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Read comments (37)How many cuts and how long-term they will be -- that is in the hands of district voters.
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The ISL would raise money for things like teacher salaries, textbooks and programs through a combination of state aid, property tax and income tax. This money is completely separate, by law, from the money used to build or improve buildings.
If the ISL fails?
No specific cuts are certain, but without the ISL cuts would have to be made, Stelzer and Murphy agreed.
That's in addition to more than $700,000 cutbacks made last year.
Voting the ISL down would mean teachers would likely be cut and class sizes would grow, Stelzer said.
"We probably can't do much more in reductions on the high school level because we banged them hard," Murphy added. "We're going to look at middle school. We'll dramatically decrease, I believe, the teacher population."
Elementary teachers would be cut and classes expanded, he said.
"Then we'll have to look at the attendance centers, whether we have to close an attendance center or two," he said, speaking of the several elementary school buildings in the district.
Non-required programs like Trades & Industries (T & I) could be on the chopping block, Stelzer said.
"We will be forced to lose things that are important, things that are beneficial to students like the music programs, like the athletic programs, stuff that the community enjoys and is very, very good for everyone involved, but they're not absolutely mandated," Stelzer said, also mentioning activities like debate and drama. "Would it be a travesty to cut back and lose those, yes."
Field trips could be eliminated to trim transportation fuel costs, Stelzer said.
"Some school districts around the country today are making the parents take the kids to the football games," Murphy said.
Such cuts would have a far-reaching effect, Stelzer said.
"It would be horrible," he said. "It is not possible to have any painless decreases. The morale for the community, the morale in the teacher population and student population would be horrible."
Murphy agreed.
"When all that tragedy befalls us, I guarantee there will be a stampede of people coming to the school board saying, 'Why don't we have the ISL?'" Murphy said.
"But it'll be too late then, because we'll be on the downhill spiral," he added
Then, he said, the district will have to call in the Iowa Department of Education to help keep LCS a viable district.
"If we falter in the quality of education we give here, we're going to lose that edge, and those people are all going to be going to our neighboring communities," Murphy said. "If we want to keep Le Mars on the map, we've got to pump money into public education."
And if the ISL passes?
Even if the Instructional Support Levy (ISL) passes Sept. 9, the school will be financially pinched for a few years, the two board members said.
Losing more than 100 students in two years and facing high transportation fuel and textbook costs dealt LCS a blow that will take time to recover from.
The money from the ISL won't start coming in to the school district until the 2009-10 school year, and only a part of it at that time, Murphy explained.
The income tax portion wouldn't come in until 2010-11. That's why the school board brought the ISL back so quickly for a vote.
"We'll have to slide down a little bit more before we can catch back up. It will not be an instant fix," Stelzer said. "If it passes, we'll still have to look at absolutely everything and ask 'Is this a program that should be cut back, is this program necessary?'"
Murphy agreed.
"If the ISL passes, we're still going to have a really hard time this fall and next spring for the 2009-10 fiscal year budget," he said. "We're really not going to be able to incorporate any new programs, based in part on the student count Oct. 1 and teacher negotiations next year."
The ISL would initially help cover the basics -- places where the school lost money when enrollment dropped by 30 students two years ago and 80 last year, Stelzer said.
"It covers salary increases for our teachers when we're not getting it from the state," Stelzer said, noting that the 110 students the district lost ranged from kindergarten to 12th grade, making it difficult to cut any certain teacher. "That's what the ISL is supposed to allow us to do. Fall back, regroup, rearrange class sizes, maybe stop one offering or two, but do it without the pain that we had to do last year."
Stelzer said the ISL might help bring back some of the special education, tutorial and at-risk programs that have been trimmed back.
"Some of those have to be revisited and possibly reinstituted in a new fashion because students still need support," he said.
Murphy said in the 2010-11 academic year, his hope would be that LCS could reincorporate a few of the programs that were cut.
"Particularly I want to have priority on these senior high school kids that need help," he said. "We have very little safety net other than the goodwill of individual teachers left for those students that struggle freshman through senior year. I think that's a tragedy."
There is no certainty the items cut last year will come back exactly as they were.
"As far as 'This specific program or teacher is going to be reinstituted," we can't say that, that would be unfair." Stelzer said
Even the T & Industries program will likely never be exactly the same as it was, Murphy said.
"I think we'll do everything in our power to keep it going because it seems to be a very important program and it does do a great deal of good in our community," he said.
Voting in the ISL is more long term than any single program, agreed the two board members, both who have served with LCS for 13 years.
It's about keeping the school district strong in changing times.
All over Iowa, enrollment is declining, Murphy said.
"The Iowa legislature is going to have to figure out a way to address it, be it more rounds of greater school consolidation, or what I don't know.
LCS, he said, is the biggest 3A school district in the area.
"We should always have a great presence, and our taxpayers should think about that," Murphy said. "If there are changes in school law or changes in the way we educate our children, theoretically, Le Mars will be a hub of change -- if we have a decent school district at that point in time."
But, he said, if LCS is a "beat up, dragged out school district under the control of the department of education," that would be out the window.
"We've got to keep some quality here," Murphy said.
Stelzer said the ISL asks for a "small amount from everyone" to support the school. On average, he said, the ISL would add about $22 dollars to people's income tax per year.
"(School taxes) still won't be as high as nearly every other district in our area, so it's not an excessive asking," Stelzer said. "I think we (the board) have been fiscally responsible all along, but we are, as a board and as a community, committed to education. To be able to be committed to education we have to put our money where our mouth is."
Le Mars isn't the first district that has sought the ISL. All the districts in Plymouth and Sioux County, as well as most of the state, are using the levy.
"Other schools needed it sooner than we did, but we need it now," Stelzer said. "Now we need it to help us stay viable."
The Le Mars Community Schools board of education made two rounds of cuts to balance the 2008-09 fiscal year budget.
On Jan. 14, 2008, cuts totaling $480,000, were:
* Reduce two (2.0) Elementary Teachers @ $60,000 per teacher - $120,000
* Reduce one (1.0) Middle School Teacher @ $60,000 per teacher $60,000
* Reduce Central Office Administrator (assistant superintendent of operations) - $110,000
* Reduce Aide Time by 100 hours per week - $50,000
* Discontinue one day Professional Development - $45,000
* No New Textbook Purchase (for one year only) - $65,000
* Eliminate the Activity Busses - $15,000
* Reduce Building Budgets - $15,000
Total - $480,000
On April 7, following the defeat of the ISL by district voters, the board made the following cuts, totaling $254,000:
Reduce Elementary Guidance - $56,000
Eliminate T & I (welding only) - $50,000
Eliminate TK - $60,000
Eliminate 1/2 time music position - $30,000
Eliminate High School Tutorial Program - $22,000
Eliminate School Liaison - $20,000
Eliminate High School TAPS - $16,000
Total - $254,000
Total cuts for the 2008-09 school year: $734,000
As a student of LCHS, I have seen how these cuts are affecting my education this year. Many classes have too many kids in them for the teachers to effectivly work with us. My grades are starting to SUFFER because of this. No joke.
I understand that some of the things that are being cut include sports, music, and other programs that we could survive without, but, These programs are what make LCHS such a great school! Why do you think some students from surrounding areas come to LCHS to participate in programs that they wouldn't have had the opportunity to be in at the other schools? Please consider this.
For years our tax rate has been low compared to most other districts in Plymouth County, the Lakes Conference, and the top 15 3A schools.
I could understand complaints if we had been taxing at a high rate for all these years.
Instead, because of many years of low tax rates, there has been more money in our pockets to spend as we wish.
That's not entirely true. Many families can't afford to fill their gas tank, but have to in order to go to work to support their families.
That doesn't mean that they can afford to be taxed more.
With regard to other school districts using private vehicles for transportaion to some activities, next time you fill your tank you might just be doing it for an actvitiy that no longer has funds to pay for transportation costs via the school. And if you can afford to fill your tank up for that then you can afford the ISL tax.
Lot of good discussion. I was against this tax originally, and the more I read here on these posts, the more I am inclined to vote yes this time. Why is it that there are more posts on this ISL tax than when the city and county raised the levy earlier. Which by the way would have offset much of this tax. Many other school districts close to here have the parents and or kids drive to some activities (no use of school vehicles). And those communites taxes are higer than ours is. I have a relative in another state that had this very same circumstance about funds (lack of funds and drastic cuts made). And over 8 or so years of time, not only did enrollment continue to decline in the public schools but private school as well when funds were short and programs, teachers, and activites cut. It was a spiraling effect downwards because the first thing parents look at when reloacation is SCHOOLS, FACILITIES, AND EDUCATION. My relative said that it took another 5 years after the 8 to get enrollment back on the incline because parents coming in looked at the above 3 as a requirement. Vote and say NO to any more city and county spending which in Le Mars is way out of line and vote yes for the ISL. We all know about all the whooooops's in Le Mars that continue to raise taxes say no to them, not to the ISL.
Why do I hear all the arugments about the school. Schools help the kids. We all relly should be looking at the wasteful spending that the City Council is doing. I am sick about the bricks down town yes they were nice but now the are so bad that they have to be done over and thats going to cost us money. Has anyone been to LakePort commons in Sioux City. I side walks look soo nice and its just cement. Then there is the indoor pool!! and the gorgeos walking trail. When will we wake up and look and whats really important in the community. The kids or the not so nice things that we have in our town thats now falling apart.
dansmith-
Thank you for the explaination. The spreadsheet really did come in handy. I suggest everyone to take a look.
shouldbworking,
The dollar figures that showed up in the spreadsheet are a 5% increase. We can go up to 10% increase.
shouldbworking
Half of the total ISL tax was raised on income and the other half on property. In the event that they would be raised or lowered the half and half ratio would be kept the same.
shouldbworking,
These numbers are the ones we were proposing last March(?) when the ISL failed. I think it was 5% but if you want I'll check at the information meeting tonight.
dansmith-
The board has the option to levy our taxes up to 10%. On the spreadsheet you've created, what percentage are you using in regards to our property & Iowa tax?
Thank you dansmith
shouldbworking,
Here is the formula...
$100,000.00 home
50 cents per $1,000 assessed value
44% rollback
$100,000.00 X .44 X .0005 = $22.00
shouldbworking,
This is a link to a spreadsheet I built to help explain the ISL's annual impact on taxpayers. All of your entries will be in the 4 yellow boxes in column "c". There are category description boxes in white under a box labeled "Category" and yellow entry boxes to the right of each of those category descriptions. The ISL total is in the purple box below the yellow column. You only have to click once on the yellow box you want to enter numbers in. Just click, enter your number, and the tax is figured and displayed in the orange. Commas and dollar signs are added automatically. State average income tax was about $1300.00 if you want to get an estimate there. Some work computers don't allow you to enter the page otherwise I have tried on several other than mine and so far so good. If you have trouble post the numbers you want figured and I'll figure them for you. Pay no attention to the column in blue. It is just another option the Board has, and is figured at the same time the ISL figures are so a comparison of the two programs can be available if needed.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=p...
Can someone please explain to me how the $20-$22 is figured?
Hey LetsThinkAboutThat,
How dare you distort this difference in opinion by using FACTS!!! Seriously, very well stated post. I will be voting YES.
Has anyone else reached the point of exasperation? Many insinuations on these comment boards have been cast around with little connection to truth. I can appreciate differing opinions on this topic, but let's keep it civil and based on facts. Much of this information can be found in previous Sentinel articles or from the public meetings. Here are some basics for those with an open mind.
Fact: In 1994 the LCS tax levy was $12.50. Since that year, the tax levy has been UNDER that amount until last year when the need pushed it back to $12.50. The Board publicly committed to keeping the levy as low as possible, so when the need was less, they LOWERED it!
Fact: The Board proposed plan with the ISL would cost the average homeowner in Le Mars (with a $100,000 home) $22 extra a year in property taxes. That is $1.83 a month.
Fact: The same plan would add $25 a year to the average tax return (and that includes joint filers). That is $2.08 a month.
Fact: The purchase of the Well's building was not done with General Fund money. The upkeep of the building is taken care of with the rent paid to the school by the other tenants and the money saved by housing the Individual Learning Center.
Fact: The LCS ranks 337th (out of 365 districts-from latest figures in 2006) in per-pupil spending in Iowa.
Fact: The ISL is used by 339 school districts in Iowa. (This year there are 362 districts in Iowa)
I don't enjoy paying new taxes. Who does? But the Le Mars Community School district is in a bind. It is not from elaborate waste like a few keep trying to insinuate. The drastic drop in enrollment could not be projected. The Board then cut $734,000, affecting many students in our district, from larger class sizes in 4th and 5th grade to popular programs at the high school.
We all have a decision to make. One choice is to tell the Board to cut more from the budget, affecting more students.
Or, we can offer an average of $3.91 a month to send a message to our children and the community that we support the schools in their efforts to educate the youth in the Le Mars Community School District.
A community's school district usually illustrates the priorities and values of that community. We will find out how our community measures up on September 9th. I will be voting YES.
baseball,
The reason for extra-curricular activities, as it has been said many times to us over the years, is to help students to better in school. Whether its because it gives them a reason to come, a reason to do better, or it just helps them as a person, it works. If it didn't, why would the students waste their time?
I know personally, I try harder in school because I need to get certain grades to be able to participate in the activities I do. And if you cut the activity that is motivating me, you cut my source of want. And I'll stop trying. Maybe not on purpose, but it'll happen.
These activites help us, as students, do better in school. Its true.
'73 Grad
That was SILO money. For putting up buildings etc.
i would just like to point out that the lemars community pays the lowest amount of taxes than most, if not all, other communities in the entire area. from at outsiders perspective, this seems alittle selfish. if i had a family, i probably wouldnt bring em here.
this is to baseball
perhaps when a child likes school they will do better in school. providing this type of atmosphere will inevitably provide a better education for children. but if education isnt important to you then vote no i guess.
Did not the government decide to divide taxes more evenly to all school districts this spring? How much extra will Le Mars Community receive?
As I have said before many times. If it's $22 dollars a year "average" then why not fund raise or host a party like the Gehlen ball. That would let people choose to donate rather than forcing. And I'm sure you would make plenty of money to keep your programs and teachers employeed.
I feel voting "yes" leaves to many open doors. To many questions haven't been answered. I for one am not voting for a tax that leaves that much power to change the rate for that long. I believe in our schools and I believe in a good education and a better life for my kids. But why do we as a community have to suffer for the boards mistakes? And what really upsets me is, its our fault (the community) that they messed up on budgeting. You blame us that we don't support this levy. Well call me crazy but I don't call the school and blame them when I can't afford to pay my mid american bill. I know the school lost kids but I believe they could have planned for this and not spend every dollar they have. And there idol threats are harmless cause you make it sound like its our fault they messed up. Its always someone else's fault and always on someone else's shoulders.
To the LeMars student. Isn't the purpose to go to school is to get a good education? Since when do we have to entertain sutdents so they LIKE SCHOOL. GROW UP.
Dr. Stelzer keeps on saying this will only cost the taxpayers approximately $22 a year. This is based only on income tax. What about the property taxes? What income base is used to figure the $22 a year? If I knew it was only going to cost $22 a year I would have no problem but I do not think that will be an average. A problem I have with this is that this will not only be for 10 years, it will be a lifetime. Never will they let go of the extra tax.
Mr. Smith,
My biggest concern is the amount of time/years. And the analogy about pizza, eating out and cigarettes is not fair. People as individuals choose to do those things on their own. There is not a vote for the whole society to force those things on the population. (this last one was a direct response to another blog). Why don't people just come right out and say that this is all about saving jobs of teachers and staff members. There are plenty of great teachers and instructors at Community. However, this may offend some, but there are some employees that quite frankly have not been exactly great role models for the kids. I could cite examples but I prefer not to be sued.
These are not he said, she said references but first hand knowledge. It bothers me to have to pay for such nonsense for the next ten years just because we are told to. And I am informed, which is why I am voting a resounding NO!
oldone1,
The District has been controlling taxpayers money since its creation. If we keep increasing the ISL rate each year it would be a failure. We want nothing to do with failure. We want success. Come to one of the meetings and ask questions. They will get answered honestly.
All, please come Wednesday or Thursday. Take the time to be informed first hand.
gogetit
You are right. Decisions based on fact are valid.
The candy bars are a good cause, keep them coming.
cabinsuzi,
Yes the $60K includes insurance. It also means that the teacher probably has his masters degree plus 15 to 30 hours extra. There are also probably 25 to 30 years in the classroom.
I wrote this on older story, so ill copy and paste
I'm currently (and finally) a senior at LCHS. I know I don't have to pay the taxes that the ISL will cause. But please. I am involved in many, many activites varying from music, drama, and athletics. If this doesn't pass, I will possibly lose the things I love to do. The things that keep me going. And if I luck out and none of my activities are cut, I will for sure have friends in the programs that are cut.
I'm not sure if you guys realize how important these extra activities are to us. Without them, school wouldn't be as fun. I know a few people that wouldn't still be in school if it werent for athletics. And I for sure know I would hate going to school if it werent for the programs I'm in.
So you may think that you're going to get hit hard by this ISL if its passed. Well guess what, you only come in second. So you have to pay a little extra money. It is nothing in comparison to what we, as students, are losing--the things we LOVE to do.
i agree with the comment not to judge people by the way they vote. intelligent, informed individuals will surely both vote 'yes' and 'no' on this measure.
but i want to say one more time that i am shocked when i look at the list of programs being cut. they appear to me to be programs that individuals cannot duplicate privately. the programs are primarily beneficial to children with less funds. to put the poorer individuals on the chopping block smacks of classism.
Why don't we all go the rally tonight and support the students from both of our community's wonderful schools? Let's take a good look at what our schools have given our childen - and us as parents. Our kids are involved and having the time of their lives - lets keep it going. Vote yes.
A good citizen is one that studies the facts and votes. Whether that be yes or no - how can we judge? Everyone has a reason for the way they vote. I just hope that when it is over - we respect one another's children - I've heard people say they will slam the door in the face of a Gehlen student selling a candy bar if this vote is turned down. Unbelievable!!
Do you realize that you probably spend that increase on something NOT needed anyway. So you have to order one less pizza, eat out one less time, one less movie, or how about those cigarettes???????? Shame on you for putting all of these above education. I guess I was in the dark about how selfish people/our community can be. We ask our kids everyday to be kind, caring, good citizens and then all of this is happening. It makes me so sad to read all of these. Thank you to those of you who are voting YES Sept. 9th. Good for you for being a good citizen. (If you feel uninformed or would like more information please attend one of the public meetings coming up. Know your facts before you vote no!)
Pay close attention to what is being said. The first comment by Stelzer is "teachers would likely be cut and class sizes would grow."
The second item is "then we'll look at things that are beneficial....but not mandated."
In other words, we'll threaten you with cutting teachers and then look at cutting things that don't NEED to be included in their education.
If a student wants to learn to weld, send him to Vocational School after graduation. I don't see anyone getting their law degree while in High School. High School is there to give you the FOUNDATION for the rest of your education, not to be the ENTIRE education you receive in life. Even if you never attend another class in your life, you can still be very successful, but you must have the BASICS to succeed in life and must still LEARN on the job. (i.e. reading, writing and math skills.)
Let's get back to EDUCATING students and not make High School a smorgasbord of choices that allow a student to never have to study and learn.
WOW $60,000 per teacher, please tell me that is with insurance and other perks included and not actual salary. I think you have to vote no, as sad as it may be. We would never allow this in any other venue, why are we being guilted into it with the school system? I dont think the quality of our school system will suffer one bit. We have all had to get by with less. Good point iowabucfan!
Funny, I didn't see any cuts as far as salaries for the principal's or superintendent. They were warned this was going to happen years ago and to start planning for it. Now they want us to bail them out.......no way!! You want to ba able to raise taxes at your discretion to be able to balance a budget. I am sure that the cuts coming will probably be made in the classrooms and not in the athletics depts. Remember, football is the costliest sport as far as equipment, coaches, etc..I'm almost positive there will be no cuts there, instead lets cut another teacher position and expand the class sizes. We will see......VOTE NO!!!
What you are asking for is way too long a time period to have control of the taxpayers money. 10 years and a sliding scale to increase revenue for the school system is out of line. If it passes AND you keep increasing each year the amount of taxes raised, that would be VERY sad.