Monday, November 13, 2006

School Beat: Janesville School plans budget cuts; Evansville Schools plan expansion of costs

Click on the post for the story in the Janesville Gazette this morn on the cuts that are coming in Janesville Schools.

Most school districts are cutting programs, staff, and raising fees. Few are adding costs such as Evansville Schools. Evansville has proposed adding a 4K program that would have cost taxpayers $187,000 in property taxes as well as additional State Income taxes. In addition, Evansville Schools is proposing to change a have day kindergarten position to full time which would add cost. This will be discussed at tonight's Evansville School Board meeting.

Few folks want TABOR. However, the original purpose of levy limits was to----limit. Limit the mission creep of organizations such as schools. Some schools which are defiant of these limits have caused a terrible cost to taxpayers which has been even more costly for the districts have suffered enrollment decline as well.

For those of you that have called and written about whatever happened in Moundsview, Mn. in their referendum to continue the levy limit waiver. Relax they passed it by only a few votes. They have solved their problem for one year. This community, which is near North Oaks, a gated community, is one of the most wealthy of Minneapolis can afford higher property taxes. How about you?

You make the call.

4 comments:

  1. Sometimes you have to take a long look at expenses that aren't easily related as a one-to-one expenditure.

    Spending money on 4K and full day kindergarten may be the best way to cut expenditures in the long run.

    The problem with levy limits and TABOR-like amendments is that they put too much focus on short-term savings to the detriment of long-range investments in infrastructure.

    The logical extension of the argument is to have no public schooling at all. It's not hard to see the downside to that in terms of workforce and societal development. Seeing the incremental benefit can be tougher, I agree. That makes it no less of a benefit.

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  2. I just love the fictional sketches, Grumps.

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  3. Anonymous1:27 PM

    We personally are looking at virtual schools, and/or homeschooling for our kids. It is our feeling the Evansville School district is right now is a mess. When I look at what they can 'afford' to offer for classes it makes me very sad, to think that a school this size can't offer more, yet they want to put in a 4k program??? They need to take care of the students they have and better prepare them for college, and let the daycare providers and the parents of four year olds worry about the four year olds.

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  4. Anonymous11:17 AM

    Evansville School District takes away some of the AP classes, wants to cut 1/2 day K, says it needs more teachers and aids but, does not propose these positions, has no money but, the staff get pay raises that are higher than Janesville and cost of living, does not contribute any money towards health ins. monthyly cost, work how many days a year and gets all of these benny's????? Seems like there is always money for the staff but, when it comes to the students they don't have enough money to fund what should be done.

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