Washtenaw Intermediate School District school board to vote on putting school enhancement millage on ballot
The first week in August is generally a pretty slow time in local education circles.
Teachers, principals and other staff members are taking that last week of vacation before starting to get classrooms ready. And students - well, they’re not thinking about school yet, not with four weeks of summer vacation left.
However, this week will be an exception to the slow start of August rule.
Two issues are coming up this week that could shape the face of local education for some time to come.
The most impact to the most people comes Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. when the Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s school board gets together. The board meets at the WISD’s administrative offices.
The board is expected to vote on placing a 2-mill enhancement millage on the November ballot.
The tax, if approved by voters, would raise about $30 million. That money would be split among the 10 local traditional school districts in the county.
The other big issue this week takes place in Ypsilanti, where the school board will spend several evenings this week interviewing superintendent candidates to replace retiring James Hawkins.
On Thursday at 7 p.m. at the high school, the board will discuss the interviews and possibly make a selection.
Hawkins is on board until the end of the month.
Comments
Hemenway
Tue, May 3, 2011 : 2:35 p.m.
I agree with @GraceJean. Additionally, we need LESS Government. How best to do that? Vote down any and all tax increase proposals. Will that change the tax and spend mind set of the elected officials? I hope so.
aataxpayer
Sat, Aug 8, 2009 : 9:30 a.m.
I made some calls and calculated based on the best data I could get that Ann Arbor would indeed be a "donor" district - it would pay about $1.41 for every dollar it receives. Every other district would get more than it pays in. For example, Milan would get $1.68 and Willow run 1.63 for every dollar put in. Ypsi schools would get 1.31, Chelsea 1.05, Dexter 1.09, Lincoln 1.65, Manchester 1.27, and Whitmore Lake 1.16. Hey Ann Arbor, is ok to get only 71% of the money we pay in? Maybe it is. If Ypsi Milan and Willow Run schools fail we will feel the impact in social costs, increased crime, etc.
PJ
Wed, Aug 5, 2009 : 2:03 p.m.
Spambot1 Just think about how much money the MEA could have saved the tax payers of this state had they not been funding their health care via MESSA for all these years. The ONLY reason the MESSA rates have been declining recently is because after years of pressue the claim data shows the astounding over-charging by MESSA in previous years in many districts. In some of your prior posts you were talking about your 1.5% raise. You seem to have left out the automatic "step" increases that most teacher contracts have that gives more than just the 1.5%. The outdated tenure concept also perpetuates automatic raises/jobs for teachers who are not able to teach. There are many reasons for this millage request, but until someone tells me ALL of the money will benefit the kids directly and nothing goes to salaries and benefits - it will get a no vote from me.
Tony Dearing
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 6:36 p.m.
Two comments posted on this story have been moved to a discussion about our moderation policies because they deal with moderation. To see the comments, go to: http://www.annarbor.com/about/comment-moderation-guidelines-meant-to-cultivate-community-forum/
IheartYpsi
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 5:06 p.m.
It would be nice to see some equitable spending on the children in Washtenaw Co. Why the giant discrepancy? I'm not saying there should be "donor districts," but is there any reason kids in one district deserve more more extra-curriculars and more classes and more funding than others? This should be addressed by Lansing.
David Jesse
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 2:42 p.m.
Alan: We're certainly well aware that this is a big issue. I'll keep tracking how schools are spending money.
Alan Goldsmith
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 2:29 p.m.
David, Thanks for the quick reply. I appreciate it. It seems to be a major issue with the tax vote-where the money is coming from and where it's going. If its a tax shift, that fact should be upfront so voters can decide.
David Jesse
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 2:18 p.m.
Alan: I have not heard back from them on this. I'll be at the meeting tomorrow morning and have a list of questions people have raised with me to ask WISD officials. I'll post tomorrow as soon as I know an answer, hopefully shortly after the meeting at 8:30.
Alan Goldsmith
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 2:02 p.m.
"Alan - I think that some districts will be donor districts with money raised in their districts, but I e-mailed the WISD to check and will post a response when I hear back." David, from the comments on the other article. Has WISD replied about 'donor' districts? Thanks.
Macabre Sunset
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 1:35 p.m.
Michigan's teachers already have the highest compensation of any state in the country. Michigan's economy is by far the worst in the country. Our unemployment rate could hit 20% by the end of this recession. Rather than asking for more money, it's time Michigan's teachers face just a tiny fraction of the economic pain the rest of us are feeling. We're not asking for much. We're not saying teachers aren't valued members of the community. But a tax hike right now? No. Ann Arbor's millage rate is already obscene.
GraceJean
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 1:25 p.m.
Of course, we all want to do the right thing. And voting for a millage or tax increase for education really "feels" like the right thing. But unfortunately, when we as voters see the millions that have been squandered in the past (and continue to be squandered), by the self-serving decisions of those who we've entrusted with our tax dollars...well, for me, enough is enough. I will think long and hard before voting absent-mindedly for another incumbent, or voting for another tax or millage increase. Look at where the status quo has left us.
DagnyJ
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 1:06 p.m.
If someone can show me scientifically-based research indicating that spending more money on teacher retirement leads to greater student learning, I might support this. Meanwhile, I agree with eawisok.
Alan Benard
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 12:49 p.m.
Recent articles in the local newspaper which covers real-life, bread-and-butter issues -- The Free Press http://bit.ly/z89ws -- cite the Michigan Council for Labor and Economic Growth statistics that one-in-three working age adults CANNOT READ well enough to work at a living-wage job. Thirty-three percent functional illiteracy. Also, 40 percent of those workers lack a high school diploma or GED. This may not be representative of Washtenaw County's situation, but one reason for that is the support shown for education. This disgraceful state-wide situation will only get worse if the $110 per-pupil reduction in state aid is not reversed. Since our term-limited so-called leaders lack the courage to tax those who have benefited disproportionately from John Engler's ill-considered tax experiments and keep the state functioning, we in Washtenaw County must be prepared to shelter ourselves from their short-sightedness.
SpamBot1
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 12:22 p.m.
The enhancement millage is not an "end run." It is an attempt to solve the problems created by Proposal A, which promised lower property taxes and yearly increases (at the rate of inflation or higher)in school funding. The lower property taxes have certainly materialized. Over the past five years+ the per-pupil allowance given to schools has not kept pace with inflation. School districts have seen increased expenses in nearly every category, yet the state is providing fewer and fewer funds. A few inconvenient facts for those that will blame the problem on teachers and the MEA.... In the past three years, Michigan teachers have saved schools over $700 million by paying higher health care premiums and accepting cheaper coverage. Over the past three years, Michigan teachers have saved the schools another $200 million by accepting wage and salary concessions. Health care costs in the private sector have climbed over 21% over the past three years. The cost to insure educators has DECLINED 2% during the same time. The underfund Public Employee retirement fund is underfunded because the State of Michigan "borrowed" hundreds of millions of dollars from the fund in 1991, when the fund was properly financed. That action was ruled unconstitutional by Michigan's Supreme Court, yet the money was never paid back on this "loan." Thanks Engler! Michigan's problems are significant, but they are not the fault of teachers, pensions, or unions. They are the result of poor planning that has been allowed to fester for many years. Anyone that attempts to boil this down to "us" versus "them" is oversimplifying the issue in order to advance their own agenda. This is about the most important investment a person can make; Education.
uawisok
Mon, Aug 3, 2009 : 11:12 a.m.
This 2 mill potential tax is an end run around normal school millage process and until the MEA and it's members enact a 401K type pension I'm voting NO on any millage increases!!