School Board Candidate Rudy Bies responds to PTA Questions

PTA Questions to School Board Candidates

By Rudy Bies   Nov. 5, 2011

Recently the PTA requested that School Board candidates respond to various questions.

At the time of the PTA request, I was not a candidate for School Board.  It was just days ago that I was asked if I was willing to have my name submitted for a write in campaign. Accordingly, I am responding now for the purpose of giving a reader some idea if I was someone that may be more representative of their viewpoint; and accordingly, be someone that was more worthy of their vote.

1. Please list your education, occupation and other background and how that qualifies you to be a school director.

I graduated from Mt. Lebanon High School.  I have a degree in accounting, minor in economics.  I am a CPA and one of five owners of an accounting firm.  Served on four corporate boards including a non- profit organization. Served as president of two companies that either I started or co founded and served in the United States Army.  I have spent my life assisting others in improving their business as well as financial and economic counseling.

2. What do you think is the best way to resolve differences with School Board members and how do you approach working with members who don’t share you view of a project?

Differences are not always resolved.  If you have passion for a position, make your position known.  Do the obvious, research that which can be researched, present the facts, have an honest debate, work with others with the knowledge that their opinions are also valuable.  Listen and maybe others will see my point or maybe I will see their point.

3. What do you believe is the School Board’s role is in the operation of the School District?

The School Board is a Board – they need to set or change policy when the paid administration has conflict or are performing poorly.  An administration needs the freedom and an operating environment in order to succeed and a School Board should allow that administration to do just that.   Balanced, of course, with the responsibility that a flawed administration is simply unacceptable and school boards must take appropriate action.

4. What are your primary objectives if elected?  If any of them require additional funding, how will they be paid for?

The High School Project needs completed.  I don’t think it is unfair to say that it has taken too long.  The School Board should provide to each member of the community two, maybe three different high school renovation plans in March 2012. The plans should contain enough detail and reasonable cost estimates so that those who care enough to vote could do so in a May 2012 referendum.  This is a major expenditure

with significant issues.  There is no reason to formally exclude the public from the process.  Issues of this magnitude should not simply be decided on by a nine member Board, but should be decided based upon the desire of the community.

The education system tends to teach subjects.  I’d like to see us do a better job of preparing our children for life.  A lack of knowledge in practical economics affects how we vote and of course, how we vote affects the outcome of our country.  If you would like examples of what I mean, please read on, otherwise, skip to the next question.

Do our schools teach students how to buy a car or a house?  Are we even taught when we need an attorney or an accountant?  Are we taught the importance of reading and understanding mortgage and other loan documents?  Are we taught how to prepare a basic income tax return?   Are we taught how to balance a checking account, the importance of saving, and just some the fundamentals of investing?  Does the education system prepare us to understand what is discussed by our elected officials?  What destroys a nation’s currency?  Price controls, tariffs, speculators, commodities markets, and quantitative easing (QE 1 and QE 2) – are these good or bad?  

The fundamental and traditional roles of our Schools are obviously important –

but we do need more.  I’d like us to prepare our students so that the students and our Country are better.

5.  Do you have any specific changes you want to make to School District policies, programs or curricula.  If so – what and why?

I have outlined quite a bit with my answer in the above question.  The implementation is important to me.  The teacher of such a program has to be passionate about the importance of being prepared for life.  It should be a class that is so sought after that we struggle to find individuals that share the passion of

preparing our children for the life that awaits them.

6.  What impact do you think Dr. Steinhauer’s recent administration re-organization will have on student achievement?

Don’t know.  It is done.  So let’s see how it works.  No reason to second guess at this point.

7.  How have the recent state budget cuts directly impacted Mt. Lebanon schools?

Obviously schools are impacted.  Larger funding cuts are likely.  The exact and future impact will resonate probably for years to come.  Look to Washington D.C., the Super Committee, annual budget deficits of 1.5 trillion, a National Debt of almost 15 trillion, these are very difficult times.  Our Nation’s severe fiscal problems will affect states, municipalities, and all of us.  We have enjoyed the benefits of borrowed money for too long.  Will we respond quickly?  Do we even realize the extreme severity of the problem?

8.  Do you support vouchers and/or school choice legislation.  What effects would such legislation have on the district budget and programming?

It is still America.  Who am I to deny you the right to choose what you believe is best for your children?  Could this have an adverse consequence?  Sure – at first, but the end result is competition.  Last time I played any competitive sport, I never saw anyone who was worse off because of competition.

9.  What cost saving measures do you support and what types of effect would they have on the district?

I am going to combine my answer for 9 and 10 – so see below.

10.  What possible revenue generating measures for the district would you support and why?

We need legislative action from the Pennsylvania Legislature.  So not our problem?  Wrong!  The following are problems for all of us.  We must do all we can to meaningfully address issues like school district pensions, the student to teacher classroom ratio, the teachers’ contract, and whether school districts should use real estate taxes as the major source of tax revenue.  We need to adopt something that is fairer, especially for those that are retired and now may not be able to keep their homes because of rising real estate taxes.