School Board asking for additional educational funding...

Received this from John Stevens today:

Dear Buffettbassman,

Did you know that Loudoun is eighth out of nine Washington area school districts in both per-student funding of public education and teacher salaries? I wrote about the details in two blog posts over the last week:
• Loudoun is Next to Last for Students
• Loudoun is Next to Last for Teachers
Each time I have asked: Is this the extent to which Loudoun values public education? I don't think it is. Loudoun is a highly educated, high-achieving community with high expectations for its children's future. We expect a lot from our school system. We expect the very best opportunities for our kids. I think our budget has fallen out of step with our values as a community. Are we dedicating what is needed to give them those opportunities?

The Board of Supervisors sets the school system's overall budget each year. On Tuesday and Thursday, December 8th & 10th, the Board of Supervisors holds public input sessions on the budget, affording you the opportunity to speak directly to the Supervisors. Click here for details. In addition, there is a special email address that goes to all members of the Board of Supervisors and the School Board: loudounbudget@loudoun.gov.

There are many important services for the Supervisors to consider, not just education. Theirs is a difficult job with many voices calling for maximum funding and many voices calling for lower taxes. They must find a path somewhere in the middle, and along that path they will be asking themselves: Should Loudoun should be next to last for education funding? They already know what I think. Let them hear the answer from you.



John Stevens
Potomac District Representative
Loudoun County School Board
In addition to this newsletter I write about current school issues daily on:


Here was my response:
John,
Thanks for your e-mail. While I wholeheartedly agree with what you write, I struggling with it however. I’m struggling with the concept of where is all this money going to come from? I've not received any more pay than I did three years ago but everything in my life costs more. Additionally, many of my neighbors have been unemployed for extended periods of time.

Everything you write leads me to a tax increase above and beyond the noises the Board of Supervisors are making. What good would it be to my children if taxes are raised to support new educational funding if I can no longer afford to live here to send my children to the Loudoun Schools. The Federal Government is also planning on raising our tax rate. Bottom line for me is: who’s going to pay for this? If you’re familiar with the concept of total tax burden, you’ll know that we in Loudoun County potentially pay a total tax rate of about 51% of total income. (state, local, federal – income, food, products, service, property, personal property.)

One last point: spending does not have a direct correlate to quality. I’ve had my children in many school systems including a elite private school where funding was not a problem whatsoever. I can honestly say my children receive a better education then they did at the private school they attended.

John, I’ve had to reprioritize my life significantly based on my income. It’s about Loudoun County did the same.

Buffettbassman,
Ashburn, VA 20147

 

Buffettbassman,

You are my hero. Love you, babe!

 

Very good response! Another thing to consider is the tax we pay is not just for keeping the schools up, but also to support the debt our county is racking up building all these new "free" schools. This is a great line straight out of the FY10 adopted budget documents

"The County's debt service has been on a significant increasing trend due primarily to the County's financing of public school building construction, and has been much higher than the population growth rate."

 

I'm blushing! Love you back!