Politics of the Low Turnout
Much has been written this past month about the proposed Raytown School District Property Tax increase. And well it should. The increase is the largest ever proposed for the District. It is not a bond with life cycle that will eventually end, but a continuing tax that will be levied on the homes of all the patrons living within the Raytown School District indefinitely.
One thing is all too clear, the current School District Administration has set aside the needs of the teachers.
If what has been written to this blog is accurate, and much of it has been verified, they have needlessly squandered valuable tax dollars that could have gone to paying salary increases to the teachers.
Purchases like the old Raytown Sewing Machine Building located next to Raytown High School. The building is in such poor condition that it is expected to be demolished rather than repaired.
The annual Royals junket and other amenities should not come before paying teachers a living salary. Neither should the District be paying to hold annual “bonding outings" for teachers outside of the School District. They could bond just as well at either high school. The policy of rewarding school children with payments of $100 for perfect attendance during summer school also has questionable value. The huge cost over-runs the District is experiencing on new construction are not the fault of the taxpayers.
Before the School District receives any additional money from taxpayers they should get their house in order. They should find a way to give the teachers a pay increase without raising the levy.
The proposed property tax increase will hit hardest on those who can afford it the least – the elderly living on fixed incomes, young families just starting out, and small businesses. Walmart and HyVee will not be greatly affected. They have tax abatements in place to protect their bottom dollar.
Proponents of the tax increase are using a time proven tactic in their campaign. They are targeting their voters and hoping against hope that a low turnout will allow them to sneak the election through. You will not see any offers for public debate this election. Look for a steady diet of “feel good stories” in the newspapers that read more like front page editorials endorsing the tax increase. A smattering of signs, a lot of telephone calls targeting their base – and before you know it, a new tax placed on the shoulders of the taxpayers.
How to stop the tax increase and send a very clear message to the School District to clean up their act is equally as simple.
When election day arrives, don’t forget to vote. Remind a good friend, your father, mother, brother, or sister, to take the few minutes needed to cast a vote. Your vote could very well make a difference for two reasons.
With little else on the ballot (only a mildly contested school board race in Raytown) it will not take much to turn the tide.
The Kansas City portion of the School District is another story. There is a lot on the ballot there. Including a tax question on the Metro Bus service and a controversial ban on smoking. How those issues will affect turnout and votes are yet to be seen.
Hillary Should Stay in . . .
In the waning days of the primary season before the August Democratic Convention, political commentators will have much to say about whether or not Hillary Rodham Clinton should stay in the race for president.
Barrack Obama currently holds a 139 delegate lead (according to CNN News). But with over ten states left to make their choices, a little less than half of the super-delegates still unpledged, and party rules that allow delegates to vote contrary to primary results, it would be foolish of her not to finish the race.
As Yogi Berra, that great master of the English language and former catcher for the New York Yankees once said, “it ain’t over until it’s over”.
Win or lose, Hillary Clinton should finish the race she started.
Comments
Looks like you've had your cake, and now you have to sleep in it.
I hope those who wrote letters here also sent them to the local papers for the general public to read. I don't know about the readership of the Raytown Report but I think it is limited to a group with a sincere interest in the community. The general public needs to be reached too.
Dennis Rich wrote here a couple of weeks ago that the Post received only letters for the tax increase and none against. After he wrote that, I made sure that was no longer a true statement by sending in my letter. What is really strange is that the magority of posts here are against. It seems like two different groups of people to me. One group thinks money will buy anything and the other group realizes the problem is in management of the money no matter how much or how little it is.
Andy Whiteman
We have lost terrific music teachers due to the Raytown schools having department budgets in the 100’s where other schools have budgets 1,000’s.
I agree that the school administration and board need to show they can cut back on all extras before they go asking for more money. Are their expenditures public record?
Where is the money that the riverboat casinos promised to provide for the schools?
As for the "something" in 2006, it was a bond issue for capital improvements including a new elementary school and renovation of an existing building to add a new middle school. Despite what 99% of the people on this blog believe, the additional space is needed. If you don't believe, go darken the hallways of the schools and see for yourself. Don't forget to go to the middle schools and take the trip outside to visit the trailers that are being used as classrooms.
The district is getting the additional room that they need with the new elementary school, building additions, and renovated middle school, so the trailers will disappear, while sacrificing safety of students and faculty. (Shoddy non union workmanship) you get what you pay for.
Darkened hallways??? Turn on the light switch Einstein. There used to be a lot more kids per classroom years ago than there are now, and the teachers still whine about there being too many in their class now. Give me a break!
I agree that the teachers deserve a pay raise/living wage, and the higher ups like principals, directors, assistant superintendents, superintendent, do not need raises. And the school board needs a new, clean slate of people who are RESPONSIBLE enough to handle million dollar decisions instead of the party that is there now.
school tax increase. I have always been of the opinion that
schools, teachers and the children are the most important
thing in our lives. Without teachers we would all be lost.
I still believe this. I believe in the schools and the teachers.
I don't however have much faith in the school board.
It's as though they didn't pay attention in school themselves.
Particularly in math or social studies.
We, well, most of us learn the value of a dollar early on and
we are told time after time that money doesn't grow on trees.
It appears this was not learned by the Raytown School Board.
They know they can go back to the money tree and get a new
crop of your money anytime they put it on a ballot.
In a way they are like politicians. They will promise to use the money for teachers and equipment for the children to get your vote, then spend it any way they see fit. It has been proven
over and over again.
If this passes it is our own fault. We will be saying, go ahead
spend all you want and if that's not enough, come back in a few
years and we will give you more.
Shame on us!
Money for teachers' salaries has not been requested by the district in many many years. When money was requested for IT upgrades in 2000, that was a bond issue and salaries cannot be part of a bond issue. There was a .23 levy increase at the time, but that was for increased utilities because the schools would now have networked computers in all classrooms and up-to-date computer labs instead of just a handful of computers at each school. No promises for teachers' salaries were made nor broken.
I wasn't complaining about the number of kids per classroom in my post earlier, but noting the fact that the district has outgrown several of its buildings. I will be thrilled that the trailers will be gone at the middle schools.
Someone, please explain, with facts, why union work is SO much better than non-union work. Does a worker have to demonstrate certain skills before they are allowed to join a union? Or, is the real qualification having a paycheck from which union dues can be deducted. Also, I seem to see that most labor contracts force merit and job protection decisions to be based on seniority rather than actual performance - the reward is for those who stick around rather than for those who do the best.
Last, if so many people are unhappy with the school board, quit griping about it on this blog and do something about it. Push yourself away from your computer, get together and find some candidates that share your ideas and help them run for office. The people that continue to run for the board aren't going to quit because you complain on this blog.
The Salamander is correct when saying we get reassessed every two years. The result is that increased property evaluations geometrically pyramid to significantly higher percentages- 17% more in the next five to six years.
We will pay dearly if this proposed 25% school tax passes.
From reading the papers it appears our government is going to try to bail out many of the mortgaged homes. This action will not include lowering assessments.
Has anyone out there heard one peep from state and county officials indicating property assessments would be lowered if the government actually paid off mortgage loans?
More than likely assessment increases will escalate in the future. They have done so every two years in Jackson County during the past two decades.
Along with the Salamander, I would suggest everyone think twice before voting another ruinous tax on my home or business.
At the suggestion of the Salamander I drove past the property our school board paid $195,000.00 for. Please, tell me somebody was temporarily insane. There is no justification for paying such a huge amount of money for a small and quite valueless spit of land such as this.
-A former teacher
Many of our freedoms have been taken away by politicians who care nothing about our freedom. It is seldom that we are able to vote up or down on such a clear cut issue as this one. Please cast a NO vote regarding Question 3 on April 8th.
They will pay a living wage and fringes to those that are deemed worthy of such. An honest days work for an honest days pay.
Contractors paying BELOW the areas prevailing wage and paying no fringes, retirement, and health care are only hurting everyone else so that they may benefit in REAPING all the profits and undercutting all the other reputable union contractors while installing a sub par installation or product sacrificing safety, quality, and basic code requirements all in the name of faster, quicker, and get it done. Again, you get what you pay for. I have personally seen examples of shoddy workmanship that has been installed in direct violation of code requirements in other school districts buildings all because their school boards wanted to cut costs or the contractors brother or sister in law was on the local school board and helped them get the job to start with. (conflict of interest)
I am glad my kids wont have to go to school in any of these bargain death traps in the future. This was definately not a very wise or prudent financial decision on the school board's part.
That should answer the question.
They should quit ignoring the complaints they hear and give reason for their course of action.
A yes vote will tell them that what they are doing is ok with everyone. That would be a mistake.
If you want real change in the policies of the school board, vote no next Tuesday on the property tax increase.
Isn't he the realtor that made a nice hefty commission for selling the old sewing machine building to the school district?
I understand he also wants the city to give him a big tax abatement for buying a building in downtown raytown.
Talk about hogs at the trough!
I doubt this will happen again in Raytown since they were shunned by the school board by hiring the non-union contractor.
I don't understand the school board or any of Raytown's elected officials.
There is on honor or loyalty to the people or businesses in this town.
Once they get in office they lose there minds and any common sense they ever had. That's assuming they had any in the first place.
Both spend money or give it away with no thought of, or for the very people that pay the taxes and supply the money they waste.
Raytown is going to be a town with one Hell of a school system with a
lot of property and land. But not only that, Raytown will only have one big retail store (Wal-Mart) and Raytown won't be collecting taxes from it for twenty three years.
In a time of higher fuel prices that make everything go up in cost from groceries to everyday needs these two seem to think it's OK to spend, spend and spend
some more or make decisions that will run both people and businesses out of town.
It just doesn't make any sense to me and the sad thing is, they can't explain it either.........or won't.
Pat, I wonder is any of us will be here 23 years for Raytown to collect taxes from Walmart? I intend to leave this Fascist Fief of Raytown, State of Misery as soon as I can find a house.
It is too bad that the people who have to pay really big $$$$ in taxes (ie business owners) have no vote in the matter.
Andy Whiteman
MY EDITORIAL
"Dear Editor,
Writers have written in the Raytown Report that the Raytown "Quality" Schools have:
1)Not accepted the lowest bid on the new project on 350 HWY but instead selected a higher bid.
2)Purchased a building costing in excess of $180,000. The building full of code violations, is unsafe, and must be demolished. This will cost the district in excess of of $180,000 including demolition.
3)Executive box seats for Royal's games.
None of this extravagant expenditure is for the benefit of the students. How can the school board justify this wasteful spending and think the public should vote for a tax increase?
True the teachers and staff deserve a decent wage. Will the tax increase really go to the teachers and staff or is it to finance the extravagant and wasteful spending of the board? If I saw an affidavit that the money would really go to the teachers and staff, I would feel differently.
Please ask yourself as you vote if YOU can afford the tax increase caused by mismanagement of public funds?"
Andy Whiteman
I have seen better run Federal Agencies then this town.
The former school super went on a spending spree before his retirement. The only qualification most school board members have are that they have kids in the school district.
Local businesses are not supported in this city. Big boxes and corporate are taking over and will help kill what was left of local businesses in Raytown in addition to depleting our city's revenue.
There are no business owners or professionals running this city. It is apparent that the current group of leaders, the current city administrator excluded, do not have the ability to do what needs to be done other that tell everyone to dream of what could be. It ain't gonna happen.
All that is preached is hope and the future and give us more time and money. Fuhgetaboutit.
about the Raytown School Board.
To Anonymous 4:25,
You are right. There are no business owners or professionals running this town. Every time I moved I always looked in Raytown first. I have wanted to
be here since I graduated high school. Every time I looked there were few or no homes for sale. Wow, how things change.
Some people in the past administration did their best to run businesses and homeowners out of town. They tried their best to turn Raytown into a
blighted city so they could tear it all down. Some of us fought back
and fought for our right to be here....and will again if it comes up again.
Smith Brothers concrete was told by Beau Grossmen that Raytown no
longer wanted a concrete plant here. As of late people trying to start a business here are made to jump through so many hoops they give up and go to Lee's Summit.
It has to start in City Hall.
They can't run people out of town, give away income and waste taxpayer
dollars. They shouldn't have welcomed Wal-Mart here either. With that store becoming bigger and locating on 350hwy. all businesses around
it will leave and all the property values in town will fall drastically.
I don't think these elected officials understand what they have done to this town. Unfortunately all of us are about to find out.
There should be no more "Gateways" built before the streets are repaired.
If the school district thinks they need money now just wait a few years.
They will find out they should have spent taxpayer dollars a lot wiser and shouldn't have wasted it on worthless buildings and property.
When property values go down so will the school districts income.
This new tax increase should not be passed.
We should wait until the need is clear and they quit spending taxpayer dollars foolishly.
To all that are moving, where are you going? Anywhere in the KC area has higher taxes, and the same TIF issues and wasteful school districts. Good luck! I did find you several places, Utopia, AK or Utopia, NY and there are several Utopia's in Canada eh.
According to the editor of the Post, the “broke” school district rents space at the exclusive Stadium Club for board meetings.
Why would they need to rent such accommodations when there are plenty of buildings and offices available for this purpose in Raytown?
We are told the rental is a bargain.
What is not a bargain, though, is the price you pay when you use one of the Stadium Club’s meeting spaces.
This club is strictly a la carte. You pay for everything you purchase at the Stadium Club, and you pay a high price. It’s just like going to the ball game, only worse. It might be cheaper to just meet at Starbucks.
As for that half-a-lot the board purchased. We are now told it was to provide more bus lanes and additional parking.
Why more bus lanes? Are there more buses than usual in use? No. Are there more students to bus? No.
The lot was appraised for $37,500.00. Why would anyone pay $160,000 or $180,000 or $195,000 for this piece of property?
When you strip away all the excess verbiage and rhetoric the simple fact is evident. Taxpayer funds were used to purchase the most expensive piece of vacant (to be) property in the city.
On April 2, The Kansas City Star said “If the measure fails, according to the district, it probably will return to the ballot in August.”
Who was it who once said “When it comes to voting taxes, ‘NO’ is temporary, but ‘YES’ is always permanent”?
The Star is right. You will be forced to vote again and again and again until you vote yourself another budget busting 25% property tax increase.
About 20-25 years ago a school district in one of the suburban St. Louis communities rejected, at the ballot box, a levy increase 16 times before the tax increase supporters gave up.
If this passes, property values will go down! Buyers check taxes when buying property. When buyers check the tax bill, they are less likely to buy a property knowing that taxes will increase from that point.
Since the "Quality" District paid $160,000 for a parking lot about the size of a good sized residential lot that makes the value of my property $160,000 plus the house or about $275,000. What will our tax bills be after the next assessment? The "Quality" District quotes taxes on $100,000 homes. Now, who owns a $100,000 house? There are none that cheap in my hood. Those who vote YES better ask what their tax bills will be after re-assessment?
Pat, if you still want to move to Raytown; my house will be for sale about one year after I buy a house since it will take that long to pack and move. The price will be reasonable and not based on the "Quality" parking lot bought by a C-2 type "Qualty District". The other option is to make an offer before I find a house so I can find one faster and then it will take me only a year to move.
Andy Whiteman
I think that if the architectural firm was strongly opposed to the contractor for the new Herndon center and felt the bidding process was tainted, this tells us all we need to know about this school board and who they're really looking out for.
I'm voting NO on the levy increase. Things are going to get worse around here before they get better, hopefully there will still be something left when we drive off the "good old boys" who have decided to gut Raytown to line their own pockets from the spoils.
"VOTE NO"-"NO WAY"-"NOT NOW"-"NOT EVER"
We need a good turn out at the polls to vote NO. I would like to vote HELL NO, but they don't have that option on the ballot. It would be a shame if this idiotic tax passed because of low turnout. As my mother said on school revenue elections, "Only the teachers and tenants vote. Homeowners don't take the time to vote." Both my parents voted but they were outnumbered by tenants. Tenants think they get the benefits but don't have to pay, but they have no clue when rents go up.
I wonder how many will be forced out of their homes edue to tax increases. To people with mortgages it is $10 or $20 per month, but to anyone who has their home paid off taxes are lump sum out of pocket paid yearly or in 1/2s. (very close together.)
Most people with mortgages have no clue how much they are paying EACH government entity because the county treasurer REFUSES to send tax bills on request. (Not every one has a computer to access this.)
I suggest everyone who does not oppose this tax, get a copy of you tax bill just to see what you are paying Raytown "Quality" Schools now. Add in the tax increase as well as increases in your assessment. Add it up and look at the total new tax bill and ask yourself, "CAN I AFFORD TO PAY THIS AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX EVERY YEAR ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TAX INCREASES DUE TO ASSESSMENT?"
Also look at your personal property taxes and ask the same question. If you own an RV, boat, SUV, etc. are you willing to pay this outrageous tax?
We need to have a Boston School Party in Raytown and vote out the idiots with no common sense who spend money faster than it is collected.
Andy Whiteman
Thanks in part to the ill-informed and idiotic positions the Star has taken regarding Raytown, we now have a city literally run by absentee administrators, the city has become one of the largest owners of vacant property, and close to 20% of the city’s sales tax revenue will be gobbled up by the black hole being created on 350 highway for Walmart for the next 23 years.
How about them Royals and Chiefs!
The no smoking ban may not apply to them.
Let’s get this straight. Those same taxpayers who are underwriting the cost of the Royals and Chiefs, will not see the smoking ban enforced at the property they pay for UNLESS the Chiefs and Royals see fit to do so.
By the way, can anyone tell me who had the bright idea of buying the old First Baptist Church in the first place?
And, thank you, Mr. Salamander for exposing how the school district has gained tax increases every year without a vote by the people. You can add me to the list of voters who will be voting NO next Tuesday.
I was wrong in stating that it was Smith Brothers "Concrete" that was
told by Groceman Raytown no longer wanted any concrete company.
After LaFarge left town a "Smith Brother" and his nephew wanted to reopen under the "Smith Brothers Concrete" name and they were told this by Groceman.
Even though they (the Smiths) still owned the property. LaFarge never owned the ground.
The end result is the same.
I don't lie. Never have. Never will.
And I always sign my name.
I was told by many city elected officials that it was Curt Wenson that came up with the idea of buying the old church.
He was the City Administrator at
the time.
He promised to revive Raytown.
Instead he was a big part of this towns problems we have now, and the attitudes at City Hall.
Andy Whiteman
I can't remember the exact figure but something like 73% of Raytown students graduate HS. Pittiful but better than KCMO. No amount of money will change these numbers. We need competant leadership, parents who supervise their children, and children who want to graduate.
The state takes over school districts with poor student records. Is 73% bad enough for a state take over or can the state take it over for an incompetant board?
The voters need to take over the "Quality" school district and get rid of the dead weight. Kind of hard to do when only the same people run for school board every time. I was thinking of running but it wouldn't be fair to the voters because I don't plan on staying here.
Andy Whiteman
I saw a bumper the other day I thought you guys would like. It said "IF VOTING MADE REAL CHANGES, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL".
Still VOTE NO on Tuesday!!
Common Sense already moved out of Raytown a few years ago. He grew tired of the 'white trash and the hood wanna be gangstas'.
Education should start in the home with the parents. (If the parents don't have common sense, guess what?)
Now look at what we have on the school board. They all lack common sense.
Look at the administration building run rampant. A superintendant that has only been here a couple of years at best, retiring. The ones before him have retired or gone on to greener pastures (Independence). Now a new one will be starting. How much more of our money is going to go up in smoke?
We had one superintendent for years. This district has become a mere stepping stone for ones resume. All of the assistant positions under the Superintendent are unneccessary. Cut out a lot of this top heavy chair warmer positions and get it back to basics like in the 50's and 60's then there would be extra money for the teachers salaries. They are, and should be the real focus since they are on the front line dealing with our children every day.
Until this administration and school board can learn to exercise and execute financial responsibility amung itself and its members they will eventually self destruct.
I have to adhere to a budget, why cant they do the same?
I will probably vote no on tuesday and encourage all my family to vote no as well. We need to tighten all our belts and watch our spending.
It is not that I do not believe that the teachers are not important, it is because of the ignorant leadership in power that needs to be put into check.
How can it be a secret when the audits posted on your own city government website CLEARLY shows it?
Perhaps our elected officials should do a little more READING and a little less complaining - or do you want to blame staff for not printing the audits on big chief tablets????
http://www.raytown.mo.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={D01339BB-BB3C-4A91-9886-5C29E98A21A5}