It seems like everyday we hear or read about a story where either an elected official or a body of elected officials have betrayed the trust of the voter's and taxpayers. Creating a mistrust that is pretty prevalent among the populace.Case in point is the Greater Clark Co, School's referendum and initiative to build, upgrade, realign and hopefully improve area schools and education. The original plan met a wave of opposition because of plans to close several neighborhood schools mainly in the downtown area. The local school administration and the complying school board quickly changed course after a series of public meetings, where citizens could vent their opposition and did so vocally.
Now the revamped plans and referendum supposedly will keep the initially planned closed schools open. This apparent gesture of good will and listening to the people will hopefully gain momentum to have the GCCS referendum (which includes a tax hike) pass in the fall general election. Will this promise to keep these schools open be enough to gain the YES vote the school administration wants ???
The BatBlog thinks NOT, that prevailing feeling of mistrust runs deep and while GCCS Superintedent Melin may have every intention of keeping his promise for the schools in question to remain open. The BatBlog feels the consensus of the voters will be to turn down ANY tax increase and the referendum. First of all voters locally don;t have much confidence in elected officials spending their tax dollars wisely, especially here in Jeffersonville where time and time again money has been wasted by various groups of officials....you know who they are.
Secondly Dr. Melin's own study said the downtown school's originally set for closure needed a lot of improvements, but curiously there was no outlay for money for improvements for these schools in the revamped plan. That raises the question in a lot of people's minds that these schools will eventually be closed regardless ???...Another case of mistrust running deep...
The BatBlog while supporting educational improvements doesn't see anything in the revamped referendum or have the confidence that this is the best or even the right way to improve area schools...This is a flawed referendum that BatBlog encourages voters to reject this November...
Vote No and Remain Vigilant my friends......
I'll be voting yes for our schools. Don't let Kelley (yes she the Facebook page against this ) and her agenda jade you. The administration listened to the citizens and changed the plans. What more do you want?
ReplyDeleteI'll be voting yes for our schools. Don't let Kelley jade your opinion (yes Kelley, we know you run the Facebook page )
ReplyDeleteAnd for those voting against our children, I have yet to hear you offer a solution. Just a buch of grumbling about money. Nice to see your priorities.
I don't think this plan has a snowballs chance of passing. Too much history of poor financial planning in the district.
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ReplyDeleteSeveral concerns one as I stated in the post is why no money is allotted for the schools scheduled originally for closure??? If the needs and updates are great as stated in the report why no money for their improvement ???
Seems unusual that 100% of the school board approved of the original plan while their constituents had major concerns.
Also would like to see a detailed plan on what the money at each school will be earmarked for...to throw out a number and say that amount will be spent on each school is too vague for this amount of money requested.
This initiative has a very poor chance of passing unless more information is released on the plan....plus the fact taxpayers hate tax increases makes this referendum more than likely doomed...
To Anon. 1 certainly everyone is entitled to their opinion and can vote accordingly. I can assure you though while I respect Kelley's opinion,her opinion and facebook page (which I haven't seen) has nothing to do with my stance on this...These are my feelings alone..
ReplyDeleteThis will never fly, the improvements should be budgeted into the tax monies already being collected. To ask for this much more when the perception of waste is already prevalent in school administration is asking too much.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelley here. I am among a few admins of Stop GCCS's Wasteful Spending. My agenda is and has been right out in the open. Hell, we organized on Chatter, lol.
DeleteMelin stated at several meetings that it takes $10 to $12 million to build a new elementary school and $17 million for a middle school. Yet in his revised plan he is asking for $20.4 million EACH for 3 elementary schools (Wilson, Parkwood and Jonathan Jennings). Something is not right here and the lack of transparency from Melin and the board leads to a total lack of trust that the money will be spend wisely and that the schools originally set for closure will actually remain open. Hoosiertaxpayer is right --- the new plan doesn't allocate a single penny to Maple, Spring Hill or Pleasant Ridge even though Melin said repeatedly at his meetings that they needed a lot of improvements. Allowing nothing for them in this new plan makes people skeptical that these schools will not remain open long and this new plan is just a way to get people to vote yes on the referendum. Vote NO
ReplyDeleteKelley thanks for the info ...and your secret that you participate on the "award winning" BatBlog is ours...wouldn't want the dictator in chief Big Q Quasar get his panties in a wad over participation even though he is a reader and a member of the BatBlog fanclub himself...Good Luck on your endeavor an educated voter is a superior weapon....
ReplyDeleteYes Anon. the unwillingness to spend money on the schools you mentioned throws up a big red flag in my mind. The need is admittedly there and why no money is allotted for those schools makes you wonder if there are plans in the long term to shut them down...An explanation is due to the voters ..why the snub ???
ReplyDeleteLOL not a bash at all merely telling it like it is....
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me how hypocritical it is to post relentlessly delusional blubber how the POTUS is bit by bit taking away all of our rights, but on the same hand in his minuscule role as the Grand Pujah of an internet forum denies people of the most basic right... to speak their mind...
but on a more positive note ... a summit sounds great sometime
Yep Q banished me from the CCC for defending you Hoosier.. Now as far as the chance this passes. As my favorite quote from Lord of the Rings Go. " YOU SHALL NOT PASS"..lol
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So, anybody who votes against this hates kids. Do they kill puppies too? I'm tired of the old attacks. Can we get something new and fresh?
ReplyDeleteYou do realize that your statement is also old and tired. The only difference is that my statement seems to be pro-kids and yours seems to be just about the money.
DeleteYep.... Please dismiss yourself Russell. I'm all for libertarians but you need to go.
ReplyDeleteThat's nonsense that this is about money and those opposed are against the kids. If GCCC would open up and show how and what programs and improvements we are getting for our money, it would stand a whole lot better chance of passing.
ReplyDeleteAs it is they just are throwing out arbitrary numbers with no explanation on the proposed improvements. Also I would like an explanation on the lack of money for the schools that by their own admission need the most done (downtown schools).
I would gladly pay extra IF I knew the "kids" were getting the full benefit, and my grand kids aren't even attending GCCS...I'm as "pro kid" as anyone but I need to be shown this money is really about them to get my YES vote...
There's too much non information and secrecy in this whole thing....
Kids don't get architectural and construction contracts. They aren't trying to make their resumes look good for the next school corp. Kids don't give two shits about development, expanding the tax base and giving the corporation even more money to spend.
ReplyDeleteKids need love, attention, supervision and information. No millions of dollars required.
Fired the successful Jeffersonville football coach..... Double SMH....
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