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GoogleDollars from both groups were used to help pay for flyers and other promotional items in favor of the Instructional Support Levy (ISL).
The LCS School Board is seeking the ISL to bring in more money to pay for textbooks, programs, teacher salaries and related expenses. The school's budget has been pinched especially since a total of 110 students left the district in a two-year period.
The board made two attempts in 2008 to pass the ISL, which would draw from property and income tax, as well as state money. Both attempts have been voted down, but the board is beginning a third attempt.
The booster clubs came into the spotlight after they gave money to Citizens for Educational Excellence -- a group which printed flyers and campaigned in favor of the ISL.
Some citizens felt those donations were unethical, since the groups have tax-exempt status
But according to law, as described by the Iowa Department of Revenue, a tax-free group can be involved in a vote on an issue -- as long as it's not a vote on a person running for political office.
"The prohibition against political campaign activity has been in effect for more than half a century and bars certain tax-exempt organizations from intervening on behalf of or in opposition to political candidates," a release on the IRS' Political Activities Compliance Initiative states. "However, these organizations can engage in advocating for or against issues and, to a limited extent, ballot initiatives or other legislative activities."
The LCS Music Boosters donated $1,000 to the Citizens for Educational Excellence during the first attempt to pass the levy, and $250 the second time, according to the Music Boosters' president Valerie Stonesifer.
"We were approached by the Citizens for Educational Excellence and asked if we would donate and help support their efforts," Stonesifer said. "We agreed, feeling that we should help support the students who we support as an organization. We were hoping more music programs wouldn't be cut with the shortage of funds the school has."
Last year, she explained, a half-time music position was cut to help trim the budget.
"We have to do everything we can to support our programs," Stonesifer said. "We wanted to make sure our program stayed strong."
Whether or not they will donate money to promote passing the ISL if it goes to an election a third time is yet to be decided.
"We'd have to consider it at the time if we were approached," Stonesifer said.
The LCS Athletic Boosters also contributed money to promote the passing of the ISL at both elections.
"We contacted the Iowa Ethics Board and found it was within our rights to donate," said Lon Penning, of the LCS Athletics Boosters.
The Athletic Boosters donated $1,000 for both elections, Penning said.
The money they gave, he said, mostly went to print flyers promoting the ISL and for postage to mail them, advertisements, signs and other things of that nature.
"We feel there could be a pretty strong impact on some of those programs if the ISL doesn't pass," Penning said. "If it doesn't pass, there will be a lot of cutbacks, and a lot of that will probably come from the athletic programs, especially at the middle school level."
The booster club, he said, felt that by supporting the ISL it would help support athletic programs.
"It's part of the whole school package," Penning said.
If the school's third attempt to pass the ISL is brought to a vote, the club will have to decide whether or not to offer another donation.
"I'm sure that we'll take the same stand as we have in the past," Penning said. "We'll do what we can to support it."
Note: The nature of the Internet makes it impractical for our staff to review every comment. If you feel that a comment is offensive, please
obviously, the groups are allowed to do as they please since the legal issue isn't gray, so it seems. cheers for checking the law and then acting, by the way.
but i can still see a shine of impropriety to these donations, and lord knows the perception of impropriety is often just as damaging as impropriety itself. there's a ethical shadiness to using funds in a way that is rather tangential, yet effectively rationalized by the boosters i felt, to the purpose of why the funds were initially collected. i mean, yes, athletic boosters are certainly allowed to have a deep concern for a school, its efficacy, and the educational experience it provides. that said, when a person gives $100 to athletic boosters, let's not play dress-up ... they're expecting it to be used to buy football jerseys and whistles and volleyballs and stuff. so why bother turning more people off for a quick $1000, especially when those pamphlets, i bet, bought very few votes.
and whatever, here's a couple more two cents...
the isl vote has been framed in a way that closets an impassioned 'no' vote while the 'yes' vote tries to win them over through superficies (signs, banter).
to the yes side ... save your money and get organized. you're not going to pull people out of the foxhole with some sign in a lawn. it's about making connections with people and swaying them personally. there's a reason why the no side has featured much less propaganda (that's not a bad word, by the way) and been effective. money in this politicking, and in many of our troubles, is not the cure, i'm afraid.
:rick
everything seems pretty legit to me.
It is legit, but is it right? The money that is donated to the Athletic boosters>> to pay for an ISL vote? That is not where I want my donation to go..........when I donate I want it to go to the athletics department, the same with music boosters, do they call each person who donates and ask them if it it OK to use it in such a manner? No, kind of like how it would be if the ISL passes huh?
Rick,
While you and a few others might see booster clubs spending donated funds to promote the welfare of the mother ship as having "a shine of impropriety". Others will now donate extra because they realize the facts those pamphlets carry are a way of combating (we almost won) rumors intended to frighten instead of educate.
Some might imagine when their check is handed over they are paying for towels and tape. Most, hopefully, donate as a tribute to the students, directors, and coaches we know. It is also a vote affirming support for the folks who take the time to run our clubs while making leadership decisions on how funds are spent.
You mention the use of "superficies" or "the external aspects or appearance of a thing - merriam-webster" as a losing strategy for those supporting the ISL.
Yard signs and advertising are both important parts of a successful election strategy.
Would you agree with me that without a very convincing face (advertising strategy) it is doubtful there would be a President Obama?
Last, please research this statement..."there's a reason why the no side has featured much less propaganda (that's not a bad word, by the way) and been effective", and prove they were propaganda lite in comparison to the ISL support side. We all want to be as accurate as possible here, or we are spreading rumors (a bad word more often than not along with propaganda).
Dan
In my opinion it is right. Without the ISL there is a distinct possibility of cuts to both the athletic as well as music programs at LCS. These are the programs which the booster clubs are there to support. Maybe you ahould ask a Sioux City Community school board member what happened after they cut their middle school sports program and why that same program is now being resurrected. Or maybe as a proudbulldogfan you should attend one of the booster club meetings and express your concerns if you feel that the monies are being mismanaged.
lol, so.. do you want a call to ask if they should buy the trombone or the tuba???
Do you really want the school board to call you to ask how they should spend the ISL money? Dont you think they got enough things to do lately anyway?
The money did go the the athletics department and to the music department... they decide as a group how to spend it. Make your voice heard before the spending, or else don't gripe after the spending is done.
Its wasnt shady in any way.
..pretty legit
dan:
on there being less propaganda (which i mean both yes and no yard signs and the like), when i was home over the summer, it appeared to me that there were both fewer in volume and in effort no signs than yes signs. and i came into contact with 'yes' literature and not 'no' literature. i'm just saying 'yes' probably had more information out there than 'no'.
my point is that the actual impact of the yard signs and other such things in this race is, at this point, much less than the impact of organizing votes if you wish for the 'yes' to carry.
and i agree they serve a purpose, but, like obama in the early primaries, the 'yes' vote won't make it unless there's voter organization, which is what carried obama's day much more than his advertising.
signs are such passive involvement, anywho. make it active involvement, which is less expensive and more effective.
and i don't follow your donation line of thought. others will donate more to which entity?
eh, i don't think it will be just me and a few others. the link between the isl and music, while present, is not automatic. and it that movement of moving to high level reasoning, i think you have just a moment to pause and think: is that ethical? and that doubt, i think, could do more damage than the good purchased by the boosters' donation. that's my hunch.
Rick,
I enjoy reading your posts.
"i don't follow your donation line of thought. others will donate more to which entity?"
Sorry I was unclear...Second try
Others who don't see "a shine of impropriety" will now donate extra to booster clubs because they realize the facts those pamphlets carry are a way of combating (we almost won) rumors intended to frighten instead of educate.
That probably didn't help.
As far as high level thinking goes, what little high level thinking I am capable of is not focused on such (donations and how they are used) things. When I give my donation to booster clubs be it Community or Gehlen it is no longer my money. I trust the clubs to spend funds where they feel it is needed most. I'll do the same next year because I know students at both schools and I want to help out.
Dan
Personal...
Last I heard you are out west. True?
Just because it is legal, does that make it ethical? Yard signs are truly pollution, they don't say much; just to vote yes/no and maybe a blurb of why if lucky. Flyers are much the same waste, especially if mailed as additional cost.
Sorry, money and lopsided propaganda never has bought my vote. I feel the Boosters Wasted their funds. Now instead of supporting the students, they basically threw away the cash.
Remsen has a recycling donation program that brings in some decent funds. The effort is entirely donated and volunteer. They have made some serious cash for their district. I take all my carboard and paper each month on the first saturday. The turn out is incredible!
What does LeMars do? Sometimes a different approach and a little creativity is all it takes. There is a LOT of talent in our community.
It will be interesting to see how the Booster Clubs fair over this. These actions, ethical or not, are either going to increase or decrease members and money. Each member will act on how they feel about it. I for one will no longer support these clubs. I will donate in other ways.
Community has a paper drive first Saturday of every month. Drop off at Kissinger in Merrill or O'Toole Park.
dan:
i enjoy your posts, too. your efforts writing to help explain the isl are tireless (or appear as much) and commendable.
"...because they realize the facts those pamphlets carry are a way of combating (we almost won) rumors intended to frighten instead of educate."
wouldn't those people just donate directly to citizens for educational experience?
...
there is a sliding scale on what is appropriate use of funds. even if you have severed all ties to your money (or don't even have money in the pot), a person can still note that continuum.
now, if the lchs music boosters purchased new music stands, then i don't think folks would bat an eye.
if the lchs music boosters gave money to help a little league team in oklahoma city buy an outfit for the team's mascot, then we'd certainly be like -- whoa, what's the idea there?
ok. so now we have a continuum. there are purchases central to the thrust of the group and those less relevant.
now, even if it is legal and ethical, which is probably the case here, having the perception of a gap is what catches people. and i think a bunch of people will see that (exploitable) gap between what a music group is thought to do and the isl, especially if people want ammunition against the 'yes' side, since it is not immediately clear that donating to the isl is the central thrust of a music boosters group.
...
yep, i'm lawyering in los angeles, which makes me an expert on issues 2000 miles away. (kidding.) things are really well, though. and the weather is, ya know, a nice perk. say hi to peter and phil for me.
I will tell them hi.
Take care.
It will be interesting to see how it pans out for contributors and the clubs. When the Clubs gave to the ISL, it is very comparable to gambling; hoping to win with an investment of chance. It still draws to question if it was the best use even if the ISL had passed. One would hope they would use the funds as originally intended.
This is an example of entrusting others to manage a fund of donations, and why donators feel betrayed. This carries through the political realm as well. Doesn't matter where you live, it happens everywhere. Donations to charities that misuse the funds, taxes collected to assist with a common good mis-spent, money wasted for projects that do not make sense at all (Central Av and IA-3 intersection comes to mind... what a waste of money, not a good investment).
Then when the funds get tight, representatives elected to manage wonder why there is a lack of support. The lost faith is well deserved, very hard to recover from. Legal? sure. ethical? questionable. A good choice? guess we'll find out from the donors.
ADifferentView,
In my opinion you need to attend one of the booster club meetings and share your concerns. I believe that it is a volunteer organization which would welcome your input and help.
In My Opinion,
Sounds like an idea to persue.
When and Where are these held?
ADifferentView
The music boosters meet on the third Monday of the month at 7 P.M. in the high school band room while the athletic boosters meet on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 P.M. in the high school commons. I am sure they would like to hear your comments.
Query: Should ISL supporters patronize local businesses who are "gambling" their income on the defeat of the ISL or allowing their businesses to be used (setting out petitions with misleading information/false statements)to defeat the ISL?
Or< inmyopinion should the school board and it's isl suppoters be allowed to bully, intimidate, and yes even stop doing business with local business people? Because that has happened and is an act of what I would consider a childish behavior and one that will never get an ISL tax passed. Supporters need to be just a little more diplomatic and less intimidating and demanding. And I think you you already know this to be true.
I should correct myself and remove the board in that last commnent as those going around and visiting with local business people because that's not the case at least not from what I was told . What I meant to say is that the board needs to go around in groups of 2 or 3 and talk to some of these people that have been contacted. It's not that hard to do because there is more than one buisness stopped by.
Query: Is this not America where we all have a right to choose, vote, support, pay, and believe in what our minds and hearts tell us or are we in a Communist Country?
I still get to and will support our local business people regardless of what religion, belief, choice, or side they might have on this ISL tax issue because inmyopinion this is AMERICA.
economics 101
I fully agree that our local businesses should be supported by the community regardless of what "religion, belief, choice, or side they may have on the ISL". That is why I was disheartened to hear some state (read some of these blogs) that they would no longer support the booster clubs because of their (booster clubs)choice to support the ISL. That is why I was also concerned when I learned of the information being disseminated with the circulating petitions. I to also hope that both the supporters and the opposition would be more "diplomatic and less intimidating and demanding".
Sitting on a board can be a very thankless job that usually no one wants. Once a decision is made to spend moneys given, you usually have some that are upset with choices made. In this case, I think Rick Herbst gives the best example as to what is or might be an acceptable use of money spent. Since this ISL issue has about a 50% give either way the odds if I were a betting man was that 50% of the people would not be happy with the way this money was spent by the Boosters even if they gave no money at all. People in general see or view these clubs as an extension of the school and if nothing else it can generate a lack of trust in spending decisions even if the intent was honorable.
economics 101,
I agree that thus far the the ISL has been a 50-50 proposition with the community at large. However, knowing the local politics it would be my guess that well over 50% of those who support the LCS booster clubs have also supported the ISL. Take a look at the names on the circulating petitions and compare them to the names of LCS booster club contributers. I doubt if many of those names match up.
The support of the booster club is one thing, supporting those who are members of the club is another. Just because they are members, doesn't mean they agree or disagree with how the funds were used. I don't use that as criteria for where I do business. I was intending the club itself, as a whole. Return On Investment in this case of gambling is not as good as direct purchase of goods. The students didn't get any of what was spent on the ISL support.
Thanks for the info on meetings. Monday meetings, nope can't make those. Wednesday maybe. I wonder how long it will be until we have virtual capabilities to attend the meetings. The technology is there, and free too!
G.K. Chesterton once said, "Having the right to do something is not at all the same as being right in doing it."
Thanks Lon Penning for making the most sense of this situation. At least you are not afraid of making your decision. Has anyone considered this would be how the children would vote if given a chance? Now you can all pick this a part like you do everything else. I'm not for or against this issue but these replys are still stupid.
amazedagain, I don't think you have ever left a blog without calling someone stupid. I also remember your the one who suggest we all use our real name but you continue to hide under your alias name. why?