Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Get over it. Its official now. Diley Rd. is a done deal. That ox has been gored. It will cost city residents very little (no new taxes) and township residents nothing.

What WILL cost ALL OF US a lot is the NEW TAXES being pushed by Pickerington Local School District (PLSD) tax levy. The breathing room we got with President Bush's tax cut will be consumed by the liberal, union run, cash eating monster called PLSD. Of the 3 government agencies in this area (city, township, PLSD) PLSD is by far the smartest. They are great at pitting the township against the city and the residents against each other to take the spotlight off their huckster shenanigans and drunken sailor spending. Shout ''growth'' to get the city fighting the township and shout ''pay to play, reduced bussing and split sessions'' to get the residents against each other, those who have kids in school and those who have not. It works almost every time.

We recently approved a whopping levy. They immediately raised all their pay (its automatic you know) while we also gave them the housing moratorium for a full year. This is EVERYTHING they asked for. It had no effect. They quickly consumed that and started chanting the Billy Idol song ''MORE MORE MORE''. While we sit here being conservative (conserving our electricity, gas, food, etc.) to pay for their ''irrational exuberence'' (thank you Alan GREENSPAM) and wishing we could afford to live in a home worth even half of what their million dollar consession stand cost at the Taj Mahal. (Does it really take a million bucks to be able to sell hot dogs and pop at the football game?)

The ox has been gored. We now have to deal with this sacred cow. We have to CURE this problem. We need bean counters. Are we a taxpayers alliance or not.

Bullfighter

Calm Down

OK - apparently you are a vote no at any cost constituent - that's OK - last time I looked that's your right.

You can see the Building Team's recommendation for the levy posted on the PLSD website - www.pickerington.k12.oh.us I've read it have you ??

The schools at the K-6 level are more than full. If you don't like the proposed levy - which is OK - what would you support instead? What is to be done with 30 classrooms of kids in old trailers? I didn't hear your plan here.

It appears that additions are the most economical way to add class space. If you don't like that, I can respect that - but what do you propose? I didn't understand that from your posting.

It seems what is on the ballot adds the same amount of classroom space as building three new schools but at $19M less than building 3 new schools. Economics 101 says this is not a bad plan.

I'm not disagreeing with you with what's occured in the past - but we can't change that and neither can this new Board. What we can expect is for them to represent what we want - I think that the most economical approach that we can have in any approach to fiscal management of this district. This building plan IMO is not bad - if you don't like it - I'm wondering how could we do this cheaper? Or what would you do instead?

You can't change the past - so how do you address the future? It's harder to be part of the solution than to quarterback the problems....


By Hold the Red Flag

Not Happy either

While I'm not the biggest fan of the new high school - I can tell you I went to the District Office and asked to review the documents as it related to the concession stand. I thought that was just tooooooo over the top.
The reality is the concession stand itself pulled out of the complex it sits in cost well under a million dollars, in fact it cost well under $400K.
But it makes a great story doesn't it? Figure out your facts first. It's a public record - if it had really cost over $1.0M it could have been documented publicly by now. The fact that it's not doesn't make you sound particularly credible.

By 4 More for Bush

Tunnel Vision

This debate flares every year because this school district must continually raise more money each year to provide for the education of our never ending stream of new pupils entering the system. This year we are faced with a couple of new buildings to educate and house these new pupils. If we all believe Mr. Parker our taxes are not going up. They have been flat for years now. This coming from someone that doesn't own any property and pays only rent for a room above a flower shop.

One issue that our school board continues to NOT recognize is their ''need'' versus the taxpayer's ability to pay. They will give the teachers a 4% raise with little or no concern for these in the community that are struggling with budget problems at home. I have heard these teachers get very belligerent in not taking anything less than their stated demands. Obviously this bond issue in November only addresses a new school building but a new levy will soon reflect the pay raises given to these teachers.

There is an effort going forward within the city to control growth and pay for future infrastructure. Yet I hear the school district continue to plan on a 5% rate of growth in our district. If the city were to stop issuing building permit tomorrow when would these new buildings be obsolete? If the school was to wait for say one year and maybe consider split sessions would their future plans be more defined by just what the city is doing?

If this controlled residential growth planning then migrates to the Township will that have any affect on future building within our school district?

I am so comforted that someone took the time to find that the North High School concession stand only cost less than $400,000. You mean a group of women and boosters couldn't get big donations from Coke or Pepsi to fund part or all of this stand for a exclusive contact later? It only points to the tunnel vision of those that run our schools. I recently read where the school board asked the city to forgive a $6,400 building permit fee on a $432,000 roof replacement on the Ridgeview Junior High. All of these issues and thoughts are coming from folks with tunnel vision and they need to step away for their spy glass.