<DIV>Andreas, </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I agree with you that the state should mostly fund education. However, I disagree with you on the federal and local funding issues. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When a state takes federal funding it becomes dependent on it, and is then required to follow its incompetent unfunded mandated plans like "No Child Left Behind."</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On the local level, I think that people in a community have every right to give their own money to education. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I would agree with a formula though on how state funding is allocated based on wealth of the community. I disagree with federal matching because that magnifies and intensifies the differences in the poorer and richer districts. You are going to give a million dollars to a rich neighborhood, but only 200,000 to a poor one because that is all it could raise? I think federal funding should be used to
equalize the poorer public school systems. </DIV> <DIV><BR>I also think a better way to go is to incorporate school vouchers, or refund a portion of the cost of educating a child to a private institution. This would increase funding for public school on a per child basis, leaving more money for those that are poorer of disadvantaged. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Donovan <BR><BR><B><I>Andreas Schou <ophite@gmail.com></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">G --<BR><BR>Farankly, this entire mess could be avoided by funding education<BR>straight from the state coffers, with a federal match, with funding<BR>determined on a per-student basis, rather than a "how rich the parents<BR>are" basis. Until that's done, equality of educational opportunity in<BR>this country will be simply laughable.<BR><BR>-- ACS<BR><BR>On 5/11/07, g.
crabtree <JAMPOT@ADELPHIA.NET>wrote:<BR>><BR>><BR>> Tom, your argument with regard to the president works wonderfully to<BR>> illustrate the patent unfairness of the MSD's supplemental levy scheme for<BR>> obtaining additional funds. Every four years you get an opportunity to elect<BR>> yourself a new national leader. Even if you fail, the scoundrel is out in<BR>> eight years no matter what. With the levy, once its in its in forever.<BR>> Perfectly reasonable people who, for reasons of their own, are not in favor<BR>> of the tax increase must be constantly voting to keep the increases at bay.<BR>> Those in favor must only get lucky once and the rest of the community is put<BR>> upon into perpetuity. Plus, if the levy fails the district simply wears down<BR>> the voters by marginally reducing the amount they ask for and coming back<BR>> again and again until they finally succeed. Once they establish the new,<BR>> albeit slightly
lower bonus they simply come back with their hand out a<BR>> little sooner then they might have had the original levy passed and start<BR>> the whole nightmare over again. To establish a modicum of fairness in this<BR>> process the levy's should:<BR>><BR>> A. Sunset after a given number of years. (If Moscow's economy were to<BR>> seriously tank, property values plummet and school district enrolment<BR>> numbers shrink drastically, do you really think we should be bound by levy's<BR>> from the distant past?)<BR>><BR>> B. Require at least a 60% or greater voter approval. (I'd prefer 75%)<BR>><BR>> C. Be put to a single vote at regularly scheduled elections (to avoid voter<BR>> fatigue and cherry picking election dates)<BR>><BR>> g<BR>><BR>> ----- Original Message -----<BR>> From: Tom Ivie<BR>> To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> Sent: Friday, May 11, 2007 9:31 AM<BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Taxpayer
Rights<BR>><BR>> I thought about this for a little while and decided that it is much like<BR>> voting for a President. Someone elected without a "mandate" can still<BR>> become President (Clinton). A "simple" majority (even if decided by a<BR>> court) can still make you President (Bush II). When we vote, those of us 18<BR>> and older, are voting for those who can't yet vote (those not 18 and not yet<BR>> legal to vote yet -as in immigrants). But they have to live with the outcome<BR>> of that vote until the next opportunity arises that they MAY be able to vote<BR>> if they have become of age or legal to vote -become a U.S. citizen.<BR>><BR>> Donovan Arnold <DONOVANJARNOLD2005@YAHOO.COM>wrote:<BR>><BR>> The Wietz lawsuit raises some important questions in my mind, particularly<BR>> regarding taxpayers and their rights.<BR>><BR>> Is it fair, first off, to have a vote to pay taxes for an indefinite amount<BR>> of time? Seems
rather unfair, voting to tax people in the future that have<BR>> not been given the right to decide what tax level they feel is fair. Being<BR>> told, "People in the past already voted and so you don't get to decide,<BR>> ever, unless of course you want to raise the tax rate."--hardly seems<BR>> reasonable to me.<BR>><BR>> Second, at what point is the minority tax payer able to rebel against the<BR>> taxes levied upon him/her by the majority? What rights do they have to<BR>> protect them from out right exploitation and thievery by the tax levying<BR>> democratic majority?<BR>><BR>> Third, are property taxes even fair or just? Taxing people on where they<BR>> live, even knocking those on fixed incomes right outta their homes?<BR>><BR>> Finally, placing the entire burden of running schools, the largest expense,<BR>> squarely on the back of property owners seems rather harsh, is not greatly<BR>> unjust.<BR>><BR>> What do
you think? Am I wrong to think that there should be some limits<BR>> placed on what the democratic majority can do to the minority taxpayer that<BR>> just feels completely robbed and stripped of the fruits of their hard labor?<BR>> Is it possible Gerry Wietz and other feel the same way?<BR>><BR>> Best,<BR>><BR>> Donovan<BR>> ________________________________<BR>> Ahhh...imagining that irresistible "new car" smell?<BR>> Check out new cars at Yahoo! Autos.<BR>> =======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>> http://www.fsr.net<BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> =======================================================<BR>><BR>><BR>> ________________________________<BR>> The fish are biting.<BR>> Get more visitors on your site using Yahoo! Search Marketing.<BR>><BR>>
________________________________<BR>><BR>><BR>> =======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>> http://www.fsr.net<BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> =======================================================<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> =======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>> http://www.fsr.net<BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> =======================================================<BR>><BR><BR>=======================================================<BR>List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>http://www.fsr.net
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