Polls open Tuesday for school vote

@think_people

I apologize. I did hear the wrong sum of the surplus and for that I can admit I am wrong. Either way, a surplus is a surplus.

Don't we all want our kids to have better lives than the ones we had? Don't we all strive to give our children experiences that will last a life time? Of course we do. Nobody wants their kid to have a hard time in school. Unfortunately, there are more and more kids being diagnosed with ADD or SAD. There are kids out there with real problems that the school is unwilling to accommodate. Luckily, my child does not have any of those issues. The sad fact is that I know too many kids who do. Will money fix this fact? Will money really help these kids? Nope. What will, you may ask? Perhaps a little compassion and understanding from the administration. Perhaps they need to realize that these are not just "bad" kids who need to be punished. I'm sure I will have a lot of people steaming mad about what I've written and I am sorry. I'm sorry that I've seen it first hand. I'm sorry that raising taxes won't fix what's really wrong. If I actually thought it would, I would have voted yes.

I voted NO, in support of the stuents, faculty, and taxpayers of the community for responsible and specific requests. Putting the money in a General Fund immediately triggers the WASTE flag. Sorry, no time for wasting money. Be specific in request, specific in target. We had a pretty nice pamphlet mailed to us voters but it didn't say much and didn't detail reasons whay we are where we are. I still feel a 20 year averaging is a good thing with a budget that is carefully evaluated with the community. New ideas are necessary to keep optimal efficiency, especially in hard times. I am in full support of the students needs for a fantastic education and will gladly vote yes on tax increases when I see more thinking outside of the box, using new ideas and better approaches, learning from our mistakes. Innovation comes from suppression, I think it is time we re-evaluate what works best. Longer days? fewer days per week? Offset classes? year round schooling? I never hear about those ideas being floated. Guess we still have too much money in the system to consider how to better manage it.

while i'm at it...

i heard many people discussing how they couldn't fathom punishing our students by cutting these programs. fair enough.

but let's get down to, what i believe, is a real injustice. the poorly integrated elementary schools, which are clearly cut on class lines, are a punishment to our students. no matter the school attended, students undoubtedly lose out by not having class-integrated schools. although i don't think students at kluckhohn lose out as much as those at, let's say, clark because the wealthier parents at that school are able to ensure a higher education supplemented by private, out-of-school activities.

so while we're thinking about our children, think: are the elementary schools in lemars truly equal? if you think not, understand that the subliminal and apparent classism of the elementary schools' rosters is just as large a punishment as cutting programs.

All,

Balanced budgets are the target.

Our goal, once we certify enrollment, is to figure how much we will have to cut and how much we need to levy to reach that balanced budget.

Then make the percentage rate cover the levy half.

Let's say that after Oct. 1 we find that we have gained 80 students and the revenue from the state for those kids will allow us to balance the budget without any extra help from the levy. Let's also say that we decided to propose the levy at a rate of 5% level for 10 years. By rights (and probably law) we should levy that 5% whether we need it of not because that was the rate voted upon. I would rather levy 0% skip a year, leaving that money in your pocket and hope the trend of increasing enrollment continues.

The other down side to a fixed rate is the possibility of increasing valuations. With a sliding rate if valuations go up the rate will be adjusted down until the right dollar amount is reached. A fixed rate would create a windfall for the district.

Hope this is clear.

Forest is right on what the balance was a couple three years ago. It is now probably $1 million or so. Audit isn't finished so no exact numbers.

First of all, there was never a $20 million dollar surplus. Never was or can be. There was an unspent balance of just over $3.4 million. That was there because our wonderful state is late in payments to the district. If not there, the the district would need to take out a loan to make payments, thus causing more cost in interest.

Something for all to consider. If this passes, and I hope not, there will be some adjustments.

What the school wants to do is raise taxes. So that passes, again I hope not. But if it does, many will have to raise their rates in terms of goods and services to cover the new increase.

Harkers closes and we lose that tax base and perhaps the kids of those familis that move away. Lost revenue that has to be made up. Those people left here that have a business raise their rates to cover the rise in taxes over this situation.

The cost gets passed on to the consumer!

Has anyone here looked at the economics of this?

The people that I see really taking this one hard are the farmers and small business people. We all will share the brunt of this tax, but some will be hit harder than others. Which is why I say enough is enough.

In the long run this will be a negative thing.

Just got done voting NO. The barrel was getting full when I put my ballots in, a very re-assuring sign! No matter how you voted, it's great that people care enough to get out there and actually vote.

Now, I did vote for Dan Smith (oh no! I told who I voted for!!) So clearly I'm not one of the "haters" on here. I do find it interesting that he replies to some of these posts though. On the one hand I find it refreshing that he reads these posts and takes into consideration what the people are actually saying. You don't see many political types do that. On the other hand it can seem a bit petty to reply to posts that either make no sense or that you don't agree with. Why not just ignore them? As I stated earlier, I voted no, yet I did vote in favor of Dan Smith. I've met Dan and he is a genuine guy. While I don't agree on this particular tax issue, I do feel that he is a smart and capable man. I just hope that his posts on here don't anger the ignorant. I can rise above it, obviously. I still voted for him.

Now, on to the tax issue: At my son's Kindergarten Parent's night a few weeks ago the Principal Mr. Perry gave a little speech. He said "Now, I can't tell you how to vote, but let me tell you why this tax is a great idea.." Perhaps not an exact quote, but you get the point. At any rate, this was my first experience meeting Mr. Perry and it left a bad impression. He seems like a nice enough man, but begging for money isn't becoming of anyone. He also stated that when he got here, about 6 years ago, there was something close to a $20 million dollar surplus for our school district. Todd Wendt did a good a job at getting that surplus down. Ok STOP! When is having a surplus of money ever a BAD thing? When is wasting money ever a good thing? I think he convinced me right there to vote against this tax. I was already leaning that way, but that was the final nail in the coffin. I don't know Todd Wendt so I can make no judgment whatsoever on his character. What I can say is that when you are in a job for less than 10 years and spend $20 million that aren't yours to spend, wouldn't a person in a normal job be fired? It's just bad business. I realize he can't just be fired. I'm not even suggesting that happen. Just that perhaps the people of this community need to keep Mr. Wendt in check and we all need to take a more active role in the education system here. As a product of the public school system in Le Mars, I can only hope they do a better service for my son than they did for me.

4kids,

Hey I know Dan Smith and he IS ONLY TRYING TO GIVE ALL THE FACTS. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING OUT ON THIS MAN. IS IT THAT THE FACTS ARE TRUE AND YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO HEAR THE PLAN TRUTH.Dan is for ALL childern and he is on the board FOR the childern so lay off of him!

To Biorich15-

Did you not pay attention to all the cuts that were made in this last year that you really need to ask what the money is for?

To Valley girl-

I really hope you are not a parent. Honestly, what kind of values are you teaching by that statement?

This ISL vote just seems it will be attacked every time it comes around. But at least it is being put out there for a vote, not forced upon us like certain things in this city!! While my family knows first hand how "hard" the times are right now, we will vote yes. A strong school system is something a community should be proud of, and support.

What ever your opinon, stop with the silly threats and personal attacks. Go vote!

To the valley girl,

It appears as though our children are being placed in the middle of two parents who have seperated and now have a very strained relationship. Name calling (the "bad guys" and "bunch of dirty rotten scondrels")and threats ("I will stop supporting LCHS fundraisers of any kind...")are devisive and will serve only to further damage institutional and personal relationships within our community. Don't do that to our children or our community. Cast your vote but please stop with the personal attacks. Thanks.

at least when this vote is over we don't have to read about dan smith's point of view and how he is right and everyone else is wrong..at least until they make us waste family/work time & gas money to vote again.

READ MY LIPS NO NEW TAXES!!!!