Post by insider on Mar 14, 2011 21:37:43 GMT -6
Blast from the Past. Comparing that said yesterday to today.
IMHO the reason the 2009 referendum was delayed is a direct result of LACK OF NEW STUDENT GENERATION GROWTH which was "assumed" in order to garner support aka scare the voters. #1 factor that impacts district costs is number of students in the system.
April 3, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff Writer
AURORA -- In 2001, voters approved a 90-cent increase in the education fund at the Indian Prairie School District.
In 2009, residents might find themselves back at the polls with another increase on their hands.
A combination of state funding and an increasing number of students has Indian Prairie facing a difficult financial situation, said David Holm, assistant superintendent of business and finance.
In past building referendums, money was included for technology and large maintenance projects, such as new roofs. However, after the 2005 referendum failed, the School Board decided to go without the added funds and just ask voters to approve money for the construction of a third high school. The money for those projects must now be taken out of the regular budget.
"With that in mind, technology and maintenance repairs of buildings are two items that need to be addressed," Holm said.
Holm said the opening in 2009 of the 3,000-seat Metea Valley High School along 75th Street in Aurora also will mean more operational expenditures.
Another factor is a state funding formula that is based on the assessed valuation per student. Even though enrollment continues to increase, money from the state does not.
"While the number of students continues to grow, our general state aid has not grown accordingly," Holm said. "It has been flat, or even gone down some as well as our transportation reimbursement."
The board has not officially voted on a referendum for 2009 or set a timeline. They will leave that up to the new board after the April 17 election.
The seven candidates for the School Board have mixed views on the possibility of a 2009 referendum and how to get voters to approve such a measure.
Here's what the candidates had to say:
Leanne Lyons
Leanne Lyons, 42, is assistant principal at an elementary school in the Valley View School District.
She said Indian Prairie should pursue other options for revenue instead of going to the taxpayers. Those suggestions included selling naming rights to parts of the new high school, savings in delivery costs and renegotiating contracts with vendors.
"I think the public would support referendums clearly when all options to reduce spending have been explored," Lyons said.
Curt Bradshaw
Incumbent Curt Bradshaw, 34, is vice president for product strategy at Morgan Stanley.
He said the district already is operating at the lowest cost per student among the school districts in DuPage County.
"Our five-year plan shows that state funding reductions will require the district to have a 2009 referendum just to maintain our current level of excellence," Bradshaw said.
"The district should clearly describe the levels it can provide with and without a referendum and allow the voters to decide which option is right for our community."
Mark C. Metzger
Incumbent Mark Metzger, 42, is an attorney. He said the combination of growing students and lack of action at the state level about education funding means the district finds itself in a tough spot.
"Collectively, that means that our largest expense line item is growing at a rate greater than the growth of our principal source of revenue, even as our share of state money continues to decrease," Metzger said. "Mathematically, that will catch up and eventually spawn the need for another referendum."
Alka Tyle
Incumbent Alka Tyle, 43, a stay-at-home mom, said more students mean more staff and more expenditures. Combined with increasing standards from the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, those factors put more strain on the district.
"We need to collaborate with the community to earn their trust and support," Tyle said. "We need to increase the transparency of data to better educate the community on the current reality and projections for the future."
Michelle Davis
Candidate Michelle Davis, 47, is a Realtor and substitute teacher. She said the district can't wait around for the problems in state funding to be fixed.
"Firming up the district's finances requires careful examination of opportunities to reduce expenses utilizing strategic partnerships and long-term planning," Davis said.
"Education funding reforms will not come soon enough so our challenge is to do more with less, while trying to find more."
Kevin Knight
Candidate Kevin Knight, 37, a stay-at-home dad, said there are a lot of unknowns to consider before 2009 rolls around.
"In my business experience, I have found that there are creative ways of changing an operation that can impact the bottom line," Knight said.
"Just because we are already lean should not mean that we do not look for opportunities to do things better and eliminate waste."
Steven Calcaterra
Candidate Steven Calcaterra, 37, an attorney, said the board's projections do indicate deficit spending is in the future.
"Without either a major overhaul in the district or a referendum in 2009, the district will collapse financially," Calcaterra said.
IMHO the reason the 2009 referendum was delayed is a direct result of LACK OF NEW STUDENT GENERATION GROWTH which was "assumed" in order to garner support aka scare the voters. #1 factor that impacts district costs is number of students in the system.
April 3, 2007
By BRITT CARSON Staff Writer
AURORA -- In 2001, voters approved a 90-cent increase in the education fund at the Indian Prairie School District.
In 2009, residents might find themselves back at the polls with another increase on their hands.
A combination of state funding and an increasing number of students has Indian Prairie facing a difficult financial situation, said David Holm, assistant superintendent of business and finance.
In past building referendums, money was included for technology and large maintenance projects, such as new roofs. However, after the 2005 referendum failed, the School Board decided to go without the added funds and just ask voters to approve money for the construction of a third high school. The money for those projects must now be taken out of the regular budget.
"With that in mind, technology and maintenance repairs of buildings are two items that need to be addressed," Holm said.
Holm said the opening in 2009 of the 3,000-seat Metea Valley High School along 75th Street in Aurora also will mean more operational expenditures.
Another factor is a state funding formula that is based on the assessed valuation per student. Even though enrollment continues to increase, money from the state does not.
"While the number of students continues to grow, our general state aid has not grown accordingly," Holm said. "It has been flat, or even gone down some as well as our transportation reimbursement."
The board has not officially voted on a referendum for 2009 or set a timeline. They will leave that up to the new board after the April 17 election.
The seven candidates for the School Board have mixed views on the possibility of a 2009 referendum and how to get voters to approve such a measure.
Here's what the candidates had to say:
Leanne Lyons
Leanne Lyons, 42, is assistant principal at an elementary school in the Valley View School District.
She said Indian Prairie should pursue other options for revenue instead of going to the taxpayers. Those suggestions included selling naming rights to parts of the new high school, savings in delivery costs and renegotiating contracts with vendors.
"I think the public would support referendums clearly when all options to reduce spending have been explored," Lyons said.
Curt Bradshaw
Incumbent Curt Bradshaw, 34, is vice president for product strategy at Morgan Stanley.
He said the district already is operating at the lowest cost per student among the school districts in DuPage County.
"Our five-year plan shows that state funding reductions will require the district to have a 2009 referendum just to maintain our current level of excellence," Bradshaw said.
"The district should clearly describe the levels it can provide with and without a referendum and allow the voters to decide which option is right for our community."
Mark C. Metzger
Incumbent Mark Metzger, 42, is an attorney. He said the combination of growing students and lack of action at the state level about education funding means the district finds itself in a tough spot.
"Collectively, that means that our largest expense line item is growing at a rate greater than the growth of our principal source of revenue, even as our share of state money continues to decrease," Metzger said. "Mathematically, that will catch up and eventually spawn the need for another referendum."
Alka Tyle
Incumbent Alka Tyle, 43, a stay-at-home mom, said more students mean more staff and more expenditures. Combined with increasing standards from the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, those factors put more strain on the district.
"We need to collaborate with the community to earn their trust and support," Tyle said. "We need to increase the transparency of data to better educate the community on the current reality and projections for the future."
Michelle Davis
Candidate Michelle Davis, 47, is a Realtor and substitute teacher. She said the district can't wait around for the problems in state funding to be fixed.
"Firming up the district's finances requires careful examination of opportunities to reduce expenses utilizing strategic partnerships and long-term planning," Davis said.
"Education funding reforms will not come soon enough so our challenge is to do more with less, while trying to find more."
Kevin Knight
Candidate Kevin Knight, 37, a stay-at-home dad, said there are a lot of unknowns to consider before 2009 rolls around.
"In my business experience, I have found that there are creative ways of changing an operation that can impact the bottom line," Knight said.
"Just because we are already lean should not mean that we do not look for opportunities to do things better and eliminate waste."
Steven Calcaterra
Candidate Steven Calcaterra, 37, an attorney, said the board's projections do indicate deficit spending is in the future.
"Without either a major overhaul in the district or a referendum in 2009, the district will collapse financially," Calcaterra said.