Lets Not Repeat Janesville Mistakes

A very good friend of mine said: “It’s good to learn from your mistakes, BUT, it’s even better to learn from someone else’s mistakes. 130 positions will be eliminated from the Janesville school district. None of what is happening there has anything to do with the pending state budget. It has to do with multiple pre existing problems facing that community:

1. Largest employer (GM) closing its doors.
2. Teachers demanding a pay increase knowing that it would mean possible layoffs.
3. Employment rate among the highest in the state.
And lastly;
4. Continuing to fund programs such as 4K that are not a “need”.

We as a community have a unique opportunity to look at a system that is making the financial decisions based on income from it’s “hay day” and learn from their mistakes. Janesville residence cannot just make money, with foreclosures already high, and more looming, people moving out of the school district meaning: less state and federal aid, and less property taxes to fund public endeavors.

I am hopeful that we can take away a good dose of someone else’s reality before we find ourselves in the same situation. Oh, and I would like to extend a special thanks to the teachers union in Janesville for showing everyone how much “good” you do for those teachers that where just given a pink slip. Way to go

Here's a Working Link to the Petition Against 4k

Click here.

Thanks to chasin for putting it out there. Sign it then tell your friends.

Responsible government starts with the communites

The biggest argument /perception against 4k is: it's a community funded day care that the tax payer’s do not wish fund. Studies on statewide (Michigan, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Arkansas, and New Mexico) funded 4k shows that the demographic that benefitted the most are students that come from low-income families. While I think it is important to provide a good education for our community, there is only so much money to go around and the people who are not low-income should not be forced to pay for everything for everybody. Our state currently ranks 41st among state government debt, (meaning only 9 other states have more debt than us) of the states in the studies I mentioned previously with the exception of Arkansas (20th) all rank 33rd and higher with New jersey being the worst at 46th. We do not need to follow poor government spending choices made by those states, (among other choices) and it all starts with the communities and what WE are doing with OUR money, if a large amount of the communities support or do not support certain programs the state will follow (for the most part). The last election showed what the results are if the current government basically tells the public “I know what’s best for you, just be quite and take your medicine”. We kindly served them with a pink slip.

The average home value in our community went DOWN this year, and our school tax went UP, doesn’t make economical sense. In a perfect world we could afford everything for everyone. BUT we are not in a perfect world; we must live within our means. Bottom line is we cannot spend money we do not have.

Only so much money to go around, sorry 4K, no more left for you

OK, so we (Evansville school district property owners) are already averaging close to $4800 per year, with %40 of that going to our school district. I found it very distressing as I evaluated my property tax statement to see that the value of my home went DOWN, and the amount of school tax INCREASED by $300. NOW there is talk of adding a 4K. I see two issues with that 1. MONEY, 2. PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY. I'll address each. FIRST, I do agree that our children's' education is a very important to our nations future. However my father said to me while I was young, you cant spend money you don't have, basic accounting. With our State being $3.3 BILLION in debt, we as a community need to stop ignoring the 300 lbs gorilla and start being RESPONSIBLE. If our children are so far in debt that we have an economic melt down, our country/ state will take decades to fully recover, how do you think our education will look like then? SECOND, as a parent it is our responsibility to PARENT our children, and yes that includes spending some of your precious time TEACHING them important skills, like reading, talking, bathroom training, MANNERS, how to play, and communication. By adding a year to school in the beginning, you are taking away quality time with your child. This may offend some of you, but MAN UP, take responsibility for your creation, your decision to bring a child in to this world, the person that will be eventually be taking care of you when you are too old to do it for your self. I can not support adding 4K to our school for these two reasons, these economic times or any time for that matter, AND I believe it is our PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITY to teach our children.