kids the opportunity to attend such a high school is a good reason to find housing in Keizer and call it home.

As more people move into the city there is a worry that the Keizer Way—exemplified by the city’s motto of Pride, Spirit and Volunteerism—could be diluted. Those who have called Keizer home since before it became a city in the early 1980s understand where the motto originated.

The Keizer Way is the city’s motto come to life. Our government, civic and business leaders have confidence in their ability to create and maintain a community that offers a lifestyle that mirrors the values of all its residents. Coupled with operating a city with a thriftiness not often seen in government and it is no surprise that the Keizer Way is the best invitation possible to our city.

Aside from thriftiness and a spirited civic-mindedness Keizer constantly leads the way in the invovlement of its citizens. Even with busy lives that include children and jobs, Keizer residents give of their time, experience and money in the fields that matter most to them: schools, sports, children and community. There is no dearth of opportunities for our citizens to roll up their sleeves and proudly, and unselfishly, serve organizations in Keizer.

Keizer will grow, new people will move here from somewhere else. We all want to live in a community that enhances our values, makes us feel welcome and entices us to do our part.

The Keizer Way is more than a saying, it is a way of life and we like it that way.

         — LAZ