It's going to be a tough love kind of meeting today between the school board and county commissioners.
As noted in today's article, County Manager David Cooke said he’ll talk bluntly to school board members as he walks them “step-by-step” through the limitations on borrowing more money in the face of steep declines in tax revenues.
“It gets down to what you can afford given the current realities of the economy,” Cooke said in the article. “It’s not that we like having to make these tough choices, that’s just where we are.”
Supt. Del Burns said he's heard the presentation before and felt it was important for the school board to get the talk directly from Cooke.
Also today, both boards will discuss updated student enrollment projections.
The meeting is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the conference room at 337 S. Salisbury Street in downtown Raleigh. It's open to the public.
Comments
If you look at.....
Thu, 02/19/2009 - 19:13 — WuptdoIf you look at your property tax statement, you will see that WCPSS gets about 75% of the total revenue received by Wake County.
http://www.wakegov.com/tax/where/default.htm
We need a taxpayers revolt in this county. As the properties where valuated at the "peak" of property values. The figure thrown around is a most properties lost between 8-10% of their values in the last 18 months. This is not over and I expect to see lower values over the next two years. But believe the MSM nor the government when it comes to this issue -- believe the facts, i.e., who is buy, who is selling, and at what price.
I am guessing you did not
Fri, 02/20/2009 - 11:10 — user1234I am guessing you did not complain in the previous 7 years when your home was worth much more than the tax value? If so, it should be hard to complain now that your home has dropped during the recent period.
Of course
Thu, 02/19/2009 - 21:25 — supportwcpssYou fail to mention that they adjusted the tax rate so it became vendor neutral. So the taxes went up by only a very small percentage. If you compare net tax increases the past 8 years compared to the increase in building and other costs it doesn't compare.
Where do we line up?
Thu, 02/19/2009 - 20:44 — g88ky07I'll be more than happy to be the first in line!
A couple of Questions
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 12:07 — Voice_of_Reason_1. Why hasn't this been discussed at least 9 months ago when they could easily seen this coming?
2. If WCPSS gets it's revenue from Property Tax Revenue, where did the money disappear from? Last time I looked, even if the home was empty, taxes needed to be paid. Taxes were assessed at the peak of the housing market here and tax values are generally 10% above actual worth now. The assessments are every 10 years and they did not have a revenue neutral tax rate last year after the assessment. Is it because they projected growth and assumed they would get more money? Is the foreclosure rate that high here and the banks are not paying?
I'm not too knowledgeable on how schools are funded besides this, I know the State and Feds throws in a bit for Title I and Transportation. Could somebody please enlighten me.
Taxes
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 14:01 — Bob_SconceIn regard to #2, a sizable chunk of your sales tax actually goes to the county.
NO JUSTIFICATION FOR MYR AT LEESVILLE
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 11:46 — Lisa_BI have been away from the blogs for awhile but still very active in the reassignment mess. Can anyone look at these numbers and tell me how MYR is justified?
Leesville Elementary School:
2008-09 School Year:
TRADITIONAL Calendar Capacity = 860
Base Students Assigned to LES = 806
Base Students Actually Attending LES = 712
2009-10 School Year
NO CHANGES PROPOSED-No justification for continuing with wasteful MYR ******************************************
Leesville Road Middle School
2008-09 School Year:
TRADITIONAL Calendar Capacity = 1222
Base Students Assigned to LRMS = 1457
Base Students Actually Attending LRMS = 1244
2009-10 School Year
TRADITIONAL Calendar Capacity = 1222
Base Students Assigned to LRMS = 1281 (176 fewer than 2008-09)
Base Students Expected to Attend LRMS = 1095
AS YOU CAN SEE, BOTH SCHOOLS CAN COMFORTABLY OPERATE ON THE TRADITIONAL CALENDAR.
I sure hope that the County Commissioners questioned some of these wasteful ideas today.
Keung: Were you at this morning's meeting? Anything exciting to pass along?
Remove "At Leesville"
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 11:55 — Dadof3And I agree. I fight for more than Salem. We should be VYR, not MYR.
We ALL should be
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 12:07 — g88ky07VYR and not MYR!!!
MYR= Making Your Rights disappear!
No MYR at ANY of the WCPSS Schools
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 12:34 — Lisa_BHey Dad:
I too am fighting for the big picture (go WSCA) and I agree that MYR never should have been forced on anyone. I'm sure there are cases all over the county where the facts support IMMEDIATE MYR reversals.
I know we're not alone here. I only happen to personally know the Leesville numbers (in my nightmares!) but would be curious to see Salem's (and everyone else's as well)
By having the facts and continuing down the wasteful and destructive MYR path, the School Board would just be acting irresponsibly.
When will they admit their mistakes and move forward in a positive direction?
I realize that the elections this fall are when we can finally get a more family-friendly group in place, but why should we all have to accept EVEN 1 MORE YEAR of this insanity when the facts are so crystal clear?
I sure hope the County Commissioners were willing to call them on it today during enrollment projection talks.
Keung---can you help us by investigating Leesville and similar unjustified MYR situations around the county???? The public is ignorant of the TRUTH that we are all having to deal with, and I'm sure they would be interested to see that WCPSS plans to ignore the facts and waste even more money. Thanks!
Can we expect a report on
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 11:08 — Big_PictureCan we expect a report on today's meeting?
is that like "line by line with a scalpel"?
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 10:27 — AngelaW"he’ll talk bluntly to school board members as he walks them “step-by-step” through the limitations on borrowing more money in the face of steep declines in tax revenues"
some real cost cutting would be getting rid of MYR which is no longer justifiable (wasn't justifiable in the first place either!!) by "explosive growth"
New Board, new bond?
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 10:18 — Bob_SconceHaving a school board election and a bond vote at the same time seems to be a bad idea. Part of the decision on whether to approve a bond will depend on who will have the authority to spend that money.
During the enrollment
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 10:17 — Big_PictureDuring the enrollment projection discussion, will the CC insist on abolishing MYR? After all, they did not approve funding in the first place.
Couldn't do that
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 10:30 — g88ky07what would happen to the 3 year move it or lose it plan!?
Do they have to approve additional funding for MYR every year? I thought the only issue was in the start up/conversion, from there it's just operational costs, swept under the rug, isn't it?
And wouldn't the board just say we'll dip into the icey fund? If there's any left soon!
There will be no bond this year
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 09:45 — JSCAnd, BTW, have we heard yet, whether the CC's have approved the expenditure of starting IB at Millbrook HS yet?
Please give us 'da scoop
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 08:33 — g88ky07Mr. Hui, as it unfolds today. I bet they'll be a few puckered rumps when that meeting ends!
LOL
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 08:41 — Dadof3In this context, "tough love" might be more like those shown at websites that OpenDNS blocks...
I dearly hope for accountability, but "Revenue Buffet" Norwalk and his ilk leaves me skeptical.
Plus it looks bad if people
Wed, 02/18/2009 - 06:04 — vsheehanPlus it looks bad if people do not vote for the bond which is what will happen if they had a bond vote this year.
What about the rain day fund WCPSS has. this would be the appropriate time to use it. Of Course WCPSS could just miss use AG funds and Title 1 funds as WCPSS has shown in the past that they have no problem doing that. Maybe they could take the teachers insurance away and blame it on Dana Cope, that would be BOE style.