What are the most important things in life? I would guess that many of you will include happiness on your short list of answers. As a science education center, Discovery Place is interested not only in the science of happiness but also in our ability to provide opportunities for all members of our community to experience the joy of learning and exploration.

On November 5, we encourage you to spread the opportunity for happiness across the Charlotte region by voting FOR the Mecklenburg County Sales and Use Tax. Your FOR vote is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in places of exploration throughout our community – in parks, arts and cultural experiences and in our educational system.

For nearly 75 years, Discovery Place has helped our region’s children and families become interested in and inspired by science, technology, engineering and nature, while also providing adults opportunities to explore and appreciate the wonders of the world. We have seen the impact on young and old alike as their eyes light up during what we call an “a-ha” moment and we know what can happen when they take that insight back to other parts of their everyday lives.

But there is much more work to do.

Our community is growing rapidly, and opportunity is not equally shared. Despite serving generations of area schoolchildren through field trips, tens of thousands of underserved families through our Welcome program and thousands of local youth at Summer Camps and outreach events, there are still many who do not have access to inspiring educational experiences like the ones we offer at Discovery Place.

The investment created by voting FOR the Mecklenburg County Sales and Use Tax will allow organizations like Discovery Place to serve the region’s growing population and do so in ways that emphasize the importance of equity. By voting FOR the Mecklenburg County Sales and Use Tax, you can help support our work within schools and communities as well as our ability to bring world-class experiences to the area for all to enjoy.

This is a transformational time for Mecklenburg County. It is a time in which we, as the voting public, can impact the quality of life of our community and provide bigger and better opportunities for all to experience happiness through learning and exploration.

I believe in a happy future. Do you?

Learn more about the proposed quarter-cent increase in the sales tax at BetterMecklenburg.com.

Catherine Wilson Horne