[Vision2020] MSD financial condition
Dale Courtney
dale@courtneys.us
Thu, 27 Mar 2003 05:27:12 -0800
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Donovan,
=20
A couple comments:=20
* State funding for education has not, not, not been drastically cut.
That's a lie that someone has been feeding you. State Funding has =
increased
every year since 1989, and is now at 170% of the 1989 funding level.=20
* However, our student enrollment at MSD has been on a sharp decline
(390 students; 13% in 5 years). State funding is linked to the number of
students (duh!).=20
* Why has the cost of education significantly in creased over the last
10 years? Was it to increase our test scores? The test scores have =
decreased
every year for the last 13 years. In fact, it's down 7 percent.=20
* Can you tell me why total staff has increased 52% while the
enrollment in Idaho has only increased 16 percent?=20
* Do you know why the buildings/facilities at MSD are falling apart?
Could it be that MSD slashed that part of the budget (by 86.2%) while
increasing support services 4 percent? What MSD did was to shift out
$1,062,259 from facilities into instruction/support costs. Playing a cup
game by shifting funds doesn't put the blame on the tax payers?=20
* Riddle me this: Are buildings/facilities fixed costs or variable
costs? Are students fixed costs or variable costs?=20
More to ponder.=20
=20
I'd like to ask the local liberals to think out of the box for a while. =
Look
at the numbers and deal with reality. You cannot ask the Moscow =
taxpayers to
continue to increase property taxes (mine right at 50% for government =
school
support) when the enrollment continues to decrease.=20
=20
Best,
Dale
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com] =
On
Behalf Of Donovan Arnold
Sent: Wednesday, 26 March, 2003 22:44
To: dale@courtneys.us; vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] MSD financial condition
Dale,=20
The reason why education is hurting, regardless of the 5-10 students =
less
per grade between K-12 is four fold:
1) The state funding for education has been drastically cut. This means
that the local area governments must make for this difference. That =
means
the property owner.
2) The cost of education has significatly increased over the last ten =
years,
about 100-200%
3) Often times the number of students helps, not hurts, the education
districts because the state divides the amount of state aid according to =
the
population. If Moscow has a decrease in population and CD'A, Boise, =
Eagle,
and Sandpoint have an increase, Moscow get an even smaller percentage of =
the
state funding pie, this pie is also smaller.
4) The buildings and facilities are falling apart, it costs a great deal =
to
rebuild and maintain them.=20
I really think you need to do more research then looking at just =
government
documents that are often misleading or broken up into pieces that don't
always seem how they look. UI books are the worst, but Moscow does not =
keep
the greatest of records either. Budgets are tricky and complicated and =
other
only projected costs, a best guess so to speak. The only numbers that =
are
usually reliable and understandable are the ones that definitions and =
are
two or three years. Do you really think we have any idea as to how many
students there will be MSD in 2005 or 2006?
Donovan Arnold
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Donovan,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>A=20
couple comments: </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<UL>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>State=20
funding for education has <U>not</U>, <U>not</U>, =
<U>not</U></FONT><FONT=20
face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2><FONT color=3D#0000ff> been drastically =
cut. That's a=20
lie that someone has been feeding you. State Funding has =
increased=20
<U>every</U> year since 1989, and is now at 170% of the 1989 funding =
level.=20
</FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
size=3D2><FONT=20
color=3D#0000ff>However, our student enrollment at MSD has been on a =
sharp=20
decline (390 students; 13% in 5 years). State funding is linked to the =
number=20
of students (duh!). </FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003></SPAN><SPAN =
class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT=20
face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><U>Why</U> has the cost of =
education=20
significantly in creased over the last 10 years? Was it to increase =
our test=20
scores? The test scores have <U>decreased</U> <U>every</U> <U>year</U> =
for the=20
last 13 years. In fact, it's down 7 percent. </FONT></SPAN>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Can=20
you tell me why total staff has increased 52% while the enrollment in =
Idaho=20
has only increased 16 percent? </FONT></SPAN>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff size=3D2>Do=20
you know <U>why</U> the buildings/facilities at MSD are falling apart? =
Could=20
it be that MSD <U>slashed</U> that part of the budget (by 86.2%) while =
increasing support services 4 percent? What MSD did was to shift out=20
$1,062,259 from facilities into instruction/support costs. Playing a =
cup game=20
by shifting funds doesn't put the blame on the tax payers? =
</FONT></SPAN>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2>Riddle me this: Are buildings/facilities fixed costs or =
variable costs?=20
Are <U>students</U> fixed costs or variable costs?=20
</FONT></SPAN></LI></UL></FONT>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>More=20
to ponder. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>I'd=20
like to ask the local liberals to think out of the box for a while. Look =
at the=20
numbers and deal with reality. You <U>cannot</U> ask the Moscow =
taxpayers to=20
continue to increase property taxes (mine right at 50% for government =
school=20
support) when the enrollment continues to decrease. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Best,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Dale</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader lang=3Den-us dir=3Dltr =
align=3Dleft><FONT=20
face=3DTahoma size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com] <B>On =
Behalf=20
Of </B>Donovan Arnold<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, 26 March, 2003=20
22:44<BR><B>To:</B> dale@courtneys.us;=20
vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Vision2020] MSD =
financial=20
condition<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P>Dale, </P>
<P>The reason why education is hurting, regardless of the 5-10 =
students less=20
per grade between K-12 is four fold:</P>
<P>1) The state funding for education has been drastically cut. =
This=20
means that the local area governments must make for this difference. =
That=20
means the property owner.</P>
<P>2) The cost of education has significatly increased over the last =
ten=20
years, about 100-200%</P>
<P>3) Often times the number of students helps, not hurts, =
the education=20
districts because the state divides the amount of state aid according =
to the=20
population. If Moscow has a decrease in population and CD'A, Boise, =
Eagle, and=20
Sandpoint have an increase, Moscow get an even smaller percentage =
of the=20
state funding pie, this pie is also smaller.</P>
<P>4) The buildings and facilities are falling apart, it costs a great =
deal to=20
rebuild and maintain them. </P>
<P>I really think you need to do more research then looking at just =
government=20
documents that are often misleading or broken up into pieces that =
don't=20
always seem how they look. UI books are the worst, but Moscow =
does not=20
keep the greatest of records either. Budgets are tricky and =
complicated and=20
other only projected costs, a best guess so to speak. The only numbers =
that=20
are usually reliable and understandable are the ones that definitions =
and are=20
two or three years. Do you really think we have any idea as to how =
many=20
students there will be MSD in 2005 or 2006?</P>
<P>Donovan Arnold</P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff=20
size=3D2></FONT></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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