Mt. Lebanon is a mid-sized suburban community just outside of Pittsburgh. On whole, it may be considered middle or upper-middle class. However, individuals from a wide variety of economic backgrounds and circumstances make up its citizenry, ranging from the poor and lower-middle class to the extremely wealthy. Additionally, there are a good number of young families as well as senior citizens, which help to anchor it in the middle class.
However, a small number of elite citizens fashion Mt. Lebanon to be an upper-class community. While small in number, they hold great power through old family and neighborhood connections and alliances. These individuals also hold sway, and sometimes office, within the school board and commission.
To build towards their vision of an upper-class community, these upper-classers have increasingly been asking their citizens to put more and more money into the community pot, largely for school district related activities. For example, someone purchasing a solidly middle to upper-middle class $300,000 house in Mt. Lebanon today can expect to pay approximately $10,000 per year in property taxes, and about $7,000 of that will go directly to MTLSD. This excessive taxation has created a community that is slipping into the “lower-upper class” – in other words, in seeking to look rich, they are actually making the majority of their people look and feel poor.
A more responsible approach would be to look at the actual financial circumstances of one’s residents, and make prudent choices based on that data. Instead, Mt. Lebanon and MTLSD currently look outward, seeking to “look better” than neighboring communities like Upper St. Clair.
While this approach is unsustainable, it continues. In preparing the FY15-16 budget and taxation plan, MTLSD is again initiating budgetary machinations to not only raise taxes again, but to raise them beyond the legal limit set by the state.
I am a former public school teacher, and an advocate of public education. And, indeed, my family did move to Mt. Lebanon four years ago because we heard the school district was good. But this educational Ponzi scheme must stop. Instead of asking, “How good can we look?” it is time for MTLSD to ask, “What do we really need?” Did they really need a new high school building at the cost of over $113 million, or is there a way $60 million would have sufficed? Does a school need every add-on every parent thinks would be good for their individual child, or would only those that serve the largest number of kids suffice?
It is time for MTLSD to make some tough choices, as we all do in our daily lives in light of our own family budgets. With this in mind, I recommend MTLSD make three lists before enacting their next budget: (1) Things That Are Necessary; (2) Things That Are Nice; and (3) Things That Are Precious. It is my guess that, if this task was to be undertaken with an honest eye, MTLSD could cut half-way down the precious list and nothing would be lost academically or socially for its students.
Further, under this more prudent, middle to upper-middle class approach, MTLSD could freeze or cut taxes for the next five years – and avoid sinking our community deeper into lower-upper class status.
Dr. Jason Margolis
Mt. Lebanon
However, a small number of elite citizens fashion Mt. Lebanon to be an upper-class community. While small in number, they hold great power through old family and neighborhood connections and alliances. These individuals also hold sway, and sometimes office, within the school board and commission.
To build towards their vision of an upper-class community, these upper-classers have increasingly been asking their citizens to put more and more money into the community pot, largely for school district related activities. For example, someone purchasing a solidly middle to upper-middle class $300,000 house in Mt. Lebanon today can expect to pay approximately $10,000 per year in property taxes, and about $7,000 of that will go directly to MTLSD. This excessive taxation has created a community that is slipping into the “lower-upper class” – in other words, in seeking to look rich, they are actually making the majority of their people look and feel poor.
A more responsible approach would be to look at the actual financial circumstances of one’s residents, and make prudent choices based on that data. Instead, Mt. Lebanon and MTLSD currently look outward, seeking to “look better” than neighboring communities like Upper St. Clair.
While this approach is unsustainable, it continues. In preparing the FY15-16 budget and taxation plan, MTLSD is again initiating budgetary machinations to not only raise taxes again, but to raise them beyond the legal limit set by the state.
I am a former public school teacher, and an advocate of public education. And, indeed, my family did move to Mt. Lebanon four years ago because we heard the school district was good. But this educational Ponzi scheme must stop. Instead of asking, “How good can we look?” it is time for MTLSD to ask, “What do we really need?” Did they really need a new high school building at the cost of over $113 million, or is there a way $60 million would have sufficed? Does a school need every add-on every parent thinks would be good for their individual child, or would only those that serve the largest number of kids suffice?
It is time for MTLSD to make some tough choices, as we all do in our daily lives in light of our own family budgets. With this in mind, I recommend MTLSD make three lists before enacting their next budget: (1) Things That Are Necessary; (2) Things That Are Nice; and (3) Things That Are Precious. It is my guess that, if this task was to be undertaken with an honest eye, MTLSD could cut half-way down the precious list and nothing would be lost academically or socially for its students.
Further, under this more prudent, middle to upper-middle class approach, MTLSD could freeze or cut taxes for the next five years – and avoid sinking our community deeper into lower-upper class status.
Dr. Jason Margolis
Mt. Lebanon
9 comments:
I enjoy the clear definitions of "upper-middle class" and "lower-upper class". There's a lot of intellectual rigor here, but that stands out.
PS - my taxes have gone down since I moved here. Also, I knew the taxes were high when I bought my house, but considered it a savings vs. private school in my prior community.
Dr. Margolis, a couple of school directors propsed something along those lines several years ago. They proposed line item budgeting and evaluating each line to establish its value.
The entrenched union and elite would hear none of it.
So here we are, with a renovated building far above the $100 million they assured us it would cost.
Nothing changes they think, but eventually it will.
5:32 If Mt Lebanon actually delivered on the things it claims to provide, I think living here would be a decent deal for many of us. But it's not going well for a lot of people. Why not promote governing for the greater good? Do you care about your neighbors? Do you know your neighbor?
After reading the plea from the 86 year-old woman who hasn't had her garbage picked up for weeks PLEASE make sure your older neighbors are OK during this storm! Take an extra few minutes and shovel their sidewalk. Call and see if they have milk and bread before you hit the grocery stores. That's what makes Mt Lebanon special and no moron commissioners or stupid school board members can ruin that. We feared that woman was our next door neighbor so my sons and I walked over and asked. She has a long winding driveway and we see her dragging her cans each week. So now my sons will take turns taking her cans to the curb. She will set them outside and that's it. My sons will also use her snow blower to clean both hers and our driveways. Sorry I'll get off my soap box now...
Dr. Margolis - if you run for school board director I will vote for you.
Bob D.
Thank you, 10:24 PM. That is very kind of you.
10:26 PM, I think Jason should replace Timmy and be our next superintendent.
Elaine
I'd vote for Dr. M as well -- in a heartbeat. He is genuine and that would be a real change for Mt Lebanon.
We moved to our current home in 2003. Our next door neighbor died last year in June at age 92. The last year and a half, she was in a nursing home. My husband and I, and our two daughters, took care of her before then. Her immediate family lived out of state with professional busy jobs and lives. We went out of our way to take care of her. Doctor visits, grocery shopping, home repairs, securing contractors for major repairs, on call for for the ER, etc... We did it all. She gave much to us in return. She picked up my kids, cooked dinners when I was sick, did laundry when I broke my ankle. No one could have had a better neighbor! Seems like no one knows how to be a good neighbor anymore. Thank you 10:24 PM for reaching out! That's what builds a strong community!
It would truly help if the assessments were accurate. All those who lied about the properties of their house and are enjoying sending their 3 kids through our school system at a real discount is unfair. We are over taxed -appealed and afterwards had a $50k increase in our $300k house when no one else with a similar house is paying what we are. Now waiting for 3rd appeal. Our one child that we are putting through the school system will use every last service.
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