[Vision2020] MSD financial condition
Tom Hansen
thansen@moscow.com
Thu, 27 Mar 2003 05:52:47 -0800
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MessageYes, Mr. Courtney. The education budget has increased over that past
ten years. And this would probably be more than sufficient to maintain our
current school system.
I am certain that you have attended at least one economics class. You were
probably home sick when the class discussed inflation.
Tom Hansen
-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]On
Behalf Of Dale Courtney
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 5:27 AM
To: vision2020@moscow.com
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] MSD financial condition
Donovan,
A couple comments:
a.. 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.
b.. 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!).
c.. 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.
d.. Can you tell me why total staff has increased 52% while the
enrollment in Idaho has only increased 16 percent?
e.. 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?
f.. Riddle me this: Are buildings/facilities fixed costs or variable
costs? Are students fixed costs or variable costs?
More to ponder.
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.
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,
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.
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><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D094524813-27032003>Yes, Mr.=20
Courtney. The education budget has increased over that past ten=20
years. And this would probably be more than sufficient to maintain =
our=20
current school system.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D094524813-27032003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN class=3D094524813-27032003>I =
am certain that=20
you have attended at least one economics class. You were probably =
home=20
sick when the class discussed inflation.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D094524813-27032003></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN class=3D094524813-27032003>Tom =
Hansen</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: =
0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
<DIV align=3Dleft class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> =
vision2020-admin@moscow.com=20
[mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Dale=20
Courtney<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 27, 2003 5:27 =
AM<BR><B>To:</B>=20
vision2020@moscow.com<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Vision2020] MSD =
financial=20
condition<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>Donovan,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial size=3D2>A=20
couple comments: </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<UL>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>State funding for education has <U>not</U>, <U>not</U>,=20
<U>not</U></FONT><FONT face=3DArial><FONT size=3D2><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff> been=20
drastically cut. That's a lie that someone has been feeding =
you. State=20
Funding has increased <U>every</U> year since 1989, and is now =
at 170%=20
of the 1989 funding level. </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=20
number of students (duh!). </FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003></SPAN><SPAN=20
class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial =
size=3D2><U>Why</U>=20
has the cost of education significantly in creased over the last 10 =
years?=20
Was it to increase our test scores? The test scores have =
<U>decreased</U>=20
<U>every</U> <U>year</U> for the last 13 years. In fact, it's down 7 =
percent. </FONT></SPAN>
<LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial 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 color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial 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=20
increasing support services 4 percent? What MSD did was to shift out =
$1,062,259 from facilities into instruction/support costs. Playing a =
cup=20
game by shifting funds doesn't put the blame on the tax payers?=20
</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=20
costs? Are <U>students</U> fixed costs or variable costs?=20
</FONT></SPAN></LI></UL></FONT>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial size=3D2>More=20
to ponder. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial size=3D2>I'd=20
like to ask the local liberals to think out of the box for a while. =
Look at=20
the numbers and deal with reality. You <U>cannot</U> ask the Moscow =
taxpayers=20
to continue to increase property taxes (mine right at 50% for =
government=20
school support) when the enrollment continues to decrease.=20
</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>Best,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT color=3D#0000ff =
face=3DArial=20
size=3D2>Dale</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr =
lang=3Den-us><FONT=20
face=3DTahoma size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B>=20
vision2020-admin@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-admin@moscow.com] =
<B>On=20
Behalf 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,=20
the education districts because the state divides the amount of =
state=20
aid according to the population. If Moscow has a decrease in =
population and=20
CD'A, Boise, Eagle, and Sandpoint have an increase, Moscow get an =
even=20
smaller percentage of the state funding pie, this pie is also=20
smaller.</P>
<P>4) The buildings and facilities are falling apart, it costs a =
great deal=20
to rebuild and maintain them. </P>
<P>I really think you need to do more research then looking at just=20
government documents that are often misleading or broken up =
into pieces=20
that don't always seem how they look. UI books are the worst, =
but=20
Moscow does not keep the greatest of records either. Budgets are =
tricky and=20
complicated and other only projected costs, a best guess so to =
speak. The=20
only numbers that are usually reliable and understandable are the =
ones that=20
definitions and are two or three years. Do you really think we have =
any idea=20
as to how many students there will be MSD in 2005 or 2006?</P>
<P>Donovan Arnold</P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#0000ff face=3DArial=20
size=3D2></FONT></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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