With all this talk about artificial turf, getting the "facts" from Jan Klein about YSA's contributions, and sign ordinance amendments, the school board directors have been getting a break. Monday, the school board agenda includes these items popping up:
More discussion about the final budget with the final vote being May 21. The school board is about to go down in flames on its latest budget. It'll be nasty and I think there may be a surprise or two waiting for us (things that haven't been discussed yet.) It may be the first budget in a few years that gets a few "Nays" which will be refreshing. I hope the community doesn't sit back on this issue.
The school board will be approving John Ferguson as tax collector and delinquent tax collector, at the rate of $10,000 a year. This one confuses me. Is he still needed???
Some new appointments are in the works. They will appoint Jan Klein as Treasurer and Cissy Bowman as Board Secretary. OMG. Can she spell OMG?
And finally, the Board will be approving "Shame of the Nation" as a textbook for next year.
So while we have been discussing lawsuits, signs, turf, and all the other stuff, the School Board has been quietly gearing up for big changes. I wonder what they are going to pop up with next. Remember, everyone has the power to make a difference.
Interesting comment A Citizen makes in the conversation here on the field maintenance money issue.
ReplyDeleteIt prompted me to do a little investigation and I discovered this little gem which I think applies both here on school board and municipal decisions. Invade no idea who the author is. It appears we have no checks and balances when it cones to local governance, except to file lawsuits I guess.
In The Federalist Papers, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay argue in support of the Constitution. One of the more influential articles is Federalist 51 by Madison. In the article Madison discusses the separation of powers and the theory of checks and balances. He contends, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.” In stating this, Madison says that men are not angels and are therefore subject to wrongdoing and poor decision making. He continues to say that because men are governed by other men there must be controls on government. Madison’s assertion can be summed up; since we are a nation governed by other men, internal and external controls must exist to prevent leaders from making improper and inadequate decisions."
Giffen Good
"
Sorry, I am a little cranky today, so here it goes. We DO have checks and balances. We have blogs, Right To Knows, hotlines, Home Rule Charter, websites, and anything else you need online. It is our responsibility to be involved. Ask questions. Send emails. Go to meetings. Read the paper. It just doesn't fall in our laps. We have to make it happen.
ReplyDeleteSo what would James Madison think of "Shame of the Nation" as one of the books that our kids will be reading?
Let's think about how a company is $8 million lower in its bid and is starting with change orders so early in the project. Would Hamilton approve of that as the first US secretary of the Treasury?
How many are going to write to school board directors and ask for more cuts in the budget? How about pay cuts for Timmy, Jan, and even Ferguson?
Elaine
Mr. Ferguson works hard collecting real estate taxes and Local Service Taxes (LST), formerly known as EMS and Occupational Privilege Tax. I think there is a plan to have Jordan Tax Service take over both in the future.
ReplyDeleteDavid Huston
Got it. I thought Jordan had taken over already. That still leaves teachers' concessions and pay freezes for administration.
ReplyDeleteElaine
Jordan Tax Service has taken over the Earned Income Tax, also known as the Wage Tax. The school district gets 0.5% and the municipality gets 0.8% of state reported earned income.
ReplyDeleteDavid Huston
I would advise any self-employed persons in Mt. Lebanon, or anyone making quarterly estimates, to monitor Jordan Tax Service very closely. Although Mt. Lebanon assured me they ported all of my business information over to Jordan, I did not get any quarterly EIT forms from them and had to download generic forms off of their web site. I've called Jordan six times since March and have yet to get a straight answer about my account - or lack thereof. I sent in an estimated payment on 20 April 2012 to cover the first quarter 2012 EIT, and my check has yet to be negotiated.
ReplyDeleteJordan claims they are swamped and told me not to worry about it; that they would have everything worked out by the second quarter return date and I will not be penalized. The nice lady at Jordan, when I told her what the Mt. Lebanon Tax Office told me, replied that "Mt. Lebanon says a lot of things." I rather got the impression that there is no love lost between these two entities.
I have no doubt that Jordan is "swamped." And whether Mt. Lebanon was timely in getting information about self-employed people over to Jordan is something to which I cannot attest - although I've never heretofore had a problem with the Mt. Lebanon tax office. I do know this: The system is going through birth pangs, and it would behoove those affected to stay on top of their personal tax situation.