Vote your conscious
Vote your heart
Vote informed
But most importantly VOTE!
This Tuesday many important considerations are up for decision. I would ask if you've not stopped and reviewed things that you do prior to Tuesday. One example is tax caps in the Indiana Constitution. We have seen how capping funding has impacted schools. The reductions we've suffered are not from tax caps but legislating away a source of revenue for the future generations does not make sense to me. It is the law now. Legislators can change it as needed if other revenue sources improve. I just can't wrap my head around deciding someone else’s future.
Another item is our referendum. I honestly believe this will be common in Indiana as the local residents will once again be asked to fund their own services from local funds and not state revenues. Cities and towns will continue to look for ways to provide services to residents. I have to stop and think like everyone else. What services do I want to not have? No snow removal, no fire protections, no road repairs, no police protection or something else. I believe we should pay for the services we are asking our governments to provide. I hope we all pay attention to what our elected representatives do with the funds they have and let them know when they are off base.
I really want to encourage you to get involved in the political process and understand this is from someone who does not like politics.
I hope you support the referendum question and Vote Yes for Whitko on Tuesday.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
How did the $1.25 million in reductions last year affect our community?
How did the $1.25 million in reductions last year affect our community?
These are ballpark numbers since we can’t know each person’s individual finances but some things we know are:
• About $70,000 less in state sales tax and $30,000 less in state income tax. This adds to the state deficit and that has caused our deficit.
• About $1 million less in income that would have fed into the area economy.
• 26 fewer people stopping in for gas, groceries and other services since individuals no longer drive to work here.
In the school it has meant:
• larger class sizes;
• staff working longer to get the tasks complete;
• offices having a harder time responding to needs; and
• changes in instructional practices some good but most just to be able to manage more students per staff member.
The same can be said for any business that has had to let staff go. One difference is we will still have the 1800 students show up tomorrow no matter how many adults are here to work with them. We want to do our best and are committed to doing so even with the economic conditions. I just thought it was interesting how the broader economy is affected as we often think only how the school was affected.
Thanks for the continued support as we strive for Excellence for All.
These are ballpark numbers since we can’t know each person’s individual finances but some things we know are:
• About $70,000 less in state sales tax and $30,000 less in state income tax. This adds to the state deficit and that has caused our deficit.
• About $1 million less in income that would have fed into the area economy.
• 26 fewer people stopping in for gas, groceries and other services since individuals no longer drive to work here.
In the school it has meant:
• larger class sizes;
• staff working longer to get the tasks complete;
• offices having a harder time responding to needs; and
• changes in instructional practices some good but most just to be able to manage more students per staff member.
The same can be said for any business that has had to let staff go. One difference is we will still have the 1800 students show up tomorrow no matter how many adults are here to work with them. We want to do our best and are committed to doing so even with the economic conditions. I just thought it was interesting how the broader economy is affected as we often think only how the school was affected.
Thanks for the continued support as we strive for Excellence for All.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Referendum Update
These are some comments/rumors we’ve heard regarding the referendum. Yes, it is a small sampling, but I wanted to share what is really happening. Here are some facts as of today:
• We still need the referendum question to pass but are not in crisis mode.
• We project the 2010 budget to end where we did in 2009, which is great!
• The 2011 budget is balanced. (That only means our reductions were accurate, not that we don’t need some people and resources to perform better.)
• The current plans are not to raise tax money from the referendum this year if passed (pending state reductions to our funding).
• We are not close to closing or consolidating.
• We may need to make facility renovations sometime, but closing South Whitley Elementary is just way down the line if ever
• There is a public meeting October 5th at 6:30 pm at Whitko High School in the Auditorium (child care provided) to try to share the following:
o What the referendum question means
No taxes if the budget is balanced without them
No current property tax supports salaries or benefits
o Where we have been financially and programmatically
o Where we are now
o Where we’d like to be
o Where we could potentially be
• There is an options committee looking at how to provide services more effectively or efficiently, increase revenue through other means, and/or provide additional resources to assist the schools.
• The amount of funding we received from the federal government Jobs Bill is 27% of the $1.25 million we reduced…or looking at it another way, 2/3 of one year’s reduction. So, if the State reduces us a similar amount to last year, we would need to make up another $150,000 or so.
• We need people to vote yes
• From an email yesterday: Dr. Bennett still advises districts to plan for the worst case scenario as the fiscal indicators are not positive as of today.
• From 9/9/10 Indianapolis Business Journal: Report: State must cut spending, hike taxes or both
Not trying to be Chicken Little but it may sound like the sky is falling
“Gentlemen, we have run out of money. It is time to start thinking. ”Sir Ernest Rutherford, Nobel Laureate (Physics)
• We need the Referendum to pass November 2nd
• As of September 27th Dr Bennett was still saying expect a similar cut (half a million)
• As of September 27th Dr. Larry DeBoer Economics professor indicates 1.2 Billion shortfall for 2012 and 2013 for Indiana
• As of September 30 our Options Committee agreed we can’t cut people’s jobs to get out of the problem we are as thin as we can get.
• As of October 1st our former State Senator indicates a 1.1 Billion shortfall for Indiana
• We are protecting our students from the impending further reductions in state support.
o More reductions mean cuts in staff or programs
• The figures haven’t changed we are still balanced on paper for 2011 and 2012. The problem is the unknown state support.
What can you do?
• Talk it up!
• Hold a coffee time for a board member, Tom or Steve to talk to a few folks.
• Place a sign!
• Help the Referendum Committee (Contact Georgia Tenney at WMS or Jorell Tucker Board member)
o Call
o Canvas
• Vote!
SO is it as bad as all that? Yes. We can make more adjustments but nothing that doesn’t hurt students and staff. We will stay open and will endure these hard times but I must be honest things will not go back to normal (whatever that is) soon.
• We still need the referendum question to pass but are not in crisis mode.
• We project the 2010 budget to end where we did in 2009, which is great!
• The 2011 budget is balanced. (That only means our reductions were accurate, not that we don’t need some people and resources to perform better.)
• The current plans are not to raise tax money from the referendum this year if passed (pending state reductions to our funding).
• We are not close to closing or consolidating.
• We may need to make facility renovations sometime, but closing South Whitley Elementary is just way down the line if ever
• There is a public meeting October 5th at 6:30 pm at Whitko High School in the Auditorium (child care provided) to try to share the following:
o What the referendum question means
No taxes if the budget is balanced without them
No current property tax supports salaries or benefits
o Where we have been financially and programmatically
o Where we are now
o Where we’d like to be
o Where we could potentially be
• There is an options committee looking at how to provide services more effectively or efficiently, increase revenue through other means, and/or provide additional resources to assist the schools.
• The amount of funding we received from the federal government Jobs Bill is 27% of the $1.25 million we reduced…or looking at it another way, 2/3 of one year’s reduction. So, if the State reduces us a similar amount to last year, we would need to make up another $150,000 or so.
• We need people to vote yes
• From an email yesterday: Dr. Bennett still advises districts to plan for the worst case scenario as the fiscal indicators are not positive as of today.
• From 9/9/10 Indianapolis Business Journal: Report: State must cut spending, hike taxes or both
Not trying to be Chicken Little but it may sound like the sky is falling
“Gentlemen, we have run out of money. It is time to start thinking. ”Sir Ernest Rutherford, Nobel Laureate (Physics)
• We need the Referendum to pass November 2nd
• As of September 27th Dr Bennett was still saying expect a similar cut (half a million)
• As of September 27th Dr. Larry DeBoer Economics professor indicates 1.2 Billion shortfall for 2012 and 2013 for Indiana
• As of September 30 our Options Committee agreed we can’t cut people’s jobs to get out of the problem we are as thin as we can get.
• As of October 1st our former State Senator indicates a 1.1 Billion shortfall for Indiana
• We are protecting our students from the impending further reductions in state support.
o More reductions mean cuts in staff or programs
• The figures haven’t changed we are still balanced on paper for 2011 and 2012. The problem is the unknown state support.
What can you do?
• Talk it up!
• Hold a coffee time for a board member, Tom or Steve to talk to a few folks.
• Place a sign!
• Help the Referendum Committee (Contact Georgia Tenney at WMS or Jorell Tucker Board member)
o Call
o Canvas
• Vote!
SO is it as bad as all that? Yes. We can make more adjustments but nothing that doesn’t hurt students and staff. We will stay open and will endure these hard times but I must be honest things will not go back to normal (whatever that is) soon.
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