Think schools cost too much money to build? Several Indiana state legislators and the state’s governor do, and have made attempts at cutting the cost a primary part of their agenda. A trade group of architects, contractors, engineers, and others called FAIR disagree, pointing to independent sources that show school costs in the state are far from excessive.
But when the advocates for cutting costs occupy the bully pulpit of majority leadership, it can be tough for opponents to make their voices heard. Many in the media were repeating the legislators’ claims as though they were facts. Unfortunately, the story is a complicated, multi-faceted one. How could FAIR get accurate, understandable information in the hands of media, legislators, and other key stakeholders?
Working with architects and construction managers from the organization, Scott Flood Writing developed a white paper that explained why apples-to-apples comparisons were impossible, and that presented independent evidence that backed the organization’s claims.
Written in layman’s language, the white paper details the factors that contribute to the cost of schools in Indiana, from weather variations to legislative mandates. The paper was distributed to legislators, the media, school officials, and made available on the organization’s website