With just a few days to go before the January 15th primary vote, we are getting regular information about the proposed renewal.

Yesterday I received a pamphlet from something called “Our Kids Count Committee.” (I can’t find any information online, anyone know anything about them?)

Here’s a sample of the scare tactics found in this pamphlet:

Will the class sizes be such that the teacher can work with the entire student body?

Sadly, if the proposal fails, we don’t know the answers to questions life these.

That’s because funds for necessary repairs will have to come from the same budget that currently pays for class supplies and instructors, lights, heat, bussing (sic), etc.

This is juicy, isn’t it? So let me get this right. If the people of our community vote “No” on January 15th to a 1.25 mil tax renewal, people really believe that their students won’t be educated as well?

Let me offer 3 quick responses

1. Voting no to the sinking fund will force the district to live within it’s means. The sinking fund is basically permission to give the district 4 more years where they don’t have to include regular maintenance, repairs, and building code updates in their budget.
2. Voting no to the sinking fund will force the school board to bargain with labor. Right now the school’s teachers are working without a contract. Rejecting this sinking fun will require the school board to negotiate a contract the district can afford. This would include re-evaluating health care choices, buyouts, and other cost cutting efforts. Approximately 88% of the districts $7665 per student goes to salaries and benefits. If there is cost cutting to be done, it must be from there first. Yes, $38 million of the districts $44 million budget from state funds goes to salary and benefits of employees. The rest of that statement is merely classic scare tactics. Busing, heat, lights… give us a break! Voters are not stupid.
3. Voting no for the sinking fund will decrease taxation of the district. I don’t argue that some of the projects that have been proposed don’t need to happen. Heck, some of our buildings have been so poorly maintained that they lack adequate emergency lighting and have antiquated infrastructure systems. I just don’t know why the residents of the district are being asked to fix these problems without accountability for why these projects haven’t been completed in the last 8 years of the sinking fund. Simply put, approving the sinking fund is giving the district more money so they can go another 4 years as “business as usual.” Running 8-10% over budget annually with no accountability and no concrete plan to live within the General Fund is irresponsible. It’s time we forced the Romeo Community Schools to balance their budget. Charging my family 1.25 mils for their inability to manage their money is unfair.

Want more information? A couple weeks ago I produced a rebuttal to the districts information. Read it here: Romeo Sinking Fund

5 Suggestions to the Romeo Board of Education

• Balance the entire budget within the General Fund. Start now for the next budget cycle!
• Immediately begin renegotiating any/all contracts with district employees to reflect current economic conditions. (Consider buyouts, early retirement, adjusting benefits, freezing pay increases, and other creative means to control costs better.) Instead of waiting for other districts to do this and doing what they do, lead the way.
• Pass a board policy prohibiting political activity of district employees during work hours. Likewise, prohibit district resources from being used politically. (E-mail system, printing equipment, etc) Using teachers and our children to manipulate voters must stop immediately. Teachers were hired to teach our children, allow them to focus on teaching.
• Open up the bidding process to all licensed contractors. If any company is to be favored it should be companies who are based out of the district.
• Stick to the normal election cycle. Cease special elections. The most important votes should be timed to be when the most voters will be at the polls. Repeatedly attempting to sneak votes past the public is ruining your reputation.

• December 29, 2007 -- Sinking Fund update (0)
• June 3, 2008 -- Truth is offensive (1)
• June 30, 2008 -- RCS Approves Irresponsible Spending, Again (0)
• February 13, 2008 -- Should Sue Hier Step Down? (0)
• January 16, 2008 -- Sinking Fund Passes, Barely (0)

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