Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tax hike and cuts and reserves! Oh my!
In case you didn't see today's PG, Molly Born had an article called, Tax hike, funding, job cuts, tap of reserves characterize plan in Mt. Lebanon. No surprises. It was very, very, very, very, (oops...one too many very's) difficult for the board to make $850,000 in cuts. No concessions from the teachers, Dr. Tim, or Ms. Jan.
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2011
Our Community Deserves Answers
Let's try this again, only this time, we're sticking with facts, please. The information contains quotes from an email obtained through a Right To Know request. Very interesting reading.
Our Community Deserves Answers 1/5/11 2:25 PM
There is an interesting email sent on March 3, 2009 at 9:59AM from Daniel K Goff to David Reese, and various other interested parties that states (with the authors typos), “Well, it is now time ‘s _ _ t of get off of the pot!’ We need to show them that we did not lie; that we are able to do what we said we could do.”
What was Mr. Goff going to show them? Was Mr. Goff referring to the presentation that was attached to the email that David Reese sent from his Verizon email account on March 8, 2009 at 10:12PM to his Reflex Staffing account? You know, the one that contained the Draft of the Outline for the Presentation to the School Board Members?
Link to Google document
Hum… it’s an interesting document to say the least! Here are some of the highlights: (These are taken directly from the document.)
· “CONSTRUCT AN INDOOR ATHLETIC FACILITY THAT ENCLOSES A REGULATION FOOTBALL FIELD WITH AN ARTIFICIAL SURFACE. THE BUILDING WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED ON THE PARCEL OF LAND ABOVE THE STADUIM REFERRED TO AS THE ‘ROCK PILE’. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS:
o THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD AGREE TO LEASE THE PARCEL AT A NOMINAL FEE TO THE FOUNDATION.
o THE FOUNDATION WILL RAISE THE ESTIMATED $3 MILLION FROM PRIVATE SOURES TO CONSTRUCT THE BUILDING.
o THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD COMMIT FUNDS FOR INSTALLATION OF THE ARTIFICIAL SURFACE, ESTIMATED AT $400-500,000.
o UPON COMPLETION OF THE BUILDING, THE FOUNDATION WOULD ‘DONATE’ THE FACILITY TO THE DISTRICT.
o THE FOUNDATION WOULD CONTINUE TO ASSIST IN FUNDING THE BUILIDNG’S OPERATING EXPENSES. IT IS OUR BELIEF AS WELL THAT SUCH A FACILITY WOULD GENERATE REVENUE ON ITS OWN.”
I wonder if this is the partnership that James Fraasch recently mentioned on a Blog Lebo thread? Did someone make an offer to contribute to the construction of our new school facilities? Did someone make an offer to supply money that would assist in funding the building’s operating expenses?
Why isn’t any of this in the budget for the new school project? How did we as taxpayers end up with the bill? Did our School Board walk away from a voluntary contribution? If they did, we should all be told why!
I won’t hold my breath waiting for an answer, but everyone should stay tuned because the best is yet to come!
Sincerely,
John
John, you can be very, very, very sure that no one will be double checking the SD response should one be offered.
"Boys Lacrose team wins first round of WPIAL!"
Thanks Fake Lebo for the catch, though this might be one of those budget reductions the administration/teachers came up with.
Lts s f w drp ll vwls thnk f th svngs n nk nd tnt!
Gffn Gd
Forget about the pettiness and get involved in creating a wealthier Mt. Lebanon. The TRID development is the answer to creating a sustainable city. Dare we do something different and go outside the box of raising taxes and issuing bonds? Solving new problems with old remedies will never work and I challenge all of you to tell me that issuing bonds creates wealth and raising taxes improves the worth of a community that is built out! A single taxing body is another solution that is necessary and land taxes are passe'. Good luck to all who disagree because I am moving out.
CSC
Constance, remember that PK is doing a feasibility study that will identify millions of dollars. We also have the signs that will save us, as well as the YSA which, if everything is just right, will bring in another $30,000.
John, is that Google doc from an earlier post? Would you mind letting me know where it is and I can repost the link?
Elaine
All pettiness and snide comments aside CSC. A good start would be putting an end to waste and unneccessary spending.
Our elected officials spent about $2.5 million on property- Twin Hills and McNeilly- with nothing to show for it. Plus they've done little to pay down the loans.
Then we have the school district- $550,000 lost on a superintendent.
Then they spend thousands on litigating a parking zoning issue, that could've have been solved just by following the rules that every property owner has too.
They give the superintendent a substantial raise in the second year of a contract. Why not start discussions near the final year. Sure, the excuse was, we don't want to lose him, but we lost. 3 others preceding him and lived.
Then we have a structural engineer and CmU architect saying we don't need to tear down the existing HS building. A savings right off the top of approximately $5 million.
Then there is the district's declining enrollment, bug growing staff.
Followed by the district covering missing YSA funds.
It seems there are plenty of areas to cut cost without "reinventing the wheel,"
Gif
Giffen, you didn't mean bug growing staff, did you?
This auto correct stuff drives me nuts. I just want spell check, not auto correct.
We didn't want to lose the super because nobody else wanted us. John Allison is doing a fantastic job in Wichita. I believe the administrators and board were in search of a puppet. Now, he is unavailable for comment when contacted by the media. Press Folks, you may find him eating pizza or in Paneras. But here in Lebo, everyone works very, very, very, (how many is that?) hard to make less than a million dollars in cost reductions. We were never allowed to see the entire list of suggested cuts.
Elaine
Let's try this.
For all the residents that work for companies in the private sector.
Approach your employer with the cost-saving suggestion of 4 day work weeks in the summer.
Don't though agree to take a corresponding weekly 20% cut in pay.
I'm sure the administration struggled very, very, very hard with the idea of more 3 day weekends for the staff in the summer.
I'll sympathize with their pain as I give my kid a $50 check so he can park in a lot my taxes pay for.
Gffn Gd
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