School Budget Slashed?

Ah, but what is the per student amount? and how do the new school set up costs figure in? How many schools/students did we have last year vs this year? There's a lot more than "more money than last year" to consider here.

 

Per student spending for 2003 was $9194, 2004 budgeted was $9604, and per student spending based on the full request by the school boars was $10476. The proposed funding by the BOS equals $10207 per student which is still a larger increase from 04 to 05 than there was in 03 to 04.

 

Pardon me, Wick. When Clinton left office the budget was balanced AND had a record surplus. Dubya has given all of that away (with $120 billion given to Halliburton and other to "rebuild" Iraq) Heck, why can't that money be given to pay for education, better roads, or lower taxes, RIGHT H-E-R-E in our great country!?!

You asked for evidence, and I gave you evidence in the form of a non-partisan study. You are SO Republican -- when you get evidence you don't like, you discount it. It shows that you and your party only like doctored evidence and cooked numbers like the ones that Busy boy give out. You call me gullible! Look in a mirror.

This coming from a Republican! By gosh, man, do you listen to the words are they tumble out of your mouth!?! Y-O-U Republicans have built up the BIGGEST FEDERAL DEFICIT in the country's history, and then you make an insane comment like that one!

 

Homer, here, moderate centrist. I think it's unfair to blame the entire deficit on the Repubs. The deficit has been growing since what, WWII? Couple that with the fact that we were blindsided, forced into an early recession and fought two wars in the last four years any sitting President would be under this deficit.

Haliburton getting a lock on all that money through Cheney does make my skin crawl and I am a Federal contractor . BUT I don't think any of that Fed money would and up in Loudoun when our average income per household is topping $120K. That money would go elsewhere while we are taxed at 7.5% FICA, 15% - 21% Fed, 5.75% Va tax PLUS 4.5% sales tax and Loudoun's personal property tax. That's a base tax of 25% on income w/ a couple thousand on your home for good measure. And out of what we pay to Virginia, most of that goes to SW and Central Va and we get left holding the bag. The real culprit for the roads and schools here is the Commonwealth.

 

Homer, amen. What we need is a change in the funding formulas in Richmond. It is ridiculous that the majority of our state tax dollars are used to support the schools and govermnents of the southern counties who do nothing to help increase their own tax base. Thay see us as the "Northern Virginia ATM".

 

VWEISENBURN and HOMER
I agree with you both 100%. Why are the majority of our taxes being distributed among the rest of the state. I don't see Southern Virginia trying to help themselves or increasing their tax base. Less than 15% our taxes stay in our county while the remaining go to fund other project around Virginia. The last time I drove through Danville they were getting several (more than 2 on 2 different Highways) new "clover leaf" interchanges to help with their traffic congestion, while the state government decided that they would meagerly fund the Dulles expansion of the Metro system which is now on hold because of funding. I can also assure you that no matter how bad traffic is in Danville, it won’t beat the traffic on Route 7, 28 or the toll road. It’s unfair to have the rest of VA funded while the people here in the 5 counties of Northern Virginia bring in the lions share of the wealth. I may have only lived here for a short time (less than 10 years) but I don't think that we are fairly represented by the people in Richmond. Your statement is correct, while we act as the "ATM" the rest of Virginia just sits back and counts on us to flip the bill for them. It's time to do something about it.

I don't have any children, but I do see the problem with not having enough afterschool or extracurricular activities. As a former teacher, I know the benefits of having children in these types of activities, it build good discipline, and most of all, it keeps the kids occupied, which in turn helps out the community.

Half the reason I quite teaching was I was tired of watching the administration of schools become "big business" and the actual teaching falling by the wayside. Most school districts that build large schools often times spend more money on the admin. areas (principals offices, counseling, and other administrative functions area) than they do the actual school. Why do we need a $26 million dollar administration building? I would rather see that $26 million dollars go to more schools, and programs in the schools than to see the Superintendent and the school board meet in posh board rooms. They could meet in the gymnasium of a new school just as easy.


Maybe it’s time that the state representation of Loundon county heard this message, and get the idea that we put them there, and if things don’t change, we can remove them.

The commonwealth is a joke.

 

VW, Homer, Chsalas: Here, here! We can all agree on that point. One question for you, though... do you think that the Virginia GOP (which is beholden to all of those fundementalist right-wingers in the nebulous southern regions of Virginia) will E-V-E-R really try to change the taxation and allocation rules in the Commonwealth. Don't bet on it.

 

No, I think NOVA would have to threaten to succede VA for them to think about it. Aren't we approaching enough pop for statehood?

But the VA Dems were no better. Education suffered under Wilder in the 90's. (whom I met while I was a lowly ride operator at Kings Dominion and he was a sterile horse/mule offspring!)

 

Homer, I do love your wit.

 

Hmmm, hello! That is sooooo wrong! Do you only get your news from replublicanslyingcheatingandspendingallyourcash.com? It's a fact that Clinton balanced the budget, eliminated the deficit, and built up a big surplus. That's not bad for a moderate! Bush is far from a moderate, and he spend money just like the "boy" he is...one whose father gave him everything and who never had to work a day in his life! No wonder he has built up the biggest deficit in our history!

 

LUV: GO GRRL! Bush can't match that!

 

Clinton did not eliminate the deficit nor build up any surplus! His budget would have eliminated in the future (for which he would depend on the next president to continue) but the budget was still in the red when he left office. His plan depended on the continue economic boom we were enjoying from the Tech sector. With the dot com bust and the stock market crash after 9/11, Gore (had he won) would not have been able to keep that budget up.

Before you label me a facist repug like yahoo boards are want to do I am an Independent and voting Kerry b/c I don't like:

(1) Bush being more at the ranch then DC.
(2) Haliburton
(3) Attack on Human rights (Free speech, Abortion, Marriage)
(4) Messing with the Constitution

But if McCain ran I'd vote for him! Although yesterday there was a rumor of a Kerry / McCain ticket but McCain said no. Oh well.

 

I think a few of you made a left turn into the wrong thread.

 

To get the thread back on topic, the Republicans of Lo. Co. deserve what they are going to get for the next 4 years: less educated kids because their BOS did not think that they were worth investment!

To put the other issue to bed, answer me this, Homer...was the deficit smaller under Clinton than it is under Bush? (Answer: smaller under Clinton).

Also, I agree -- I would vote for McCain in a heartbeat! That's because he is not a Republican! He's progressive socially, and he is for a balanced budget. In other words, he's nothing like Bushy boy.

 

"bushy boy" ... somehow I have a picture in my mind of those little troll dolls with all the hair <g>

 

A little troll -- what a perfect picture -- though it's a little insulting to the troll to compare it to something as vile and ignorant as Dubya.

 

Hello, I am new to the forum, and have spent the past 30 minutes reading this thread which contains everything from Local to Federal Politics, personal views and opinions, and bashing each other, yet no where in this thread have we truly discussed a solution. There are many ways to enhance of children's education even with budget cuts. How many of us actually support the school programs. How many of us volunteer with the school system or even our community (and yes I do both, I am a member of the Ashburn Volunteer Fire and Rescue Dept)? I know we all have very busy careers and trying to find time for family, community and even self can be trying, but once we come together as a community and find our own ways to support our children and the schools things will get better with or without Muti-Million Dollar budgets. I grew-up in a "white trash" community in FL. but was blessed with a community that stuck together and supported their children. Our sports and band programs were funded primarily through fund raisers. Our Arts and Drama clubs were funded by shows within the community. We got to experience the rewards of teamwork and dedication long before we even really new what they meant. Never did we sit back and cry about budgets, we made a difference within our community, our children, and ourselves.

 

KokiCom: That's a very intelligent post/observation, and welcome to the forums. I'm not sure that public education can be saved. Also, with a single religion being forced onto kids more and more in school, I'm not sure that public education is even worth saving (maybe the BOS is right). I think that, over time, private schools and home schooling will grow ever more popular.

 

Yet another insightful post from our visitor from another planet. Sorry Chris, I just couldn't bite my tongue any longer.