True Costs Of the MCSC School Levy

very nice and quaint, the replies you have provided fellow blogers,

 

Just as a reference for all ya all, if you ever felt like I was disrespectful to any of ya all , it was not intentional.  It was collateral damage threw a healthy exchange of controversial ideas and opinions.

I personally felt disrespected because ya all's pro levy wanted to tax me till my own death. I know all we have forward to look for is death and taxes , but really do we have to put it to a vote if we want to be taxed or not till death with one more levy / bond issue ??  have you watched that Chris Rock movie where he runs for president / he keeps on saying  THAT AINT RIGHT !!   SECURITY !!!

Since many in society have had a epiphany as they grow older and ether want to contribute to the legacy of society or want to stop the purging that society puts on them economically you can see why a seast and desist attitude would grow threw the tax base as people just cant afford anymore contributions to the status quo. its not weather modern enmities, perfect geographic location, implementation of technologies in are schools are needed . It's when do you give your tax payers a brake as they have provided for the community for EVER as far as I can remember.

I get it folks , i'm ok with paying land tax to pay for operations of the schools. I just  am not ok with building them,  back in the day that was always the states job. 100%

you don’t buy a car and then rent it from your self. paying operating expense threw tax in my view is like renting the car. the state is like avis or hertz  they own the schools / I uderstand the local districts do their local admin / with out the state they would not exists.

So consider a alternate approach stop all funding, privatize the whole thing, if your state  representatives or senators still believe in education provide a set voucher for all the districts children to use if they qualify and raise the moneys for the vouchers threw new legislation that provides equal taxation with equal representation.  This opinion will not set well with many , but in fact it will stream line the waste and favoritism. As you know private colleges and  other like educational institutions do not lack for cash or enrolment .  profit and tenure by professors set the legacy for each institution.  Let corporate America take over and implement a wall mart like educational system, inexpensive, imported , cost effective to the poor,  checks and balances at the exchange counter , and yes LAY AWAY-  what a concept ! a family who intends to have a significantly larger family than most can  make lay away payments for their children to go to school when they get older. That might include the forethought of family planning in some cases.  While some might say these opinions are irrational and incoherent , I beg to differ as I  am the sole pilot responsible for my well being, and I would be better off with out  another  land tax line item, till my death.

Acclaro, Saunders --

acclaro:

Within the framework of the last few posts, you seem to be traveling a new path, one of sponsorship for Ms. Andrew and her new building team supporters.

Are you now agreeing with the pro-levy people and have joined their team of yes voters?

Getting mixed signals from you now as opposed to the outset of this discussion.

You seem now, to be on the endorsement road at this point......and that would be disappointing, given that, at one time, you championed the tax oppressed portion of this community.

Richard Saunders ,  if what you said  "The real fact of the matter is that, like the present Vail location, the Verity location is unacceptable to the school administration shot-callers because of the "neighborhood" is correct that particular view by the school board goes against the revitalization of down town middletown. We all know what a hot topic re vitalization of down town is. there are many who rally behind the idea and many who think it is fruitless. Consider this
have you supported the new UDF downtown by getting gas or ice cream ? Do you think it has improved part of the down town area ? For the school board to think, if in fact it is true they can by statistical analysis desert poor  residential areas of the district they serve just because of the quote "view of the surrounding blight" shows a discriminatory practice in my view. They should in fact get on board and consider spending, if approved, tax dollars collected to help revitalize a community that is a serious consideration for the redevelopment of improved neighborhoods in down town middletown. For them to abandon a neighborhood is proof alone that not all the powers of city government are on the same page in efforts to revitalize down town. if they abandon the neighborhood and merely say "we can bus that population to the new location" it reflects a intolerance by the school board of  the  basic reality's of economic and social demographics in our society.  To think that there is no one that can see the idea that  the school board is willing to educate the poor on the good side of town but not in a impoverished  neighborhood is to selectively abandon  the support of poor neighborhoods. Part of revitalization of any community would be to reinvest in the schools in that geographic location. They did it down on RT 4 a few years ago. if you travel out of town , south on route 4 you see a new helath center and a new school right in the middle of a  middle class and poor neighborhood. this random philosophy by the school board if true is not in the better interest of the redevelopment of the down town district of middletown.  so !!!

Abolish the property tax for the school system!! its unconstitutional !!

Vote no on may 6 if you want to START making a change in the current system!!

 

Visit

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Middletown-Ohio-Vote-NO-on-Issue-3/784089358269325?ref=br_tf

 

and like the page to show support of your constitutional freedoms in Ohio.

 

please don't hesitate to tell me your opinion as

 

Brevity is the soul of wit  

 and with out laughter over the kinks in society anarchy might prevail.

and that's the rest of the story , good day ( Paul Harvey 1946)

Thank you Ms. Andrew; it would help kick-start Middletown with the "Promise." Maybe there is a hook with the private equity firm that funds HEP and their initiatives. Some creative "crowd-funding" maybe.

Your input has allowed this analysis to go far deeper than it would otherwise while also gaining a better appreciation of the challenges in running a school board. It is also clear there have been real, tangible cuts and oversight, fiduciary in particular, since you became a member and President.   The location around the high school is actually quite appealing with a centralized campus concept.     

aflatkey....this is how its done correctly. You can't be serious .5 for each dollar from OSFC goes to administration, the Red Cross is about 9%.

Maybe for the next levies coming soon.

http://www.educateua.org/

.26 mils, for permanent improvements to high school, not maintenance. Perhaps a % is captured in the 4 mils for new build. 

 

Marcia Andrew wrote: Vet, your post does not accurately state what has occurred.  I have addressed that elsewhere and won't repeat.    But I am happy to hear that you will be the first and most vocal supporter of a new operating levy to pay for the most thorough, all-inclusive, proactive "Cadillac" level preventive maintenance and repair of all school buildings.   The bond issue on the ballot actually includes a permanent improvement levy piece.

SORRY MS. ANDREW. COUNT ME OUT ON SUPPORTING YOUR SCHOOLS. NO VALUE ADDED FROM MY 80% CONTRIBUTION ON THE OLD PROPERTY TAX BILL. NO REASON TO INVEST IN THE SCHOOLS, AS THEY ARE NOW AND HAVE BEEN FOR DECADES. DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE UNTIL YOU SHOW SOME CHANGE FOR THE BETTER FOR THE INVESTORS. BAD STOCK IN THE PORTFOLIO. TIME TO PURGE AND CUT THE DAMAGE DONE.

THE SCHOOLS ARE WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW AND NO AMOUNT OF MAKE-UP WILL MAKE THE UGLY TOLERABLE TO LOOK AT. THE SCORES, THE INDICATORS, THE DECADES IN MALAISE.... ALL WRAPPED UP IN NICE NEW BUILDINGS, MAKING NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL FOR THE MILLIONS SPENT FOR THEM.

YOU SEE THE SCHOOLS AS "IF WE JUST KEEP DOING THE THINGS (NEW SCHOOLS) THAT WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT BETTER, IT WILL EVENTUALLY GET BETTER"- WHEN WE STILL DON'T KNOW.

I SEE THE SCHOOLS AS "WE, THE VOTERS, HAVE ALREADY TOLERATED THE POOR RESULTS AFTER GIVING THE SCHOOL PEOPLE EMERGENCY LEVY MONEY, OPERATING LEVY MONEY, BOND LEVY MONEY, PERMANENT LEVY MONEY, "JUST ONE TIME" LEVY MONEY, ETC, ETC. OVER SEVERAL DECADES AND HAVE NOT SEEN ANY VALUED RETURN FOR OUR MONEY TO DATE. HOW MANY DECADES WILL IT TAKE TO MOVE THE INDICATOR AND PROFICIENCY NUMBERS OUT OF THE DANGER ZONE? HOW MANY EXCUSES WILL WE HEAR ALONG THE WAY AS TO WHY IT CONTINUALLY IS NOT ACCOMPLISHED? TIRED OF THE COMPLACENCY. TIRED OF THROWING GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD. IT IS A BLACK HOLE WHERE USEFUL MONEY GOES FOR NAUGHT. JUST WONDER WHY THERE ARE STILL BELIEVERS IN THIS SYSTEM GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN DISMAL FOR DECADES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN THE SCHOOLS, SEEN THE RESULTS AND COME UP WITH YET ANOTHER REASON WHY WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DONATE MONEY TO THE CAUSE. GOOD THING THE SITUATION INVOLVES THE SCHOOLS. IF IT WERE A COMPANY, IT WOULD HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS A LONG TIME AGO. ALOT OF MONEY SPENT, HIGH OVERHEAD, WASTED TIME OBTAINING AN ACCEPTABLE PRODUCT THAT IS APPEALING AND BELOW PAR END RESULTS. JMO

Ms. Andrew, you are absolutely correct, you did not state there was a lapse in maintenance that would be absorbed by repairs. Although styled incorrectly, I was attempting to help explain as I understood it to be, an accounting mechanism which was eating more into repair funding, which I recall is what Mr. Ison had stated.

This has been a good and productive exchange over the course of a year. Objectively, we know the following.

When this initiative began, the BOE, which Ms. Andrew was not sitting at the time, desired to pursue renovating schools. There was an allocation the BOE had in  mind, of approximately $ 71 MM. The state of Ohio, through Ohio Facilities Commission, felt it better value to build new schools, and had the formula if renovation was greater than 66% of a new school, it was mandated (bothersome paperwork, enhanced justification), to build new schools and to follow the state guidelines, which also meant taking advantages of the grant.

Therefore, one cannot fault the school board then, nor now, for following the path laid forth by the state on new buildings when in fact, the BOE wanted to renovate them. Once the process began, known as the Master Plan, it is difficult to deviate. If Vail would be renovated, made into a shell, and redone, but same locale, re-model/ make-over the home (analogy), the state would be would have to approve a petition or request to do so, based upon expected time and delays. So...one cannot reasonably blame the BOE for adhering to the state's policy. The state advocate new buildings based upon the 66% calculation.

Furthermore, it would be logical to minimize preventative care, based upon a Master Plan built on state guidelines starting as far back as the early 2000 period, although maintenance and repairs would be done and were, expecting a new middle school to supplant the old. Reasonable enough to comprehend.

Fast forward to the present, and the choice is to move forward, build, take state's 26%, or it fails, and MCSD falls back in line as a LAPSED school. In time, the state will recalculate a % Middletown would be entitled to receive. In fact, there are several districts and BOE's, that decide to punt from receipt of the state match, and do it their way. Simply stated, they pass on the match funding from the Facility Commission.

With these facts and background, I concur while not guaranteeing enrollment increases, nor performance, moving the middle school to a centralized site may have advantages. If private boosters had raised the funding for much of the LFI associated with sports, this would be an easy YES vote.

As vouchers are being passed around to shop private schools to parents and students, providing choice,  there are a number of serious issues facing the district. Inclusive in performance is the fact teacher numbers have declined, while teachers assistants have risen is MCSD. Will that effect performance? Maybe. A hard road ahead, all concur with this fact.

Many states have been found to be unconstitutional regarding school funding, and the same reasons as was Ohio. These include Pennsylvania, Texas, Kansas, and others. This problem won't be addressed in Columbus, as property valuation will always be a form of school funding, with state funding, and federal. It is not an ideal situation Middletown has nearly 45% renters attending MCSD that pay nothing in funding, change will not occur soon, if ever.
One could argue K-12 should be privatized, school buildings leased, teachers outsourced, districts mass consolidated. But, it will be decades before such re-engineering efforts take place, as the unions are strong, the system in place, and resistance too steep.

As for history and renovation, while understandable to do so, you cannot blame this on the BOE. The state chartered the course, the BOE was mandated to follow, or at least to do so, to receive 26%.

Forget about Middletown being a destination point; too much talking points coming from the neighbors at Donham.

Moving the school near the high school can best be supported and sold by Ms. Andrew's point; it may uplift property values from the old hospital area (Highlands), east (my view), and may slow attrition in the middle school years. And maybe....a few parents will move to Middletown.

The winner was the model of Kalamazzoo Promise, that some folks in Donham Abbey and the BOE, in my opinion, should be chasing Coates and Kasich around Columbus, and DOE,  to make an initial Proof of Concept, to fund in Middletown. That is a 'plant it, and they will come," initiative.

http://www.kalamazoopromise.com/
     

                  

Vet, your post does not accurately state what has occurred.  I have addressed that elsewhere and won't repeat. 

Acclaro, you write: "I believe Ms. Andrew indicated the lack of maintenance caused the school district to reach into funds set aside for repairs which are reaching an "exhaustive" state per Mr. Ison."

 

I don't recall writing that.  It is not true.  I have repeatedly stated that the district has spent money on both maintenance and repair.  There has only been a separate fund for repairs for 2-3 years, when the district designated .24 mils for capital improvements, and it provides less than $200,000 per year.  The district spends more than $200,000 per year on average (I don't presently have a number as to how much more) on maintenance and repair when including ALL school buildings.  Speaking only for the past 8 years during which I have been on the board, because I do not have personal knowledge as to earlier time periods, the district has done the best it can with the money it has available to maintain and repair its buildings.  Mostly the money for this comes out of general fund operating dollars and competes for balance against the need to pay teachers and other staff and utilities and books. There is never enough money to do everything we would like.

 

I am also not participating in the constitutional debate.  In my view, it is fairly irrelevant, as the people in Columbus with the power to change school funding will not be moved by any "protest" no vote on the Middletown school bond levy.  The only result it will have is to kill the solution that has been proposed by a community committee, the State and the BOE to address the facilities needs of the middle school and high school.  Reducing the burden on local property owners to fund local schools will logically require increasing taxes on some other group or groups (who to some degree are also property owners), and there is no political will to tackle the issue.

Well. VV I guess if we keep the pressure on council to do the right thing like the Bank One deal maybe the "leaders" will see just how corrupt some of the people at "Donham Abby" can be when they try to pull the wool over our eyes.When you shine the light in the dark the rats begin to scurry.

Inflammatory, no. Repetitive, yes.