Thursday, March 22, 2012
Cleaning up some Facts, Misstatements and Other Stuff
Cleaning up the Facts, Misstatements, and Other Stuff…
Last night (March 19, 2012) the “Anti-Referendum” group held an information meeting, and it was full of misstatements, misdirection, and outright falsehoods. I like open debate, where people talk about the issues and the facts, it is the “lubrication” that keeps our society together. On the other hand I despise those who spread rumor and opinion, and call it fact. This presentation had little if any fact correct (seriously!!) I spent 7 years on the School Board, I study the issues, and if don’t know an answer I get one, so trust me here. Here are items that came up in that meeting, with a few facts to clear up, I will try to summarize:- They had a graph showing how much is spent on facilities versus “teachers”, it was highly misleading. All school districts spend about 80-85% on personnel, Beloit is not different, why imply they are??? Then they went on about how much we spend on teachers was not fair. Our teachers are not highly paid when you look around the area (Wisconsin and Illinois). Note, they showed a graph with a big section showing “personnel” and a tiny little fraction next to it showing money spent on facilities. Highly misleading, a lesson in how to lie with statistics….
- It was said that: “64% of the referendum is paid for by the State, but that it does not come back to the Taxpayer, it goes to the District to be used as they wish.” No conspiracy here, all money from the State goes to the District, there has never been a direct payment to the taxpayers. How it can be implied that that money should go to the taxpayer was beyond my pay grade. I believe money that comes back to pay for facilities goes into a “categorical” fund, for accounting purposes. I don’t believe for minute the District will take that money and put towards something like “personnel”…
- Again, later… “85% of our budget comes from the State, but that goes right to the District as well, not to the taxpayer”. They forgot to mention if that money went to the taxpayer, out tax rate would be $65 per $1000, not $9.47. State aid by design goes to the district, why on earth would it go to the taxpayer is beyond me.
- Note, Beloit is the highest recipient of State Aid, by far. Almost 85% of our budget comes from the State, in the form of equalization aid, all due to our extremely low housing values. This is done so Beloit can offer a quality education, on par with the “richer” districts in the State.
- Roofs. The District tried to fix some roofs, but it was implied that the “Anti Group” stepped up, called DPI, and saved the District from criminal behavior. The Board had legal counsel review this roof issue, and they say they are on solid legal ground, but with the timing, not much can be done. DPI had approved the change, that was until the “Anti-Group” got involved. Then DPI changed its mind. So much for fixing roofs. Nice work on their part, complain about roofs, the District tries to do so, and then they complain about how they are doing it. Is the “Anti” group trying to prove a point or fix the District’s facilities. A lot of “untruths” in that piece that was presented..
- Note, the presenter used to be on the School Board. She called DPI at least twice on this subject. I was on the Board for 7 years and not once did I feel the need to call DPI(Department of Public Instruction).
- Note the same presenter had the chance to fix roofs when they were on the Board (for three years), but did not, they focused on cutting taxes and implementing new programs. They tossed aside the roof maintenance plan. First you don’t fix the roofs, complain about those who do, then try to stop them when they try to fix them….. Some days I just don’t understand what people do or why….???
- A question was asked on who would fund the referendum (the question was on bonds). They replied: “I don’t know who will fund this, but I know First National Bank does the District’s banking.” Here is a whooper, and they like to repeat it. FNB and Blackhawk, and M&I rotate with the District’s money, managing money for the District as many businesses do (and like you would do with a savings or checking account). They have been making this claim so to make it seem like the banks are behind this only for money, which is false. Banks don’t bond for $70,000,000, bond marketers do. If they did not know this, that is out and out incompetence. Baird (out of Milwaukee) usually does the bonding, most Board members should know that. Local banks might buy the bonds, but for investment purposes, as they buy many types of bond vehicles.
On one hand they want all schools addressed, but on the other they don’t want this referendum to pass. They imply that they want a bigger referendum, a “Better Referendum”, but then later on, no referendum. They say they want a “better referendum” but won’t say what that means. I know, I have been asking and get no answers.
- When asked about interest rates they answered: “I don’t know what the interest rate is that they are using.” I know they have seen this on many occasions, no secret, the District is using 3.5% interest, extremely low, but Districts are getting even lower rates. That is one reason we should do it, but they wisely chose to not mention it so as to confuse. To say they don’t know is again either incompetence or ignorance, or selective ignorance. They don’t want people to know that rates are at an all-time low right now…Again, I don’t know why….
- They said: “We don’t know where the School is going, but they are asking us to vote.” They fail to mention that Beloit has little space for schools, Beloit never planned for schools, so they most likely will go where there is space available. Most grade schools sites are too small for anything.
- They implied the District did not “Set up a committee to study this, but Janesville did.” What they fail to mention is that policy does not call for this, nor does law. They on one hand say policy might not have been followed, but they know it was, I personally pointed it out to one of the presenters, I showed them the policy. If they did not like the policy, they had three years to change it, but chose not to.
- No matter how they try to word it, the average house price in Beloit is $68,200, not $90,000+ as they tried to say. They like to exaggerate the tax impact, but don’t mention what their “Better” alternative will do….
- I believe one presenter said their personal property taxes would go up by $1,600. Wow, is that off. The referendum stuff pays for itself. The tax rate goes up to pay for other items, like roofs. If they only do the referendum, and consolidate, it pays for itself. If my calculations and estimates are correct, their taxes would go up by $360 per year (on a $400,000 house), about $90 on a $100,000 house.
- They tried to state that the money from the State is not guaranteed. What they failed to mention is that opinions that have been received from Madison don’t anticipate any changes. They know that. Nothing from the State is “guaranteed”, which is why we need to do this when we can.
- They stated that the pool could be done for $2 Million. Really? Architects have looked at this, given estimates, but their estimate is the right one? I’ll go with the architect….
- They like to inflame a bit, with saying Jazz Band, music, and your kids don’t get anything…” Music has had a lot of money lately, forgot to mention that. A lot was done at the High School in the last referendum, forgot to mention that. I don’t understand here, are they trying to make it so everybody gets nothing, or are they saying do more, but at less cost. I have not figured that out yet…
Splitting up the bands at the Middle Schools was one of the many issues?? This is an old argument in Beloit, usually used for sports team performance…. The District is doing this not to split up “bands” or sports, it is doing it to improve the education system and delivery of services.
- It was said: “It’s not well planned out, this is rushed.” I don’t know what that means. Referendums cannot be pages long with lots of detail, they just are not that way, but they try to make is sound like they should be. Show me a perfect referendum and I will show you one that took too much time and money to develop, and wasted tax dollars. (Note, when I was on the Board in 1998, we discussed this issue then, we discussed it often. These former Board members must not have made this an issue or wanted to talk about it.)
- They claim that “Only the Superintendent lives in Beloit, the other administrators working on this live outside Beloit.” They failed to mention they were on the Board that changed that Policy that allowed administrators to live outside the District.
- They neglect to mention that while on the Board They could have looked at this, but didn’t. They could have fixed roofs, but they ignored them. Instead, they put up a new Day Care, new Charter School, new Summer School, raised Board salaries – $1,500 to $5,000, oh, and of course spent months on Sex Ed curriculum, again….. But now they are somehow the saviors for Beloit taxpayers…??? They cannot have it both ways….
Now, the proposal has many positives, that never get mentioned, but that is not their objective, so you ignore them entirely. Such as
- Interest rates are at historic lows. Under 3% right now. They will go up…
- Construction cost is down, so companies are making deals now….
- This pays for itself when you just look at the referendum “stuff”. Consolidating creates a great deal of efficiency, and generates $2.3 Million is savings.
- A $100,000 would see taxes go up, everything included, by $90
- This will make education delivery more effective.
- This is a great deal.
- More information at www.imaginebeloit.com
The truth is out there, they choose to ignore it and choose to create division to stop this. And for what end? A better referendum that costs more, when they are against the cost of this one??? I am really confused by the motives here. Personally, it is time we invested in schools and send a message that Beloit cares about education, both now and in the future. It is time we declared ourselves a “World Class City”, and demonstrate that.
Vote YES on the Referendum on April 3rd.
Gary Seidel
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