Post by doctorwho on Apr 16, 2011 15:34:32 GMT -6
Doc, I must disagree with you regarding the 10% but not in the way you phrased your answer. To expect 1% let alone 10% to know the answers you posed above would be a stretch. But because they do not know the answer to every detail you noted does not make them ill informed (in my book).
I suspect most voters have put to rest both the enrollment #'s (or lack there of) and the building of the third high school and its eventual cost. Most voters are looking for a dollar amount on a yearly basis... THAT IS IT.... NOTHING MORE. And I contend that the district did a superb job in telling the general public JUST THAT. The voting public could care less that the increased number is going out another 10 years plus. Again ask your neighbors / friends or anyone how much their real estate taxes are per year (the reply will probably be a monthly # at best). Then ask how much of that amount goes for education, then the split between COD state and district 204. If anyone is left standing ask for the breakdown for pensions of each said district. Then if there is anyone left standing ask how much the taxes for education has gone up as a % of the total tax bill in the last 10 years. If you have anyone left standing ask for a further breakdown as to how much has the pension portion gone up in the last decade.
I know I do not have the answers to these concerns and I suspect the only guy on green or "old Blue" that has the answers would be Big Mac.
It was not that long ago that one's real estate bill had the break down for pensions and the % change year over year. I have noticed that on my bill this is no longer the case (last 4-6 years).
This does not make the average voter uninformed unless one is going to conclude that the average voter does not have a clue to the basics of finance.
I am glad you consider them not ill informed- but I think knowing at some level why your $124M was spent- and oh yeah another $23M on top of that would be kinda important.
I would think knowing potentially life threatening safety issues where you place 2500 kids is kinda important
Most voters SSSM DO NOT know the issue with the attendance projections and reality- in order to let it go-- I stick by 10% would be high. And since that was supposedly Reason #1 for $150M expenditure I view it as more than important to know
They told them where their tax burden was ( although hiding the fact their actual bill could surely rise more than projected ) - and that they had overspent severely from a surplus we used to have
This is a great tactic for liars - which I contend they are- and no that is not too strong a word.
They put loan sharks in jail for similar things- they tell the people what their monthly payment is- but never really explain late fees/ interest rate and how much they will pay for something in the long run, and other consequences/. So basically our SB did exactly that - great.
While the way you phrase it SSSM works just well for liars and thieves and I do not deny that it does[/i]- you are corect -- imagine what upstanding/honest servants of the public could have done.
The same holds true the other way-- instead of 'selling bullshit' as they did - imagine for a minute your same crowd you want me to talk to- and they got up and explained everything truthfully up front-- do you not think people would have listened ?
If they gather all 204 in auditoriums and said-- in order-- ( and now imagine as the tone of the audience changes with each passing statement-- and they could have done each and every one of these-IF they were honest servants.
1/ we are going to build a 3rd high school for 10,400 students in 2009 and 11,000 in 2012 ..however we KNOW there will never be more than 8900 -- is that an issue ?
2/ We can handle the 'bubble' of students easily by adding 600 seats to NV at a cost of $12M-- however we'd really really like to spend 10 times that so we're going to ask you for $124M- OK ?
3/ I am going to tell everyone that the HS will be at Brach Brodie- and tell them not to worry, we are so sure we will even draw up boundaries that we will say will never -ever change to support that before the ref vote because we know you voted no last time--- however we really have no idea if this is going to fly or not - OK ?
4/ We are going to ask for $124M - however we know full well we need significantly more than that so we are going to take general funds and secure bond issues with favorable rates to cover another $20-$25M..after all the SD is cash rich anyway.- no problem ?
5/ We are still concerned about the vote though- so we are going to hire a PR firm that specializes in getting referendums passed-- not assessing the need for them- just getting them passed. Their methods may be a little controversial if you view their website-- so we may pit neighbor against neighbor to get this done- I am sure you won't mind
6/ Well lets assume we now have our money- but we really really would like to put the school elsewhere. Now a central location and the safest piece of land in the district is fine, but hell- everyone does that-- what say you we seek a piece of land in the furthest corner of the district, and we'll bus the crap out of some areas to get there. Well also plan ahead to socio- engineer the school to fit what we want it to be - OK ?
7/ OK- we found the land, now pay no attention to the fact that 2 years ago it was not fit to build a high school on- we've changed out minds. 3 main gas feeder pipelines- electrical wires and peaker plants, railroad tracks and a little ground polution not withstanding, we've found our new property. WE are so sure what it is worth we will skip a formal appraisal and just pay x amount because we are also real estate experts ( and bussing and bridge experts as well) you know-- I am sure you won't mind..
see where I'm headed- by this point most reasonable people in the district would have taken back control of their SB and monies -- and escorted the people who would present this out of town...
so you can say, most people don't care-- they don't care because they were never told the truth. If they were- things would be different
call me naive but I actually expected the truth , not a pack of lies...