Comments on: Toledo Public School Board votes to place levy on March ballot…

By: Think people

Think people — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:58:56 +0000

Renew??? Why.. If cuts need to be made then cut out benefits to the city employees rather than lay them off. After all why should so many people be without benefits that pay their taxes and provide benefits for others.

By: Not Again

Not Again — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:35:26 +0000

Yea!

By: dmullen

dmullen — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:03:59 +0000

I love political discussions. Especially ones about property taxes. I am amazed and appalled at how government entities have indoctrinated our society in to a cowering posture when it comes to taxation. So much so that we fail to think anymore let alone have the backbone to simply say no.
As a parent one realizes the full value of the word “No”. It is a great character builder when used to shape our children into what we want them to be or to help them reach their fullest potential. This is most neccessary when it comes to the future of TPS.

As for renewals: a yes vote will not increase over the amount I currently pay, but it will add additional dimes because it was supposed to end. If I am paying $75 per year for the five years of a levy, I will pay $75 per year if renewed. But that adds additional dimes because I am going to pay $375 more than originally agreed to.
If renewed the levy will generate new tax dollars in the sense it was due to end. If I vote no then certainly I have “reduced” my taxes because I will not have to pay the $75 per year. If I pay $1500 per year and the levy fails, I will only pay $1475 per year.
The problem with government bodies is once a levy is passed they count on that additional funding ad infinitum. Hence the multiple layers of school levys and a 3/4% temporary payroll tax for the city of toledo that has never ended (over 25 years now?).

What I find most distressing about the renewal efforts is how it divides us into sides of yes or no votes, pro public education or against it. We need to direct public discussions solely toward the issues and their merits. If we approached all levys as a No vote until you convince me that it merits passage, government would operate better. TPS will not talk the issues, only hope to convince us of our need to support them.
I will tell you that I am a No vote until they show proof of a true reform effort. One that will deal with the teacher’s contract, redistricting, preventing the loss of capacity in the buildings plan, and improving the academics for all children in TPS. Not just a few hundred at the proposed GEM Academy.
Will passage of the levy renewal prevent teacher layoffs? Will it prevent the closing of a school? Will it improve academics? Maybe passage will only provide them the funds to continue in their lackadaisical approach to education; where improvements are promised but seldom delivered. Maybe we just need to learn to say “NO”, not one additional penny until real and meaningful reforms are enacted! What say ye?

By: Hokus Pokus

Hokus Pokus — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:39:55 +0000

The proposed renewal will not ADD one additional dime to your tax bill. Simply renew one that already exists. It will however REDUCE your taxes if u vote no!
U can volunteer for some things without a criminal background check. U have to have one if you interact with the kids at all and a more detailed one if you are to be alone like in a tutoring situation or giving a test to a student that was absent for a test or needs it to be read to them. I volunteer 3 days a week and I love it. Knowing you are changing a child’s life and future for the better brings such a good feeling and sometimes tears. Mostly i have found that the kids just need more self esteem just a “good job” high fives and taking time to listen to them makes them want to learn. You cant stop a student who WANTS to learn. It takes the volunteer himself or herself to make it known they want to work. I also am frustrated when I watch notes sent home, calls made, and every avenue has been used only to have the parents not respond. And if so have the attitude It is not my Billy.. It must be the other kids. So much denial no accountability! I do believe in pay to play taxes are to educate kids not exercise them. Not that exercise is not good, but they can go for a walk for free. I really don’t know too many kids that don’t want to go to the park, Go swimming, play ball, ect.. thats the parents job.
Also Toledo needs to break the teachers union we have so many teachers that plain out cant teach and the union protects them. I am pro union when u deal with steel and construction but not when it comes to our kids.
And as for mandatory volunteering, Do u really want some of these parents near your children? NOT ME!

By: Robin

Robin — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:43:32 +0000

I was unaware that there was a criminal background check needed to volunteer. I’ve been volunteering at my daughter’s school, I don’t think anyone did any kind of check on me. (Not that they would find anything). It is something that I happily do, because I think it shows my daughter that I think it’s important for her to be in school. The public schools can’t require a parent to volunteer. Mandatory volunteering would be considered tuition.

I’m not sure on how I will vote, on this levy.

By: amandablake

amandablake — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:48:01 +0000

I rescind my comments about mandatory volunteering. But, I still want to see a report on the involvement of parents in their child’s education. A report detailing attendance at parent teacher conferences broken down by each school in the system would be a start. Once we have that information a clearer picture would emerge of one of the basic problems of the system.
When you send your children to school you are entering into a contract. Both sides have a responsibility to communicate.
If we all continue to rest on our laurels and not demand change then we deserve what we get for our money.

By: Steven Flagg

Steven Flagg — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:32:16 +0000

A renewal is for the same dollar amount. The voted millage of 6.5 stays the same. The equation is Levy Dollars = current assessed value * the effective millage. Since the dollar amount stays the same, the assessed valuations go up, the effective millage is then adjusted downward to get the same levy dollars. In this case about $16 million dollars is levied and based upon current property valuations the effective millage rate is reduced – it will be about 4 mills for a voted 6.5 mill levy.

Replacement levies use the voted millage times the current assessed values. So a replacement levy is a double whammy – you get an increase in the effective millage because it reverts to the voted millage and an increase from property values. A replacement levy of 6.5 mills would have raised about $26 million – a $10 million dollar increase or 62.5% for this levy. Based upon what I remember, of the $10 million reassessment would cause about a $5.2 million increase and the increase in the millage would have accounted for about $4.8 million – these numbers are rough estimates!

Hope I did not confuse anyone – but this levy stuff, re-appraisals, etc. is not easy stuff to understand. I think some want it that way – like since when is a replacement levy – not a new tax. Sure it is a tax that has been levied before but it does raise taxes. So advertising it as not a new tax or new levy is misleading.

Any guesses as to why our state legislature lets taxing entities make these kinds of statements?

By: Chad Quigley

Chad Quigley — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:54:55 +0000

I may be wrong here, but isn’t the renewal based on current assed values? Considering that the auditor just uped the values on most property this last year, the “Renewal” will have an increase based on the increase of value?

Even if it remains the same, I still vote no to this. I have yet to see a single cost saving measure produced?

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:17:33 +0000

I’ll vote against the renewal. They have not been responsible with the money they are receiving. Until they show fiscal responsibility I will vote against and campaign against any levy. Renewal or otherwise. The system needs to be changed.

No operating funds would bring things to a head very quickly and the naughty parties would likely find another playground.

By: Steven Flagg

Steven Flagg — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 21:11:46 +0000

This is a renewal of a levy currently being assessed against all TPS homeowners and businesses.

The proposed renewal will not add one additional dime to your tax bill. Simply renew one that already exists.

I’m not advocating any position here – just the facts.

Does a renewal without additional taxes change your vote?

As to the TPS budget (all funds), last time I checked about 18 months ago, TPS had the largest budget of any public institution in NW Ohio. It was larger than the County and City combined. UT and MCO have now merged so I expect that new entity might be the largest public entity. But I’d have to check the numbers again to see if there have been any changes.

I would agree that the TPS budget could be cut. Technology, for an example, could help here – distance/computer classes for honors classes, AP classes, etc. could reduce through attrition the number of teachers and significantly improve comprehensive course offerings at all TPS schools. There are other ideas that would save taxpayer dollars. TPS officials were also slow in scaling back expenses and infrastructure when enrollment showed drops every year until it stabilized a bit last year.