Comments on: How The School Bond Passed

By: JK

JK — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 02:59:21 +0000

What do you want to bet the teachers union will demand raises and the admin staff will do the same with the Board…..bet they do!

AND bet you we still see “repairs” that do not get done over the next 10 years. Somehow there is just never enough money to get everything fixed. Go figure.

By: joe Moran

joe Moran — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 22:52:57 +0000

Shades of GW Bush and Katherine Harris!! I have never dealt with so much dishonesty in any local political campaign in the USA as the one run by the boise school district on this bond issue. Libel,slander,disinformation, collusion of many city officials in what was really another developer’s dream plan to use the ” feel good” issue of schools to enrich themselves at Homeowner’s property -tax expense.

The dishonesty in holding bond friendly events in every polling place during voting and handing out pro- bond literture at the same time is an insult to voters. I asked both the city attorney and State A. G’s office to look into this illegal electioneering practice with no response.

By: Jon Q. Publique

Jon Q. Publique — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 20:53:32 +0000

Add to the $94 million in bond funds, the annual property tax levy (the highest school district levy in Ada County), the supplemental levy from which the $3 million that Auld and Beck spoke about comes from, an uncommitted reserve fund in excess of $10 million, and recent annual budget surpluses that range from $5 to $8 million and, yes, the District is awash in cash. Do we need oversight? Absolutely!

Financial accountability and overall management of the District were the points that Auld and Beck were hammering away at. The fact the District avoided those issues dealing with their opponents leads me to believe there is credibility to the issues raised by Auld and Beck.

Now is the time for district taxpayers to increase their oversight of District activities and demand better accountability. Trust the school district? Not really. Do your research. Ask hard, thoughtful questions. Don’t take the pat answer if it sounds funny to you. Ask to see the documentation – it probably won‘t exist.

By: Porcupine

Porcupine — Fri, 17 Mar 2006 20:50:25 +0000

I know the bond passed and it is a done deal, but take a look at what some innovative school districts are doing. I just want to share some highlights I ran across AFTER the election:

Many districts desperately need funds to rehab old schools or build anew and can’t or don’t want to hit up local property taxpayers for more $$.

–Installment financing. Greenville, S.C., created a nonprofit
that sells its own tax-exempt bonds, which are backed by insurance and the buildings themselves. Equity builds up as bonds are paid off. The plan let Greenville renovate 70 dilapidated schools in five years.
–Renting space to YMCAs and others during nonschool hours.
–Selling ads. A Washington school district sold naming rights
for a performing arts center to Ikea for $500,000. An insurance firm in Wis. got its name on two high school field houses for $650,000.
–Ad space on school buses and a middle school roof are for sale in one Texas school district. (Bake sales are just SO last century!)

By: boisecynic

boisecynic — Thu, 16 Mar 2006 23:09:15 +0000

Now that the bond has passed, I have a single word in mind. Oversight. Who’s going to make sure the Boise School District, now flush full of cash, isn’t going to spend frivolously, to put it mildly.

I can see it now, $5000 toilets with built in bidets. $3000 latest and greatest ergonomic desks etc. etc. Or am I just being cynical?

By: be

be — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 22:54:54 +0000

“My money! my money! my money!”

I’ve got a five year-old attending whitney elementary whose teacher is wonderful but whose facility is a disgrace. Our children deserve better. It’s refreshing to see Boiseans voting for community rather than: “my money! my money! my money!”

By: CYCLOPS

CYCLOPS — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:49:54 +0000

I don’t believe we are seeing the big picture here. We have just approved the biggest bond issue in the history of the district. This in a city that has FEWER students this year than last, and FEWER still projected in the future. Given that most of these projects are not due on line for 2-7 years, we seem to have just spent a boatload of money on shrinking class sizes.
If the school board honestly believes these projects will change the exodus to the suburbs, it’s time they share some of that stuff they have been smoking.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:14:56 +0000

At the risk of digressing a bit from the topic… I don’t know about Auld and Beck, but I DEFINITELY think of Dubya as very UNconservative, when it comes to fiscal matters. The current body of “elected public servants” in DC are spending like there’s no tomorrow! He may not be a “tax liberal,” but he’s got the “spend liberal” covered! (Teenager with his first credit card, indeed!)

By: osprey

osprey — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 20:13:24 +0000

Idaho Legislators are wiping their brows and pleased they dodged a bullet. Had the bond vote failed, the pressure for property tax reform would have heightened. With Boise and Twin Falls schools succcess in bond elections, legislators will think they can skate by for another year.

Dr. Blues is correct. The campaign was won in the trenches and not exclusively through the media or blogs. And it was more than the school social functions and information sent home to mom and dad. An unseen force behind the yes vote were the efforts of the BSU football fans who want the track moved to East Jr. High so the field can be lowered and additional seating constructed. The bond money makes it possible to move East to Harris Ranch. Some of these folks spent time and money on door to door work in west Boise. I would like to reward them with a cold one at their next tail gate function.

ED NOTE–Osprey, I forgot to include the BSU angle. You are spot on…Go Broncos!

By: tam

tam — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 19:33:27 +0000

There is no question the School District played musical classrooms to show the quantifiable need for more space, especially when they just finished a whole media blitz on declining numbers of students. There is also no question that both Beck and Auld are notorious for getting wires crossed when trying to make their point.

The only thing that REALLY bothered me because it went directly to the credibility of the District, was their claim that all the social extravaganzas HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ELECTION. Face it folks, we live in a climate where there is No room for apathy. If you want it, you better get out and vote for it. If you don’t want it, you better get out and vote no. The old days of leaving it to those with more time, are over. The District figured that out and loaded up the schools with patrons who were a ready and willing constituency. I doubt they realize the accountabiliy that will come with this bond. It may have been lacking with past bond measures.