[Vision2020] MSD financial condition

Dale Courtney dale@courtneys.us
Thu, 27 Mar 2003 12:43:55 -0800


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Someone forwarded me questions regarding inflation -- as if I ignorantly
were overlooking such a thing.=20
=20
If you follow the inflation-adjusted figures for the State of Idaho's
Education budget, State Appropriations for Idaho Government School =
funding
has grown at more than twice the rate of enrollment growth and =
inflation.=20
=20
Of course, you won't see that discussed anywhere now, will you?=20
=20
Best,
Dale



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


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D522483720-27032003>Someone forwarded me questions regarding =
inflation --=20
as if I ignorantly were overlooking such a thing. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff size=3D2></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DTahoma><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D522483720-27032003>If you follow the inflation-adjusted figures =
for the=20
State of Idaho's Education budget,&nbsp;State Appropriations for Idaho=20
Government School funding has grown at more than twice the rate of =
enrollment=20
growth and inflation. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DTahoma><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D522483720-27032003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV=
>
<DIV><FONT face=3DTahoma><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D522483720-27032003>Of course, you won't see <U>that</U> =
discussed anywhere=20
now, will you? </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DTahoma><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D522483720-27032003></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV=
>
<DIV><FONT face=3DTahoma><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D522483720-27032003>Best,</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>=

<DIV><FONT face=3DTahoma><FONT size=3D2><FONT face=3DArial><FONT =
color=3D#0000ff><SPAN=20
class=3D522483720-27032003>Dale</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff></FONT><BR></DIV></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=3Dltr=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
  <BLOCKQUOTE=20
  style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"></FONT>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2>Donovan,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</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=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=20
      you.&nbsp;State Funding&nbsp;has increased <U>every</U> year since =
1989,=20
      and is now at 170% 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 face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
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=20
      percent. </FONT></SPAN>
      <LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
      size=3D2>Can you tell me why total staff has increased 52% while =
the=20
      enrollment in Idaho has only increased 16 percent? </FONT></SPAN>
      <LI><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
      size=3D2>Do you know <U>why</U> the buildings/facilities at MSD =
are falling=20
      apart? Could it be that MSD <U>slashed</U> that part of the budget =
(by=20
      86.2%) while increasing support services 4 percent? What MSD did =
was to=20
      shift out $1,062,259 from facilities into instruction/support =
costs.=20
      Playing a cup game by shifting funds doesn't put the blame on the =
tax=20
      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=20
      costs? 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=20
    size=3D2>More to ponder. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2>I'd like to ask the local liberals to think out of the box =
for a=20
    while. Look at the numbers and deal with reality. You <U>cannot</U> =
ask the=20
    Moscow taxpayers to continue to increase property taxes (mine right =
at 50%=20
    for government school support) when the enrollment continues to =
decrease.=20
    </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2></FONT></SPAN>&nbsp;</DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2>Best,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
    <DIV><SPAN class=3D480491213-27032003><FONT face=3DArial =
color=3D#0000ff=20
    size=3D2>Dale</FONT></SPAN><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff=20
  size=3D2></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

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