[Vision2020] School Levy Issues

[Tom Ivie]

As for the high paying jobs at the UI, I don't think the Administration has been cut, nor any Dean positions been consolidated.  Revenue?  What constitutes revenue? tuition? grant money?  medical funding excluded, the UI does just as well in the grant department as UW- not bad for a school the size of the UI. The size of the student population varies from year to year.  You make it sound like the UI is dwindling -NOT SO.  It is down one tenth of one percent this year.  However, the quality of student has actually increased -based on entrance scores, HS GPA, etc.  It is a fact that the UI student population is directly correlated to the economy.  When the economy is good, the population is down.  When the economy is bad, the population goes up.  
   
  Lastly, the property taxes have gone down in the last couple of years. Thanks to a higher homeowner exemption and the state taking over the M&O of schools through the 1 cent sales tax increase.  If this levy does pass, my property taxes still won't be as high as they were.  Was thre Hamilton money spent like I would have wanted it to be?  It wasn't my money but a plan would have been nice to stick to.  However, my I and my family still use it willingly. What about the swimming pool bond? I didn't get the same pool that I felt I voted for.  I still pay for it and I and my family still use it willingly.  

Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
    First of all, I want to disclose that I don't vote anymore, so my opinion matters little beyond this forum, however, I want to point out some concerns I have about the levy. 
   
  1) Can Moscow afford such a huge tax increase when you consider the already huge amount of taxes the state has been levying against its people? Can if afford a tax increase when it has lost lots of high paying jobs at UI and LHS? Can if afford a tax increase when UI has lost revenue and students that support the community? Can if afford a tax increase as the nation heads into a possible deep recession, climbing gas prices, and rising college education costs that will further reduce student attendance? According to the Idaho Department of Labor, there are only about 30 job listing in the city that pay over $10 an hour that are full time. Is that enough to keep Moscow's economy humming? 
   
  2) Are we sure that the $2,000,000 dollars that will be going to MSD will be spent properly and on things that will best benefit student achievement and success? Is MSD going to spend it wisely?
   
  3) Finally, I ask, is MSD going to include all students in its education program, including those Vocational students, or just pour more money into academia and college bound students? 
   
  4) Can you afford a 20% tax increase?
   
  If the answer to any of these is no, then I believe that is the way people should cast their ballot if they vote. If the answer to the question is yes, then that is they way they should vote. 
   
  Best,
   
  Donovan
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Tom & Liz Ivie
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