My office is in a NE Cincinnati suburb of Loveland. Our community is in the throws of a civil war with the school system surrounding school district funding. Mind you, we just past a giant tax increase in this community last year. Parents are upset with people who have decided to place huuuge anti tax banners in their front yards.
I was reading this article in the paper. Now I am a product of public schools but yet I still have some intelligent questions such as
1) The current budget of 36 million supports 4470 students; that's $8054 per student. The levy will increase the budget by 6 million. That will put per student spending at $9,400/student. That seems like a lot of money to me.
2) The school district fired their previous Treasurer for financial improprieties that the state auditor is investigating (she was under suspension with pay since September). Her annual salary was $113,000 per year plus benefits. It seems to me that you should be able to hire a treasurer and a teacher for that much money.
3) Our community has seen an increase in enrollment as everybody is fleeing Progress City for a good life in the suburbs. But this is what I do not understand.
Prior to development of a residential community you have farm land which pays very little in the way of property taxes ( and you have little in the way of school enrollment).When you subdivide that property for homes, yes, you now have an increase in school enrollment; but you also have an increase in your tax base from development of the property. Especially here in Loveland where we are not talking about subsidized housing development but homes ranging from 200 - 500k.
If the additional tax base cannot support the additional stress on your infrastructure, why do you allow the development in the first place?
It looks like this community is on it's way to the war Milford schools is having with it's residents and it's not pretty.
4 comments:
Taxman --
It is "throes." As -- in the throes of a civil war. Not throws. Though, I suppose, that people in a civil war are prone to throw things at each other. Sounds like you are saying not all is lovey dovey in Loveland. Too bad, Valentine's Day is just around the corner.
What can I say.... I am a product of the public skool system.
Well then, we need to THROW more money at the school system. Lord knows that always works.
I just wonder how many $100,000 plus employees work for a school system of 4500 kids.
I can't seem to find any good resources that show the school system budgets.
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