I am a longtime reader of your blog, but prefer to remain anonymous like many of your other readers.
I taped the board meeting from channel 19 and ...made this for me and put it on youtube. I'm clueless on most tech stuff. In fact, I was hoping you would post this on your blog for your other readers to see since I didn't know how to put a link in a comment.
This video particularly worries me because if Mr. Cannon doesn't bother to inform himself about protocols or take the time to read an agenda for a board meeting, how do we expect him to be able research and prepare for the issues that face the school board?
Thanks for all that you do to keep the community informed.
19 comments:
I totally disagree with your statement as you shoot the messenger. I thought Mr. Cannon's concern regarding wasting yet another almost $700,000 of taxpayers' money was relevant to the agenda. This arrogant school board should be interested in addressing valid concerns such as this rather than continuing their stuffy meeting protocol that makes constituents feel small. Anyone watching your YouTube segment should see that the issue at hand is that the Board blew another $700,000 of our tax dollars due to the poorly planned project which exceeded the estimated costs, and in turn required a redesign thus costing us even more due to municipal law requiring sequestered funds. Thanks to Mr. Cannon for catching yet another wasteful school board debacle - another one which they clearly will not take responsibility for!
Please sign your name. I won't be publishing any more anonymous comments. To be fair, both sides got one.
I don’t normally comment on blogs, but this thing blew me away. The inappropriate way in which Mr. Cannon addressed HIS SISTER in public was appalling. His lack of knowledge of school board procedure suggests he has not attended many meetings, and one has to question his motives for running. I don’t think Mt. Lebanon deserves to be a platform for family dysfunction. Mr. Cannon needs to step back and THINK about what he is doing. I see impulsive, inappropriate behavior based on questionable motives. Save it for the Thanksgiving dinner table.
Mrs. Posti told her brother at the last school board meeting that we would not close schools in Mount Lebanon in the next five to ten years, Here is a news story about other Pennsylvania school districts.
“In Pennsylvania, at the urging of Gov. Tom Corbett, the Legislature slashed public-education spending by roughly $900 million, or more than 10 percent, to avoid a state budget deficit for the year that began July 1 without raising taxes.
Seemingly overnight, thousands of education jobs in the state were lost. A survey of school districts by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials found that leading into this school year, 44 percent reduced elective course offerings and 70 percent increased class sizes. More than 30 districts said they either reduced or eliminated full-day kindergarten or pre-K programs.
In York, Pa., about a 30-minute drive from Lancaster, full-day kindergarten was saved when administrators and teachers agreed to a pay freeze. But art, music, and physical education teachers in elementary schools were eliminated, forcing classroom teachers to incorporate the electives in their classroom teaching, said Kim Schwarz, 45, a teacher and president of the York City Education Association. High school class sizes now are in the upper 30s, she said.”
Read the full article here - http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-us-education-budget-cuts,0,7211746.story
Bill Hook
Given the purpose of the $700k there is nothing "wasted" or "blown" about it. People can argue about the validity of the project overall but this agreement is standard practice and by code had to occur. If there is anything remaining after project completion doesn't the school get the money back?
I did not see Mr. Cannon refer to Ms. Posti as his sister at all- did I miss it? He said "Josephine" but is that bad?
One could question some of his tone or lack of familiarity with how meetings operate but I don't think the fact that they are related - and neither of them brought that up that I can see- as a cause for concern.
But no one likes to see siblings be mean to each other so I hope they both tread carefully with their disagreements.
Charles Jones
Not so fast Mr. Hook! In an article titled "The truth about PA Gov. Corbett's PA education budget for 2011" at examiner.com they write:
"Stating that Corbett’s budget slams education spending is a little bit like reversing the figures, while using a Pelosi/Reid accounting gimmicks to justify it.
Governor Corbett spoke last evening at the PSAB (Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs) annual banquet and took a few minutes to clarify his education proposal figures as stated in the 2011-2012 budget proposal.
He clarified the following...
1.The 2011 budget contains no cuts to education funding for grades K-12
2. Budget allocation for 2010 was $5.121 billion
vs. 2011 $5.226 billion...
which is equal to 2008-09 state appropration. This is a proposed increase of $104.8 million, 2% increase over 2010-11 state appropriation...(not a cut)
3. Each school district will receive amout equivalent in 2010-11 from state and Education Jobs allocations plus student-focused funding supplement * (see 2011 education budget proposal below)
Importantly, referring to the bar chart (upper left), the 2009 and 2010 years show and additional spending increase as shown in the dark red color. These funds were not part of the budget for those years. Rather, they were one-time tarp funds provided by the Federal Government TARP and Economic stimulus bills, seen in the above chart as "ARRA Fiscal Stabilization."
Thus, to say that the 2011 proposed education budget has been cut, (based on 2010 budget plus stimulus funds totalling $5.776 billion) is a misrepresentation of the actual figures shown."
To view the article and accompanying charts for yourself here is the link: http://www.examiner.com/political-buzz-in-philadelphia/pa-gov-corbet-adds-104-million-to-education-despite-4-1-billion-deficit
I will admit personally I'm hard-pressed to analyze the numbers sufficiently to pick a side. I do find it curious that our district while whimpering about state funding cuts found sufficient money to offer substantial administrative raises and hire a $1,000/hr +expenses consultant. As well as pony up another $700,000 to the HS project if Mr. Cannon is correct.
They also seem to have built up rather large cash reserves - while cutting dept. materials/supply budgets - to use to purchase $900,000 worth of cafeteria equipment and maybe redo the rifle range outside the normal project bidding process.
Do not forget they also squandered over half a million dollars on Sablegate just a few years ago. Oh, yeah its for the kids.... right.
Giffen Good
I am definitely writing your name in on the ballot, Giffen.
Elaine
Mr. Good,
Granted a large amount of cuts were directed to colleges but a 2% increase in state funding won't cover the cost of a 4.15% teacher contract increase or the pension increases in the future. Overbuilding will eventually lead to cuts in Mount Lebanon schools but the Board can't admit that while they are sending us a big bill for the high school.
An interesting part of the article says -
"A survey of school districts by the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators and the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials found that leading into this school year, 44 percent reduced elective course offerings and 70 percent increased class sizes. More than 30 districts said they either reduced or eliminated full-day kindergarten or pre-K programs."
Look for these or other cuts to happen here in about two to four years.
Bill Hook
I agree with you Bill. 2% doesn't cover the 4.15% teachers contract. But, there are two important things to consider.
#1. How can our board or district whine about insufficient funding, when it is they that are creating the huge divide?
Mr. Matthews presented an excellent graph illustrating the widening gulf between the school payroll and MTL earned income in a board meeting several weeks ago.
It would be nice if he would allow Elaine to post it for all the residents that don't attend the meetings.
And #2. Whether the funding for our district comes from local taxes or from state and federal sources it still comes out of our pocket. Gov. Corbett/Harrisburg is looking at a huge deficit. To send more to school boards for adiministrative and teacher salaries he will need to raise taxes.
I wonder how many people got a 4.15% (or the superintendent's 5.42% by Mr. Matthews calculation) raise, are tenured and pay very little for excellent health insurance?
- Giffen Good
Too bad Josephine Cannon Posti did't explain where the $14,000,000 came from. Does anon know, or do you just want to pick on Mr. Cannon? Bill Hook
"Roberta", I did not publish your last two comments for a reason. You know why.
Elaine
I don't get it! In the PG this headline appears.
"Montour district to borrow millions for athletic center"
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11300/1185409-100.stm#ixzz1bzlx3Z44
Gee, won't that impact their budget for years?
In an Upper St. Clair Patch article, Dr. Steinhauer is quoted reharding the democratic townhall on state education funding: "It is concerning to us that as the state reduces its funding to schools. It places additional restrictions on schools so we cannot find revenues locally to pay for mandated services.”
Last I heard 1,500 seat, gymnasiums, elevated indoor tracks and sports offices weren't mandated services for any school district. Amazing disyricts have survived for so many years without them.
So who among us goes out and builds a new entertainment room when they know they'll have less income?
Sure one makes needed maintenance repairs, does some painting, patching etc. as needed or what you can afford.
But do you run to your mom and dad (or state) who are having their own financial difficulties and cry for more money?
Guess what, some of our state tax dollars will be going to Montour. Of course you could argue, all the more reason we should get ours! Or you could tell our state representatives to put a stop to the education system vacuum sucking up every dollar it can.
- Giffen Good
Elaine, I was just wondering if Roberta Jarvik's heartstrings for Mrs. Posti are a little artificial? LOL
Dick Saunders
You picked up on that too, Dick?
Elaine
I got this from Bill Matthews:
One of your commentors - I think Giffen - referenced a chart I made on the divergence of Real Estate Tax Revenues and Earned Income Revenues.
I already have the original version on "scribd.com" with my letter to Dr. Steinhauer on the subject -- from last year. I have updated the chart more recently - but last year's chart makes the point just fine.
If you like, you are welcome to link to it.
I made a short URL for ease of use:
http://tinyurl.com/RETvsEIT
Thanks, Bill!
Elaine
Thanks, Bill Matthews for the graph it does make a point that is hard to miss.
I had the points confused but not the conclusion you so graphically exhibit. Wonder how long that trend is sustainable?
I'm also wondering if we'd see a similar spread if we plotted student enrollment vs. district expenses over the past 20 years?
- Giffen Good
Norman, I cannot verify who you are. Please email me privately with your contact information.
Elaine
Mr. Good,
Your second point in your response says -
"Budget allocation for 2010 was $5.121 billion
vs. 2011 $5.226 billion...which is equal to 2008-09 state appropriation"
How do we pay this year's expenses on 2008-2009's budget allocation and have enough money for maintenance of our buildings without retiring staff?
Bill Hook
Well Mr. Hook, I can tell you how you won't make it on 2008-09s allocation, Raising payroll by 4.15%! Besides, didn't we get a fairly hefty increase in our school district tax in 2009-10?
Another question. How many administrators, principals and clerical staff does it take to implement a strategic plan?
Giffen Good
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