No Deal Yet in Matea Vallet Land Dispute

[kae]

doctorwho said:

kae said:

This is getting off the topic, but since you're the moderator, I'll answer it here. I will point out that all of these have been talked about in other topics on the board before, so I'm going to be repeating myself, but I'll be succinct:

Everyday Math: bad
Faculty (i.e. teachers only): good
School District Administration: bad
School Board: bad
School Administration and School Board Decisions: bad
School District Spending is out of control: bad

on the spending I have a question - we are one of the lowest cost per student districts in the area - can you give further info that shows their spending is out of control ?

I won't go fully into it here, since it's really not on the topic, but you could find them in my other posts on the board.

Quick Take is one of them that fits the topic. I don't believe it is fiscally responsible to use QT for a "get it now and pay whatever it costs later." If you look back at the original price/acre offer the SB made for the land (this is before the first election) after the evaluation by the court, the SB ended up with a figure that was more than twice what they originally offered. I realize that is only one example, but we'll have to wait and see what happens with this. Maybe it's a bet that will pay off.

I am interested in looking at the cost/student district numbers. Do you have a source for all the cost/student districts in Chicago that are compared with 204? Are those cost/student figures computed the same for all districts? I'm curious about what goes into those cost/student figures. Maybe that should be a new topic.

[bob]

If you look back at the original price/acre offer the SB made for the land (this is before the first election) after the evaluation by the court, the SB ended up with a figure that was more than twice what they originally offered.

I would like to see the proof of that.

[bob]

iirc.niu.edu/CompareDistricts.aspx?source=cat4&level=d&year=2006&districtID=190222030

You can use for comparisons; up to 15.

I compared 204 to 203 and the Hinsdale districts.

I think the quote that was being quantified as being in Dupage county.

[bob]

iirc.niu.edu/CompareDistricts.aspx?source=cat4&level=d&year=2006&districtID=190222030

Here is another. Queen Bee has 3 schools and Marquardt has 5.

[bob]

iirc.niu.edu/CompareDistricts.aspx?source=cat4&level=d&year=2006&districtID=190222030

Threw in Plainfield, East and West Aurora.

[doctorwho]

kae said:

doctorwho said:

on the spending I have a question - we are one of the lowest cost per student districts in the area - can you give further info that shows their spending is out of control ?

I won't go fully into it here, since it's really not on the topic, but you could find them in my other posts on the board.

Quick Take is one of them that fits the topic. I don't believe it is fiscally responsible to use QT for a "get it now and pay whatever it costs later." If you look back at the original price/acre offer the SB made for the land (this is before the first election) after the evaluation by the court, the SB ended up with a figure that was more than twice what they originally offered. I realize that is only one example, but we'll have to wait and see what happens with this. Maybe it's a bet that will pay off.

I am interested in looking at the cost/student district numbers. Do you have a source for all the cost/student districts in Chicago that are compared with 204? Are those cost/student figures computed the same for all districts? I'm curious about what goes into those cost/student figures. Maybe that should be a new topic.

All cost per student figures can also be found within this link on school for 2006 from the Sun Times- the district finances are at the bottom of any school you choose within the district - they are not by school.

www.suntimes.com/pcds/cgi/schools.cgi

[wvhsparent]

bob said:

wvhsparent said:

who voted........I don't remember what the total % was of the registered voters.
I would not call his reelection a "mandate". Also there were no real alternatives. (lesser of evils) But that is my opinion.

Prez, while only 1 vote, decides the direction of the SB meeting, what makes it in or not, decides when a discussion/topic is over and have the rest move on to "other business", and I am sure a few other things....

Can you tell I am not one of his Fans anymore?

I never called it a mandate. I think he can't limit discussion by himself.

I believe they use Robert's Rules.

I inferred "mandate" by your use of "large margin", my error if that was not what you meant.

Who enforces Roberts rules? the prez?

[wvhsparent]

I checked too.

We 204, have the highest tax rate per $100.00 out the surrounding communities..... by a healthy margin.

Oswego and Plainfield are close, but still lower, and they also have a lot of growth. and both have substantially lower per pupil EAV.

[doctorwho]

wvhsparent said:

I checked too.

We 204, have the highest tax rate per $100.00 out the surrounding communities..... by a healthy margin.

Oswego and Plainfield are close, but still lower, and they also have a lot of growth. and both have substantially lower per pupil EAV.

wait until Oswego builds the 7-9 remaining schools they have left - and ditto with Plainfield for their remaining schools - our cost includes all up to now-- we are further along in the growth process than either.

( also land cheaper in either of those towns )

also let's see what 203 does with all the work their schools need - including potentially replacing Central.

[bob]

Just realized that it for tax year 2003.

[blankcheck]

Bob- Your proof is in the archives of this board. The Sb original offer was $105,000/acre and they settled for $257,500/acre. I posted that information a long time ago.

[bob]

link please

All I get is that you saying it was $105k . I would like to see something from an newspaper article or something from the SD.

Found it.

[kae]

bob said:

If you look back at the original price/acre offer the SB made for the land (this is before the first election) after the evaluation by the court, the SB ended up with a figure that was more than twice what they originally offered.

I would like to see the proof of that.

Here is the link to the Brach lawyer's annual review PDF file with that information: tinyurl.com/36vago

I haven't been able to find the history of the BB land offers and counter offers on the IPSD site. I don't think they are available unless you ask for them from the SB or administration (maybe an FOIA request), but here is what the dinkerbiddle site has to say.

This is from the Gardner Carton & Douglas 2004 annual review:

On behalf of our client, the Helen Brach Estate, we settled a
condemnation action with the Indian Prairie School District on terms
that the School District will pay to the Brach-Brodie ownership total
compensation of $20.6 million for 80 acres of land bordering Aurora
and Naperville in unincorporated DuPage County, Ill. Before filing the
condemnation, the School District offered the ownership $105,000 an
acre. After almost two years of litigation, the School District
increased its offer to $170,000 an acre. This settlement represents a
payment of $257,500 an acre, half of which will be received by our client.

The district started at $105k, then to $170k, and settled on $257.5k. $257.5k is more than twice the original offer of $105k/acre. I think the lawyers made out like bandits on that one.

I have a copy of the final decision, but I'd have to search for it. I don't have the date in my memory when the first condemnation was filed (anyone know?) but it has been stated here that the settlement from this condemnation (this is a new condemnation) would be based on the value of the property at the time of this condemnation filing. I assume that the $257.5k figure was from an earlier time to this filing and that it is possible for enough time to have passed that the figure will be higher.

The judgement for the $257.5k/acre is a different case and an earlier time. We'll have to wait and see what happens. Maybe the district will be lucky this time around. Maybe land prices will fall. Can any of us speak with assurance in the matter? I certainly can't predict the future.

[bob]

The $105k was also before codmenation was filed so it was a open market offer.

The $257k price also included the right to purchase the 55 acres.

[kae]

Comparing (203 & 204):

The total expenditures are higher for IPSD on the Expenditure amounts page. Looking at the top smaller table on that page. it looks like several numbers are higher (Instruction, Support Services, Other Expenditures); However, the Expenditure rates show lower per Pupil spending. Tax rate per $100 is higher in IPSD while EAV per pupil is lower. On Expenditure %, it looks like we spend less on Education and more on Bond & Interest. Revenue amounts show that we pull a lot more taxes than 203 and a lot more State Aid and other State funding.