Sales tax increase for schools? (Read 460 times)

[bd13]

I know everything goes up. I know the costs of maintenance goes up, so does medical insurance, wages, etc.
The only problem is....most of us are faced with flat to declining wages ourselves.
Should we taxpayers really be expected to just pony up more money because the schools have spent everything they have?
I am not saying they have spent recklessly, although the need for new 'wings' when school enrollment has been dropping is questionable at the very least.
It is never comfortable, or pleasant when personal fortunes or incomes face a sudden reversal. Yet that is what many of us face in this economy. Sudden downsizing, closures, and layoffs result in unemployment and loss of income. It is part of the times for all too many of us. Is it really fair of the schools to come to us asking for MORE? Somehow, someway, it just seems that maybe they should live within their means, just like all the rest of us have to.

[Deleted]

i think its time the schools start cutting instead of raising our taxes every year. i am living on a fixed income so if i run out of money i can go get more from ours.

[Deleted]

Before I would vote for a tax increase, I would want to see where the school board has made cuts and done everything they can on their end to curb spending. Government just spends, spends, spends and then expects the taxpapers to kick in more when the money is gone.

In my opinion, some jobs need to go...programs need to be cut. Sorry, but art, PE, music...are a start. I'm not saying forever...I'm saying until things are under control and there is a surplus. It's just like at home...if you've got more money going out than coming in, some non essentials need to go....cable and internet are nice but they are not the essentials in life. Sometimes you need to cut the things you can do without to keep the things you can't...like food and shelter. While I am all for music and art, these are not the things that will educate the kids later in life. I know others will disagree but that's just my opinion.

[Deleted]

Let me also say...I am a good one for saying "do as I say, not as I do".....lol

[Deleted]

in my opinion i think they need so close a few schools in town and consolidate classes. whether that is feasible only the school board would know. its not good to cut peoples jobs but you have to save money during these hard times.

[bd13]

I have kind of wondered the same thing Dive. I bet school enrollment is far less than when I was a student back in the 60's and 70's. I think we have the same number of schools as we have had since the last of the 'old schools' were closed in the 70's. They even have built on to Centennial and Kimes. I bet enrollment is only 2/3's what it was in the late 60's and early 70's and we still have the same number of schools. Shouldn't that mean we have more capacity and could readily close one or more? I know we are all kind of emotionally attached to schools, but didn't we once have schools like Jefferson, Greely, Garfield, Plumb, Lincoln. I don't even know all the little old schools that were all over Streator once upon a time. I don't see a sudden spike of lots more kids coming to Streator.
I know students per classroom has declined. I know they have mainstreamed special ed kids resulting in different learning/teaching conditions. I know the Midwest used to have some great test scores compared to the dismal southern gulf states. Now we are among the worst.
Trim the fat, cut some spending, start with some administration, close the worst of the excess schools and then re-evaluate.
I don't think we will have better students until more young people start seeing an education as relevant to having a better life again.

[Hellonlinks]

Our family is... Voting No!

[Deleted]

i agree BD13 about the population has dropped since the heyday when streator boasted over 18,000 people. i hate to say it but we need to consolidate schools and cut the budgets. i also like junecleavers ideas. the school boards need to realize that the public cant afford to chip in every time there is a shortfall. i am voting no and so are all my relatives. a good example of a well run school is woodland school which has half the kids SHS has but has a budget surplus this year.

[BlueStar]

I agree w/all above, but also consoladate the admins too. Why do wee need over-paid & separate districts in a town of maybe .. 13,500? Let them meet & stay in one of the schools too. Why do they need an entire OLD buiding, that costs a lot of $ to keep up?

[Deleted]

i truly believe there are many things that can be changed to save money like the things you brought up blue. the schools have relied on the state to come through with funding now them days are over. the school districts need to be run like any business when times are tough. if one penny passes this year what is put on the ballot next year?

[itsmeagain]

I am totally against cutting PE!!! Good God, we bitch, our kids are too big, eat the wrong things, sit in front of TV and/or video games, yet the ONE thing, that makes them active, we think is a good idea to cut.  I feel the same about music and band.  Music may be the only thing a kid does well.
I will be voting yes.  That way, ANYONE and EVERYONE, that enters our town, spend any money, they pay it, too. 
I am sure there are other communities, and kudos to them for taking care of their schools.
I do agree, there could be cuts in administration!

[itsmeagain]

Turn out seemed better than expected, at my polling place. As Martha would say, 'that's a good thing.'

[Deleted]

www.lasallecounty.org/Election%20Results/el45a.htm

[BlueStar]

I see that voting turn-out is low, as usual. Many complaints, but no time or interest, except bitching!
CITY OF STREATOR
(VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ) 1
(WITH 15 OF 15 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
YES . . . . . . . . . . . . 758
NO. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,032

[Deleted]

even with the low turnout it wasnt close in streator.