It's a myth!

The November 28, 2011 Commission recording has been partially recovered.  As I had said previously, I had technical difficulties recording the meetings.  I have posted the Parking Authority Meeting, the Commission Discussion Session, Part 1, and a partial recording of the Commission Meeting.  I was able to salvage Bill Lewis' comments where he revealed that the Youth Sports Alliance does NOT contribute to municipal fields maintenance.  They only contribute to the School District fields.  It costs the taxpayers $32,000 a year for Youth Sports to use the five municipal fields.  You can hear Manager Steve Feller verify this information.  Bill's comments start about half way through the podcast.  Thanks, Bill, for exposing this myth.

Want to have a block party? That will be $25, please.

For those of you not at the Commission Discussion Session last night, you missed a lively discussion about block party fees.  Unfortunately, my recorder went on the fritz, so I can't post the podcast.  Bonnie VanKirk proposed a $50 fee for block parties, to pay for Public Works to drop off and pick up the saw horses.  Matt Kluck, Bonnie VanKirk and Joe DeIuliis agreed to charge $25.   Dave Brumfield objected because having block parties in Mt. Lebanon is such a positive activity which brings neighborhoods together.  According to Tom Kelley, we had around 105 or 107 block parties last year.  Based on a $42 million budget, $2500 or so is such a small expense that it is hardly worth discussing, Dave felt. Joe DeIuliis said we could cut back on roads.  By this time, it was almost 11:30 p.m.  The final vote (5:3) was to charge $25 for block parties.  I wonder what would happen if people just blocked the roads with chairs or put up their own barriers. 

It was also brought up last night that the Youth Sports Alliance does not contribute to municipal fields as Dave Brumfield had pointed out at a previous meeting.  Steve Feller verified that using municipal fields does cost taxpayers since there are no fees being charged. 

Pay to play will come at a cost

I am linking the article but will also publish it in its entirety here since The Almanac doesn't archive their letters.

http://www.thealmanac.net/alm/story10/07-06-2011-editorial-2 

Pay to play will come at a cost

Whether one agrees or disagrees with at least two local school districts' approving "pay for play" fees, it is a novel approach in an effort to balance the budgets.

But at what cost?

For some families, yes, even in Upper St. Clair and Peter Township, shelling out an additional $100 or $200 so the student can participate in football and basketball or other activities, will be a struggle.

At least in Upper St. Clair, a district that released figures, of the projected $510,000 athletic budget on the high school level, imposing the fees will generate a mere $75,475. That's slightly less than 15 percent of the total athletic budget. And it's a minuscule portion of the district's more than $59 million total budget. Is it really worth all the paperwork?

In Peters Township, the newly adopted fee schedule is causing concerns because of its vagueness. While athletics was clearly defined, the generalization of activities is somewhat obscure. Word has it employees are working on clarifying which activities will cost $10 and which will not.

This year trying to achieve a balanced budget without compromising education has been brutal. Just ask any school district business manager, school board administrator or school board member about the long hours going line-by-line through the expenses and revenues.

Times are, indeed, tough. With the price of everything going up and up, it's hard for the average taxpayer to find the money to pay more in school taxes. Adding fees for athletics and activities makes it even more difficult for families.

Let's just hope there aren't students who can't play sports or join the band or participate in whatever activity because the extra money just isn't in the family budget.

1 comment

Bloat and Inequity : 7/7/2011
One of the things that has brought school districts to this point of charging athletic fees that no one mentions is the increasing payrolls of the coaching staffs. Once upon a time the football coach and his assistants were regular full-time teachers that happened to have experience in the sport. They were first teachers- then second coaches as which they earned some extra duty pay. Now we have full time coaches making near $100,000 masquerading as teachers. Sometimes with as little as one class assignment during the day. The other point to ponder, what happens to all the ticket and item (snacks, swweat shirts, programs & ads, hats etc.) sales at these athletic events. Especially at football and basketball which generally garner the largest attendences. If that money is being used to maintain athletic facilities and support other school sports have we not made the football and basketball players unwitting volunteers and donors. They'll be paying to play, parents then also PAY TO WATCH and the monetary fruits of the students labors goes to other activities!

Curious

Another one charges sports and activities fees

In a nut shell, Bethel Park raised taxes, cut 16 jobs, reading programs, music and foreign language classes, and will start charging fees for extracurricular sports and activities last night.

Are we revisiting Building C yet?

Read more: http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_744805.html