Did we learn to do more with less?

Mary Niederberger wrote in Thursday's PG,

In public education circles, 2011 was the year that officials quickly learned how to do more with less.

Was it?  I must have missed something. No student fees.  No furloughs. No voluntary wage freezes. No program reductions. No larger classes. Nope, not Mt. Lebanon. Instead, we approved a construction project that will undoubtedly appear in the 2013 Pittsburgh Business Times Book of Lists for "Largest Active Pittsburgh-Area Construction Projects."

It is December 31, 2011, a time for me to reflect.  There are many residents in Mt. Lebanon who tried to make a difference.  I am not going to name names since I run the risk of forgetting someone, but we all know who they are.  I started this blog and continued the website so that we could hold our elected officials accountable, to allow the readers of this blog to force them to be transparent and provide information when they refused, and to vent when we lose control of our own government. 

I will take anonymous comments one last time.  December 31 is a time for all of us to reflect.

As James Fraasch would say, "Thanks for reading."

Happy New Year

Elaine

Taxes kill the middle class

This letter, written by an Upper St. Clair resident, appeared in yesterday's Almanac.  Oren Spiegler begins his letter with, "I often feel isolated in my consistent drive for government to practice fiscal conservatism and prudent spending..."  It sounds vaguely familiar, doesn't it?

"The deck is stacked against the taxpayer and in reality, there is no functioning Republican Party in the community, at least not one which would be recognized by its founders, who could not have imagined that teachers would someday be paid over $100,000 in today's dollars (or that the public would be compelled by the police powers of government to construct and to subsidize the operation of a luxurious, palatial recreation center against their will)."

The middle class is being pushed out.  In Mt. Lebanon, the School Board doesn't have a clue as to the meaning of "prudent spending."  The Municipality gets around it by charging fees.

But then, the unbelievable happened.  On Rt. 19, near Boyce Road, a bank courier van spilled money well into six figures.  Police recovered about $400 of it. 

"This is not a free-for-all situation," he said. "Obviously, this money is...bank property."

Lt. Englert said police intend to give people a reasonable amount of time to "come to their senses" and return any money they might have taken. After that, he said, they could charge people with theft.

Police are asking anyone who collected money or anyone who might have seen the hubbub to contact them at 412-833-7500.

 

Nuh uh!

Today's Almanac editorial is, "Belt-tightening time is today." Mt. Lebanon School District board members "continue to plod along" with the renovation project. We're supposed to scale back construction projects, something that Judge James recommended when the School District took the Municipality to court.  But the editorial,  Belt-tightening time is today points out that local officials are ignoring the fact that the national economy is circling the drain.  In our efforts to demand fiscal responsibility from our nonresponsive board, we were reminded by school officials that they pay taxes just like the rest of us.  The editorial addressed that comeback with, "...not everyone has a bulging wallet."

How many of us are hoping for the bids to come back too high again?  I know I am.  Belt-tightening time was long ago for me.  I am not the only one in this community with a skinny wallet.

Belt-tightening time is today, saved in Google Docs

Does it make sense here?

I  understand that the city's school superintendent said it makes no sense to advance construction projects at this time. She favors making sure there are enough textbooks, teachers, classrooms, etc. The last sentence in the following quote really hits home.

"In this difficult fiscal climate, it makes absolutely no sense for the district to borrow and spend $60 million on capital projects," Ms. Lane said in a news release.

"I have reviewed our spending plan with staff and believe that these reductions are necessary to maintain fiscal discipline, while still allowing for required investments in our facility maintenance. For the time being, we're only borrowing for our most basic facility needs like fixing our roofs, windows and boilers as well as safety issues."

Read more: City schools may reduce capital spending by 75 percent

House bill would allow non-seniority teacher layoffs

In addition to advocating government transparency, I believe our government must assume fiscal responsibility.  What I don't like to see is unemployment.  That is why I started my annual community service project, Dress 4 Work. I collect clothing suitable for job interviews, which in turn is donated to Capacity Developers, a non-profit that provides systems of support to ensure self-reliance, healthy families and economic stability. 

Now I am seeing our School District in dire straits; holding town hall meetings in empty rooms, raising taxes, and facing a $113.3 million project during a time when our governor is proposing deep cuts in education. 

New legislation would, for the first time in decades, allow teachers and other school professionals to be laid off to help close budget shortfalls.
Read more here:  House bill would allow non-seniority teacher layoffs 

Corbett's Budget Cuts

In today's Post Gazette:

"The combination of up to $1 billion in cuts of state funding to school districts, combined with a voucher proposal that would be funded with dollars from school districts, combined with increased pension obligations and other costs, are threatening to cause dramatic cutbacks in school districts across the state," he said.

The $1 billion is federal money that is supporting the state's basic education subsidy but is not expected to be renewed.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11066/1130255-454.stm#ixzz1FvV7pJWz

Why am I writing about school district cuts, when I am running for Commissioner?  I am a resident and have great concern for Mt. Lebanon.  I have expressed to the District that government funding was going to dry up. I pleaded with the School Board, demanding fiscal responsibility by scaling back the renovation to a more manageable number. And now I read this in today's PG.  That is why I was quoted on May 24, 2010 saying, "This is a sad day for Mt. Lebanon."  That was the day the District budget was passed.  I just wanted the District to spend wisely. 

Update 11:55 AM In all fairness to the School District, there will be a town hall meeting tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. in the High School Library.  This meeting is open to the public and gives us an opportunity to help the School District figure out how they are going to pay for the renovation, I mean, generate more revenue for the District.  Revenue Generating Review Team Holds Town Hall Meeting.
I hope the District televises the meeting.  I will be at the Commission meeting, so I will not be able to record it.  

School Board Applicants: Beware

Harrisburg is on the verge of bankruptcy.  Today’s Policy Brief from the Allegheny Institute asks,

Is the Capital City Headed for Bankruptcy?  

Will we be following Maryland’s footsteps?  Maryland Considering Cuts in Education Funding

Did you happen to catch 60 Minutes on Sunday?  State Budgets: The Day of Reckoning
Just got this in my mailbox: The PSEA Is Funding Its Fight Against Kids   Here is their website. Commonwealth Foundation - Fund the Fight

And we need to build spend $113.3 million on a high school renovation now?  Remember this when trying to fill James Fraasch’s shoes.  He was the only one with any fiscal responsibility.

Updated December 23, 2010: As mentioned on Blog-Lebo, the first draft of the Five-Year Forecast from the September 30, 2010 Audit and Finance Committee meeting is now public.  It may be viewed here. September 2010 First Draft of 5 Year Forecast I was denied a copy of a later draft at the October 28, 2010 Audit and Finance Committee meeting.  As I said above, School Board Applicants: Beware!