The WTA was organized for the purpose of creating a unified taxpayer voice within the community.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Municipal Property Tax Increases
This does not include the 5% property tax increase from the Waterford Graded School District. It also doesn't include tax increases from the High School, County or Gateway Technical College.
Source: Racine Journal Times
13 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Why the heck is the Town of Waterford raising taxes by 3% in times like this? WTF don't these people get!
It is apparent that the Waterford Graded School District administration/board still does not get it. Even as they are meeting to decide which programs and staff to cut, they are testing individual laptops for students. There is talk of replacing verbal announcements with flat screen televisions in the hallways for announcements. This goes to the focus on technology of this administration. Shouldn’t the focus be on the students and how to keep the wonderful programs and staff they now have? Students do not, for the majority, teach themselves, nor does technology do the teaching. Yet the focus on cutting spending revolves around the teaching staff and programs. There is also talk about changing to another administrative computer program, not an inexpensive concept. After years of using Skyward and spending a great deal of money for their support, is this really a necessary expense at this time? There is also continued spending on new curricula that likely could have waited a year or two to replace. It would be interesting to see the report sent to the state regarding how the stimulus money given the district saved jobs. That money was spent on purchasing Smartboards. Why not post this form on the website for some transparency. How did that really save jobs and benefit our students? Was this something could not be done without? It’s just more fluff that looks impressive to the outside. Full time aide vacancies have been filled with part time people other than those whose jobs were cut. A long term substitute office aide position has been filled by an outside person instead of one of the qualified people on lay off. How does this make sense? How much money was actually saved by cutting nine of the lowest paid people? Some did not even take the insurance, so that benefit cannot be considered a savings. Then they hired more part time staff, so that cost has to be added back in. It was basically a token gesture. How about saving some REAL money by paring down a top heavy, expensive administration, as Mr. Beyerl has suggested. This district is still operating without transparency. This was something the board was going to work on. However they have dragged out making a decision on videotaping board meetings, postings of agendas on the website are often unable to be opened, and committee meetings that the public is supposedly welcome to attend are posted last minute and held in a small conference effectively deterring anyone else from attending. These are public meetings with supposedly open records. Why is this a problem? It has been time to distinguish between want and need for some time now. Although the salary size of the administrators has protected them from the recession, they need to look beyond themselves to those of us who have had to cut back and realize there are people in this community that cannot pay their bills, have been foreclosed on, and worry about how to feed their families. We are counting on our elected school board to do right by the students AND the taxpayers.
I don't understand why everyone is against educating our children. As we cut the budget and lay off staff, the children are the ones who will suffer. Doesn't anyone get that? If you have a problem with admistrative salaries/benefits, why wasn't that taken care of when their contracts were up for renewal? PLEASE let's give our children the best education we can, they deserve it.
I don't think anyone is saying that they don't want the best education for our children. It's the cost of providing that education that has people concerned. The salaries for the administrators and teachers has been a concern for a long time and has been questioned many times. When has the teachers union ever accepted concessions? NEVER!!! Any mention of wage freezes or contributing to health insurance and they threaten to strike. From the previous post it's apparent that the spending has gotten out of control. They spend so much time and money trying to "fix" things that aren't broken. Do taxpayers realize that over 50% of their tax dollars go to schools? When is enough enough?
Freezing salaries is not what is on the table. Cutting our students programming and extra curriculars is what's happening. This is taken directly from the Waterford Post.
Salaries are set for now, you can't change them. It is a mute point, for now.
...the post above....but those are the suggestions we have made and you say that we "are against educating our children." We clearly are not, but the amount of spending has very little to do with the quality of education, and none of the recommendations/ideas we have mentioned are against education. They are common sense and fiscally responsible approaches.
Cutting programs is easier than freezing salaries, that's how the administration works. That way they can take the focus off their salaries and make parents feel guilty for cuts in programs. The teachers received a 3.8% increase. Do you think any of them offered to pass on the increase in order to save some programs? I doubt it.
Unfortunately the teachers union did request a 3.8% increase in salaries/benefits each of the next two years. This will increase the budget a few hundred thousand dollars each year and is a direct correlation to why programs and staff need to be cut. (or taxes raised again).
If salaries were froze then fewer or no programs would be cut.
Due to the pro-union stance of the current state democrats any attempts to freeze salaries would be overridden by an arbitrator who doesn't even have to consider the current economy as a major part of their decision.
Of course all of this is brought on by the Democrat's reducing aid to schools while increasing spending else where (or their wish if they can collect enough tax recenue).
Vote Walker in to office and a lot of these issues can be fixed.
13 comments:
Why the heck is the Town of Waterford raising taxes by 3% in times like this? WTF don't these people get!
Looks like the Village of Waterford and Raymond did a good job!
What about the school districts? What was their increase? They make up over 50% of the tax bill.
It is apparent that the Waterford Graded School District administration/board still does not get it. Even as they are meeting to decide which programs and staff to cut, they are testing individual laptops for students. There is talk of replacing verbal announcements with flat screen televisions in the hallways for announcements. This goes to the focus on technology of this administration. Shouldn’t the focus be on the students and how to keep the wonderful programs and staff they now have? Students do not, for the majority, teach themselves, nor does technology do the teaching. Yet the focus on cutting spending revolves around the teaching staff and programs.
There is also talk about changing to another administrative computer program, not an inexpensive concept. After years of using Skyward and spending a great deal of money for their support, is this really a necessary expense at this time?
There is also continued spending on new curricula that likely could have waited a year or two to replace.
It would be interesting to see the report sent to the state regarding how the stimulus money given the district saved jobs. That money was spent on purchasing Smartboards. Why not post this form on the website for some transparency. How did that really save jobs and benefit our students? Was this something could not be done without? It’s just more fluff that looks impressive to the outside.
Full time aide vacancies have been filled with part time people other than those whose jobs were cut. A long term substitute office aide position has been filled by an outside person instead of one of the qualified people on lay off. How does this make sense? How much money was actually saved by cutting nine of the lowest paid people? Some did not even take the insurance, so that benefit cannot be considered a savings. Then they hired more part time staff, so that cost has to be added back in. It was basically a token gesture. How about saving some REAL money by paring down a top heavy, expensive administration, as Mr. Beyerl has suggested.
This district is still operating without transparency. This was something the board was going to work on. However they have dragged out making a decision on videotaping board meetings, postings of agendas on the website are often unable to be opened, and committee meetings that the public is supposedly welcome to attend are posted last minute and held in a small conference effectively deterring anyone else from attending. These are public meetings with supposedly open records. Why is this a problem?
It has been time to distinguish between want and need for some time now. Although the salary size of the administrators has protected them from the recession, they need to look beyond themselves to those of us who have had to cut back and realize there are people in this community that cannot pay their bills, have been foreclosed on, and worry about how to feed their families.
We are counting on our elected school board to do right by the students AND the taxpayers.
12/15/09,,,Very well said!
I don't understand why everyone is against educating our children. As we cut the budget and lay off staff, the children are the ones who will suffer. Doesn't anyone get that? If you have a problem with admistrative salaries/benefits, why wasn't that taken care of when their contracts were up for renewal? PLEASE let's give our children the best education we can, they deserve it.
I don't think anyone is saying that they don't want the best education for our children. It's the cost of providing that education that has people concerned. The salaries for the administrators and teachers has been a concern for a long time and has been questioned many times. When has the teachers union ever accepted concessions? NEVER!!! Any mention of wage freezes or contributing to health insurance and they threaten to strike.
From the previous post it's apparent that the spending has gotten out of control. They spend so much time and money trying to "fix" things that aren't broken.
Do taxpayers realize that over 50% of their tax dollars go to schools? When is enough enough?
To the 12/21 6:25 PM poster. Please answer the following questions for me. I am not trying to be a smart alec or anything like that.
But please...
How would freezing the teacher, admin, and support staff salaries for 2 years hurt the education of our children?
How would privatizing the janitorial and groundskeeping staff hurt the education of our children?
How would increased insurance premium contributions from staff hurt the education of our children?
I look forward to your reply.
Freezing salaries is not what is on the table. Cutting our students programming and extra curriculars is what's happening. This is taken directly from the Waterford Post.
Salaries are set for now, you can't change them. It is a mute point, for now.
Programs that are cut will not come back.
...the post above....but those are the suggestions we have made and you say that we "are against educating our children." We clearly are not, but the amount of spending has very little to do with the quality of education, and none of the recommendations/ideas we have mentioned are against education. They are common sense and fiscally responsible approaches.
Cutting programs is easier than freezing salaries, that's how the administration works. That way they can take the focus off their salaries and make parents feel guilty for cuts in programs. The teachers received a 3.8% increase. Do you think any of them offered to pass on the increase in order to save some programs? I doubt it.
You are missing the point.
The school board is cutting student programs and student extra curriculars.
Any discussion of salaries is a mute point as it is not on the table. Good or bad, it is not on the table.
They are cutting student programs.
When teacher/administrator salaries come up again, then is the time to go to board meetings and give your input.
But right NOW, they are cutting student programs and extra curriculars.
BTW, I am a WGSD employee who did not receive a raise this year. So not everyone received one. And I am not complaining, just stating a fact.
Unfortunately the teachers union did request a 3.8% increase in salaries/benefits each of the next two years. This will increase the budget a few hundred thousand dollars each year and is a direct correlation to why programs and staff need to be cut. (or taxes raised again).
If salaries were froze then fewer or no programs would be cut.
Due to the pro-union stance of the current state democrats any attempts to freeze salaries would be overridden by an arbitrator who doesn't even have to consider the current economy as a major part of their decision.
Of course all of this is brought on by the Democrat's reducing aid to schools while increasing spending else where (or their wish if they can collect enough tax recenue).
Vote Walker in to office and a lot of these issues can be fixed.
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