The BCCT today covers the budgetary aspect of Wednesday night's slugfest and headlines the story as "Residents may see lower taxes." Note the "may" in the headline. That's only because it's a proposed budget. The "may" there does not really apply. The correct word is "will." That's why the Emperor and His Court of Toadies exist.
I'm sure that if commonwealth law allowed it, the budget would start out something like this: We have decreed that the taxes are absolutely lowered in this, the first Royal Budget Proclamation released in the first Year of the Reign of William I, over all the Dominions and Countries which then did, or thereafter should belong, to the Imperial Educational Crown of this Realm.
I love the way royalty sure can speak the lingo goodly!
We've discussed this before, and the lower taxes are a certainty. The actual amount was the only variable. And I welcome it. Lord knows how much I cringe each month as that escrow payment goes out. Keeping in mind the story told Wednesday evening by one of the seniors in the audience, I know the folks on fixed incomes welcome it as well.
Echoing Ed Frankenfield for a moment though, what's the plan? Lower the taxes, and then what? "Shhh...", says the Emperor. "It's a secret."
My cloudy, cracked, and overused crystal ball sees what's next. Tell me if you agree.
In the first year, the bond money is returned, the taxes are lowered, and the Emperor basks in the general huzzahs and acclamations. As a result of this popularity, there is a general exodus of talented people from the district as well. Lily pads will be installed in the district offices as loyal toadies receive the jobs they were promised.
In year 2, it's much harder. The three schools are still here, and without an overall strategy (as in the Frankenfield plea for a plan), money is thrown left and right at issues and problems. All of a sudden, the money used to repair something yesterday becomes meaningless as it now has to be replaced today. The budget, well folded, spindled, and mutilated, has no room for the expansion to cover the rising expenses that we all face. Where does the money come from? Glad you asked.
Watch November 2009. There will be a general election that will have four board seats up (depending of course, on the primary results from the previous May), but there will be a referendum on the ballot to raise the taxes because they were lowered too much this year. And when the referendum fails, then what?
Yes, I did say that taxes are being lowered too much. Without an overall plan in place, there is no real way to plan for the future and how to pay for it. This is no different than the idiots who took out home mortgages without a clear plan on how to actually pay for them. We're all paying for the home mortgage mess. And we're going to all pay for the penny-wise and pound-foolish follies right here at home.
And then all local control will be stripped from Morrisville. The Hellmann dream of having the state come in will finally be fulfilled. We'll be mandated to do certain things and pay certain costs. And there will be no one to complain to.
Showing posts with label bankruptcy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bankruptcy. Show all posts
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The State of the Union Address...
...if delivered by Emperor William Hellmann CPA to the subjects of Morrisville. Or maybe it's investment advice for his clients. He thinks Morrisville is a great place to invest in...NOT!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Kate Fratti's Column in the BCCT
Many, many thanks to the email tip about this column in today's BCCT. As you could see from my avalanche of weekend postings, that there is not a lot of time during the week to post and read.
I'm not blind to the fact that there is a lot of ill will on both sides of this issue that needs to be overcome.
Morrisville needs to change fast
Not everyone uses a new year to turn over a new leaf, and that seems especially true in the Morrisville School District, which is really too bad.
If there's any place where a lot of very decent people could drastically improve a situation just by improving their behavior, this is the place.
But as of last week, all sides remain guilty of constant, brutal sniping and undermining in this little school system where voters have reversed plans for a new high school, saying they just can't afford one.
A new dollar-driven majority, emboldened by the voter mandate, has been beating its chest like a bully for a year. And those who'd so hoped for a new school and the borough rejuvenation they believed it would foster, have been noisily licking their wounds as even deeper cutbacks are threatened.
One ousted school board member cried at a meeting Jan. 2, where proposed cuts were outlined.
“They just don't care about our kids,” she sniffled.
After the meeting, a current board member said she believes administrators “retaliated” against the community by padding the preliminary budget for 2008. The board needs to show the professionals who's boss, she said.
Lots of drama and still very little productive talk about teaching kids well at a reasonable cost. Agreeing on what's reasonable will be the challenge.
The stated purpose of the Jan. 2 special meeting was to vote on a resolution to cap the next budget increase at 4.4 percent to “send a message.” It means there would be no special exceptions allowed above that cap even if the money is needed.
The minority view was that budget rigidity could put the district in a bad place in the event of an emergency the district couldn't pay for.
“You'll bankrupt the schools,” accused one naysayer. “I'd rather bankrupt the schools than the town,” answered a defender of the plan.
It's that kind of inflammatory back-and-forth that keeps the district stuck in second gear.
Here's the bottom line: This community didn't support construction of a new school, but that doesn't means it supports gutting the whole system. New-school proponents need to move past their disappointment and decide how best to support and improve the existing schools. That won't get done by castigating the opposition or weeping.
The majority, drunk with power, should stop “sending messages” and take practical steps to ensure kids have updated, safe, properly staffed buildings stocked with the necessary school supplies and equipment.
Administrators can foster cooperation by playing fair. Not one mentioned to the board last month that there was a deadline for a resolution to cap the budget. That necessitated the hastily called special meeting, where board members indicated they felt hoodwinked.
School board President Bill Hellman, an accountant who led the call for the cap, told me while he thinks the superintendent and business and operations manager “seem like very nice people,” their business acumen “worries” him.
Others worry that while Hellman may be very good with a dollar, he isn't trained to run viable schools. He and the rest of the board have to count on staff for that.
That's going to require mutual respect and trust.
Times have surely changed, but there'd be no danger of bankrupting the schools or the town if decent people would only bury the hatchets —it will take a mass grave — so that calmer, cooler, more professional, good-natured heads and hearts can prevail. It's possible.
Kate Fratti, whose column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, wonders if enough leaves can be turned quickly enough to make a difference fast.
I'm not blind to the fact that there is a lot of ill will on both sides of this issue that needs to be overcome.
Morrisville needs to change fast
Not everyone uses a new year to turn over a new leaf, and that seems especially true in the Morrisville School District, which is really too bad.
If there's any place where a lot of very decent people could drastically improve a situation just by improving their behavior, this is the place.
But as of last week, all sides remain guilty of constant, brutal sniping and undermining in this little school system where voters have reversed plans for a new high school, saying they just can't afford one.
A new dollar-driven majority, emboldened by the voter mandate, has been beating its chest like a bully for a year. And those who'd so hoped for a new school and the borough rejuvenation they believed it would foster, have been noisily licking their wounds as even deeper cutbacks are threatened.
One ousted school board member cried at a meeting Jan. 2, where proposed cuts were outlined.
“They just don't care about our kids,” she sniffled.
After the meeting, a current board member said she believes administrators “retaliated” against the community by padding the preliminary budget for 2008. The board needs to show the professionals who's boss, she said.
Lots of drama and still very little productive talk about teaching kids well at a reasonable cost. Agreeing on what's reasonable will be the challenge.
The stated purpose of the Jan. 2 special meeting was to vote on a resolution to cap the next budget increase at 4.4 percent to “send a message.” It means there would be no special exceptions allowed above that cap even if the money is needed.
The minority view was that budget rigidity could put the district in a bad place in the event of an emergency the district couldn't pay for.
“You'll bankrupt the schools,” accused one naysayer. “I'd rather bankrupt the schools than the town,” answered a defender of the plan.
It's that kind of inflammatory back-and-forth that keeps the district stuck in second gear.
Here's the bottom line: This community didn't support construction of a new school, but that doesn't means it supports gutting the whole system. New-school proponents need to move past their disappointment and decide how best to support and improve the existing schools. That won't get done by castigating the opposition or weeping.
The majority, drunk with power, should stop “sending messages” and take practical steps to ensure kids have updated, safe, properly staffed buildings stocked with the necessary school supplies and equipment.
Administrators can foster cooperation by playing fair. Not one mentioned to the board last month that there was a deadline for a resolution to cap the budget. That necessitated the hastily called special meeting, where board members indicated they felt hoodwinked.
School board President Bill Hellman, an accountant who led the call for the cap, told me while he thinks the superintendent and business and operations manager “seem like very nice people,” their business acumen “worries” him.
Others worry that while Hellman may be very good with a dollar, he isn't trained to run viable schools. He and the rest of the board have to count on staff for that.
That's going to require mutual respect and trust.
Times have surely changed, but there'd be no danger of bankrupting the schools or the town if decent people would only bury the hatchets —it will take a mass grave — so that calmer, cooler, more professional, good-natured heads and hearts can prevail. It's possible.
Kate Fratti, whose column appears on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, wonders if enough leaves can be turned quickly enough to make a difference fast.
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