Responses to comments, May 5th article: part 1

Once again, I come with responses to articles from the Springfield News-Sun concerning the Northeastern Local School District. These responses are from the article dated Friday, May 5, 2010 by Kermit Rowe, titled "Northeastern to seek voter approval for $58.9 million for new schools". Unlike previous comments and questions, I will respond to those that are legitimate and not redundant.

As always, I am speaking on my behalf, not the board's. I recommend that the reader validate my statements so as to ascertain that I am responding with the truth.



"NO NO NO stop wasting our money asking for more $. Our district has aprroxamately a 34% forclosure rate. The rest of us who own property are on fixed incomes.(We actually work and pay our bills that is why they are fixed) Get rid of office staff that is double dipping and hire some college grads for 1/2 the price. Tighten your belts. Get it together or prepare to be voted out.
taxpayer
8:46 AM, 5/7/2010"


taxpayer: thank you for your comment. I cannot validate the 34% foreclosure rate in our district. I will respond to hiring college grads for 1/2 the price. I will assure you that there are no "some college grads" that will do the job as an administrator in our district for 1/2 the pay. Consider the education that is needed, the certification that is mandated by the Ohio Department of Education and the number of hours our administration works, the responsibility that is placed on them, the audits they must adhere to and other mandates too numerous to mention, I can guarantee you that their compensation is very adequate. FYI, the next election for board of education will be November 2011. There will be two seats up for vacancy. I am hoping your name will be on the ballot.



"If people were smart they would vote for this thing now. If it doesn't pass now, we will have to pay 100% later. The schools are falling apart, and are going to need replaced within the next 5-10 years anyway. I say we take the governments money and save about 40 million taxpayer dollars.
Think About It
8:50 AM, 5/7/2010"


Think About It: thank you for your comment. You are absolutely correct. This is a golden opportunity for the residents of the district. It is unfortunate that it has come at a bad time in our economy, however, the board has been given no choices. I do want to correct one point you are making. This is not "government" money (ie taxpayer money). This is coming from the tobacco settlement that each state received. It was the choice of the Governor and the State Legislature of each state to determine how the funds were to be used. Our Governor and State Legislature chose to put the money into building new schools. I do thank you for your support.



"Think about it where does the money from the state come from The taxpayers wake up and smell the coffee. The majority of taxpayers don't want this, the board, or the waste to continue.
taxpayer
9:06 AM, 5/7/2010"


taxpayer: thank you for your comment. As I mentioned above, the money is not tax money, unless you are thinking that the tobacco settlement came from those who smoke are taxpayers. The funds are not "state tax funds". You can verify this through the OSFC, Ohio Department of Education, Governor's office or your state representative.



"The longer this goes on the more it becomes clear. this is KADELS MONEY PIT. vote NO NO NO
dave
9:11 AM, 5/7/2010"


dave: thank you for your comment...I think. Now, Dave. You know better than this. I know you are smarter than to make a comment such as you just made. I'm not mad, just embarrassed that everyone in the county reads this and sees the type of thinking that goes on.



"Everyone says they are for the new schools but voter turn out shows something totally different. Only 2305 in this district cared enough to vote "YES" and the time before that 4126 cared enough to vote"YES",there is no suppose. The Clark County school system is too top heavy with "supers" and staff.
I vote everytime
9:18 AM, 5/7/2010"


I vote everytime: thank you for your comment. Actually, there is only one Superintendent for each of the seven school districts. I would suggest that you get with your board of education and administration and see what goes on in our schools. I thank you for at least voting. It is your obligation as an American and Citizen.



"Okay when is the school board going to realize that they are not going to get this to pass. Homeowners cannot continue to take the brunt of this. We are on a fixed income and worked hard for what we have. I am not paying more and suffer. And before anyone says it, I worked hard all my life and I am not giving up coffee, eating out...etc just to pay for your schools. Pay for your own kids, quit asking others to pay for them!!! NO IS NO!!!!
enough already
9:19 AM, 5/7/2010"


enough already: thank you for your comment. Thank you for setting the record straight on how you stand. Unfortunately in the State of Ohio, our school funding system is broken and the public blames the school boards instead of the state legislature and the Supreme Court. I'm thankful there are those who value education and their property values and can realize that the two compliment each other both positively and negatively. For you, sir, it's about you. For me, it's about the future of our children and my property value.



"Perhaps the NE Board missed the predictable results of other levies in the county on Tuesday. One in four are either unemployed or working part time and it is impossible for many to meet their mortgage payments, let alone pay higher taxes. In the Tecumseh district, our new buildings are beautiful, but they are ruining our financial health and we're in debt for several more generations just to pay our small share (27%), a much lower burden than NE faces. Each special election costs 15K!
Donnelsville Guy
9:37 AM, 5/7/2010"


Donnelsville Guy: thank you for your comment. Actually, I was surprised that the levies failed. There was no increase in taxes for either the NW or Greenon districts. Yet the Library Levy passed. Doesn't make sense that people would vote for something that does not strengthen their property values and reject something that has a direct influence on their property values. Your statistic of 1 in 4 are unemployed or working part time would suggest that we have 25% unemployment, when it is actually about 11.2%. Finally, it is a fact that the property values in the Tecumseh School district has increased since the new schools were built. Final fact, the cost of a special election is about $1000 per precinct. Check the number of precincts in your district and multiply that number by $1000 and you will arrive at the approximate cost of putting a levy on the ballot in a special election.



"To think about it, Where do you think any money the govt. gives comes from? Its not the tooth fairy or oil rigs, Its our tax money,and there is no more money coming in so there wont be any more going out.What they need to spend the money on is academics, not aesthetics. Hell they used to teach in one room schools with slate notepads. Fix whats there and shut down open enrollment, We're tired of parents shipping their kids to our school without paying taxes to help it.
Fed$
9:38 AM, 5/7/2010"


Fed$: than you for your comment. Again, the funding from the OSFC comes from the tobacco settlement and is not taxpayer money...unless you smoked or still do. I don't so to me it is not taxpayer money. Your comment about teaching in one room school rooms is true. We also used to do a lot of work that is now done by robots and computers. Who is going to make the robots and computers? Not the people who are educated in one room school houses. Seriously, you need to get a handle on how school are operated, especially the Open Enrollment issue. It's not what your neighbors are telling you about. Children who come into our district on Open Enrollment bring the entire $5780 with them, of which about 1/2 is property tax money from the district they came from! How about that.



"When is the NE school board going to understand? No means no. It doesn't matter how many times you ask and in how many different confusing ways. First, the old buildings can't be used, now they can? We need an income tax to pay for flooring and a gym, but now we don't need it? If the board had been honest in the first place about what was ACTUALLY NEEDED and not WANTED, the issue may have passed the first time. I WANT to support the district, but I NEED to be able to live on my fixed income.
no means no
10:27 AM, 5/7/2010"


no means no: thank you for your comment. It is confusing to those who don't have the correct information or not willing to be informed. As far as the income tax issue, we are not legally able to put on an income tax for the LFI's (locally funded initiatives) more than two times in a calendar year. Likewise we will not be building an extra gym or terazzo floors. I would encourage you to get the facts by asking the board or administration these questions letting us explain for you. You will get a different perspective of what the facts are.



"All these responses "When is the school board going to realize"...
I will add another one,When will the school board realize this community doesn't care about its kids , never has , never will.
Jet
11:23 AM, 5/7/2010"


Jet: thank you for your comment. Actually, it is not the entire community that doesn't care, it is only a few who are not informed or wish not to be informed. This is the purpose for this blog site.



"If this levy doesn't pass - I'll be "shipping" my kids to another school district - and take my tax dollars with me - this is how that works, you know.
open enrollment
12:32 PM, 5/7/2010"


open enrollment: thank you for your comment. you are correct. That's exactly how it works. Let's hope you stay in the district.



"The courts have already ruled it's constitutional and illegal for property taxes to be used to fund the schools. So who are the idiots, the ones that keep voting for the school levies? The state officials are never going to do their job of finding a different way to fund schools, when the taxpayers keep voting to fund the schools. We have to hold our ground and keep voting NO. I'm tired of my taxes going up. I'm already working 2 jobs; I will not be getting a 3rd job to pay for schools.VOTE NO!
NE Resident
12:47 PM, 5/7/2010"


NE Resident: thank you for your comment. Who are the idiots? I feel they are the ones who complain to boards of education members and won't question the representatives. It is the legislature that the people need to start questioning. As a board member, I've addressed this issue with our Representative many times over the past 16 years. My message continues to fall on deaf ears. Board members cannot do this by themselves. It will take the people to call, write, email, speak up at assemblies where Rep. Hackett, Rep. McGregor and Sen. Widener are. Unfortunately, I've found no one who is willing to do that. No one has any backbone to do what is right. They continue to confront the school boards. If you are serious about wanting to change, please contact me.....if you will.



"Fed$, you obviously don't understand open enrollment.When kids choose to come to this district from another district the money follows them, and the district they are leaving loses money. When a child leaves a district they take $5780 with them to the other district. Our district this past year had about 117+ which is nearly $700,000 a year leaving our district. If you want open enrollment to end you have to shut it down for all districts otherwise the district will lose a ton of money.
JC
12:49 PM, 5/7/2010"


JC: thank you for your comment. You are absolutely correct. Thank you.



"I predict that this will pass since it is the "Hail Mary" attempt and voters know that the state will not kick in if it loses this time. However, I will still vote against it as the district has done nothing to stem the flow of open enrollment students from SCS, harming that district. Building big new schools will result in a massive exodus from SCS and I cannot abide by this. The GOP's "School Choice" plan is a bad one, and this is how I can and will react to it.
Tomas
12:54 PM, 5/7/2010"


Tomas: thank you for your comment. I really wish people would get the facts about Open Enrollment. It is a money issue for school districts, nothing more. What it was intended for was good, what it allows is questionable, what it does for a district is purely financial gain or loss. I will be doing a blog on open enrollment soon. Hopefully you and other can get my perspective and then, as I encourage you to do, is to verify my facts.