How Harry Gets Levy

March 29, 2008

How Harry Gets Levy

Filed under: Cartoons,Jimmy Barona Cartoons — Jimmy Barona @ 10:51 am

Comments (20)

20 Comments

Jimmy, you have again hit the nail on the head! My newsletter next week will be on this subject, but, as I’ve said here before, after two weeks of waiting for information the school district’s letter yesterday gave me no pertinent details, no due diligence and almost laughable cost justification.

Comment by mary — March 29, 2008 @ 12:06 pm
Brilliant and to the point, as usual.

Comment by Bill — March 29, 2008 @ 1:07 pm
The School Trustees are supposed to represent our interests as taxpayers, not to mention the kids who need an education. Are they asleep at the wheel? Where does “doing your homework” fit into this picture?

Comment by Dan — March 29, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
My son reads “opencda” with me. It is funny(?), that a thirteen year old can understand what we are talking about and the concerns that we, as citizens, have in these matters. It is quite amazing, or should I say, alarming that a child can see when the citizens are being taken advantage of yet most adults cannot.

Comment by concerned citizen — March 29, 2008 @ 7:50 pm
Why am I not surprised about the lack of due diligence? I believe the public turned down the last building levy because they were not convinced that the middle school couldn’t be remodeled. What was missing two years ago was financial facts. What was presented was a public show with Patano’s plans originally designed to be plopped down on our Person’s park.

This year we have no public show presenting the plans for the 31 million. I attempted to educate myself so I went to the CdA School Website and only found stale information on last years maintainance levy. Did i miss something?

Comment by Mama Bear — March 29, 2008 @ 8:03 pm
I want to know how much this levy will cost me as a resident of Coeur d’Alene. Does anyone know how I can calculate this amount? If this is important to SD271, please bring all of the facts to the citizens. Harry Amend could be remembered as the super which had two consecutive levies fail under his watch. Harry will be going full tilt behind the scenes to make certain this one passes. After the public sales effort on the last levy effort he seems to be noticeably silent on this one. Harry, give me the facts so that I can decide how to vote. After all it is your legacy. PS Jim B. You draw wonderful cartoons and conclusions.

Comment by doubleseetripleeye — March 29, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
Love your “handle”, doubleseetripleeye

Comment by Mama Bear — March 29, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
Mama Bear, SD271 now has info about the levy on their web site. If you’ve been checking, it might have been posted there just recently. The Lakes Middle School rationale states that “New construction is cheaper than remodeling.” How can they say that when they themselves have NO bids, no documentation to back that up?
Here’s the link to the school district’s site, just click HERE

Go to “More information on the levy proposal” about half way down the page.

Under the levy info, it has a section about “Impact of Levy to Homeowners”. My family will have to pay an extra $350. more per year on our home’s property taxes and almost $1200. more per year on our business building just for this levy! That’s on top of the regular property taxes we already pay, and if NIC takes foregone taxes for the Stimson Mill site and there’s a jail bond coming forward…well, we’ll be in a world of hurt.

Comment by mary — March 29, 2008 @ 9:48 pm
I believe the apportioned fiscal impact of the levy is stated at $160 per $100,000.00 of the assessed property value. Considering the value of homes these days, that is not chump change for anyone.

Comment by Wallypog — March 30, 2008 @ 3:44 am
I just read the new CdA School website. This must have gone up in the last few days. This is a step in the right direction of public communication. Now for the questions: I see nothing in the report about what is to happen to the present school. Is it to be torn down to create a space for a ball field? If so how much will it cost to tear down the old school? I do not see that in the bid. Who is running for school board? In which part of the county will land be purchased for future schools? This needs to be indicated or the board may purchase land in “wrong headed places.” Please remember they came a breath away from buying land on Mica Flats for a high school…no sewer, no water, no kids, no coordination with the County Planners, and death to kids driving up Mica Grade. I commend the school for getting information on the website. I hope they read this blog and add the missing information.

Comment by Mama Bear — March 30, 2008 @ 8:59 am
If the SD271 levy passes, NIC foregone is taken, and the jail bond passes, my property taxes will go up 50%. For years. That’s a tremendous punch in the gut when the economy is down, especially given that we have no data or hard information on which to base any justification for that massive increase.

Comment by Dan — March 30, 2008 @ 9:01 am
IT amazes me that I can find very little regarding this levy vote and as a responsible citizen who wants to make an educated vote on this important levy decision, I am a little frustrated:

1. Where is a full description of what the voters are voting on regarding the levy? I would like financial details – remodel vs build money figures for Lakes MS; specifically where are the technology monies going and for what; accountability of what properties does the SD271 want to buy and what properties does the SD 271 now own; a new grade school – have projections been made as to “build it and they will come” in other words is the population of grade school children going to suddenly boom in the school district (isn’t CdA building for the retiree community that is booming in the area); accountability of excess or spent monies from previous levies; detailed descriptions of what past levies were designed for and were those levy goals met, were those monies spent on what the levy initially stated? If all these questions have been answered by the district, where can I get a copy of the financially statements, or any information about past and present levy spending. Are these documents made public to the citizens of Coeur d’ Alene?

2. SD 271 has stated that there is going to be a community meeting regarding the levy. This is a great step for all sides involved in the levy vote, SD 271 to present to the public the information about the levy and then the community getting to ask question about the levy. Hopefully, through this meeting citizens will be able to make a responsible decison on the way to vote for the levy and the spending that will be asked of us.

3. Are the Trustees from Area 4 & 5 up for re-election? If so, who is running against them, where can information be found about this issue? How can I contact the Trustee in my area. The SD 271 website gives their name and short biography of each Trustee but no way to contact them. Aren’t Trustees suppose to listen to the voters or patrons in their area and relate these ideas, concerns or suggestions to the Board and Superintendent of SD 271? If so, citizens need to be able to contact their Trustee for their area. Do any of the Trustees hold informal and informational meetings in their areas so they can meet and discuss with their area members about issues involving SD 271? If so, is this information posted somewhere in the community?

4. Who runs the levy election, if it is the county, I was unable to find any information on their website today? Or is the SD 271 running the operations of the election – absentee ballots, turning in of absentee ballots and counting the ballots? This is a little confusing, I need some guidance.

5. SD 271 refers to the voters or citizens of the school district as patrons. But never gives a full explanation of patron – can anyone guide me to somewhere in the district archives as to the definition of patron?

I want to be an informed, responsible voter on this spending levy, but I am asking for some basic facts that hopefully can be provided to me by SD 271 or my trustee in my area where I live.

Comment by ShyAnn — March 30, 2008 @ 8:37 pm
ShyAnn–Thank you for being so thorough in your questions! You have brought up key issues that must be addressed by the school district, but right now they are vigorously and energetically saying nothing. My request for information over the last two weeks was for much of what you are asking, but their eventual response was thin and inadequate. I am putting in another, more extensive request today.

By the way, the school district controls its own elections! They could have the county run the election, but they don’t. They run it and count the ballots themselves.

Comment by mary — March 31, 2008 @ 8:05 am
Who can answer this question for me—-

I have heard alot about the Long Range Planning Group at SD271 and am I correct in assuming that this group has done or put forth the spending levy issue that we as responsible,concerned and educated citizens will be voting on in May?

Since the only information that I can find about this group is through the minutes of their meetings that are posted on SD271’s website, and knowing that the levy is quite important to SD271, why hasn’t the Long Range Planning Group of SD271 posted any minutes since last November? It is stated they were not going to meet in December.

However, with this spending levy issue being very important and beneficial to the school district, the Long Range Planning Group has posted no updated minutes in January, February and March in order to keep the voters informed? It leads me to believe this group is not meeting anymore, or not posting minutes on the website so the patrons of SD 271 can see what is going on with the spending levy.

I would ask the SD271, especially the Long Range Planning Group to please post your minutes of your meetings, I assume the meetings and minutes are open to the patrons of the district?

Comment by ShyAnn — March 31, 2008 @ 11:06 am
I had a conversation with a couple of teachers today. They told me that they have been told by admin that the district is broke due to mismanaged funds. The admin is telling each school they needs to cut back 7.5% AND this levy has to pass. Does anyone know if any of this is true?

Comment by concerned citizen — March 31, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
The CdA Schools depend on teachers pushing the levies with parents and children. Two levies ago they linked it to teachers’ raises although it was a building and maintainance levy. The school has been caught sending home flyers with children that went beyond the facts and outright advocated voting for the levy. In the past teachers manned phone banks to solicite votes for a levy.(check the laws on this) I was told by a parent a few years ago that before one levy, school heat was turned so low that the children had to wear jackets. One year, some schools were refusing to put “a write-in candidate” for school board on the flyers sent home with children and only listed the encumbent. I have observed a lot in the past levies. It is sad that the children get penalized from a school district that has poor a relationship with many citizens. When a district calls wolf too many times without the facts to back it up, the public does not trust them when the money is really needed.

Comment by Mama Bear — March 31, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
You know I almost feel sorry for Hazel Bauman as she ascends to the top job of Superintendent of School District 271. Then I remember that she can always get tips on running the district from new husband David Rawls who served as superintendent before Amend. Of course her access to Mr Rawls might be limited temporarily since he is running for Idaho State Representative in District 3. Please do your homework on the upcoming levy on May 20th. It is also very important that you make informed choices o in the Primary Elections to be held the following week.

Comment by doubleseetripleeye — March 31, 2008 @ 5:56 pm
The levy stands a very good chance of passing, if they use a good strategy. Please don’t think that just because it is outrageous it is likely to fail. They have ways of quietly getting the vote out without anybody knowing they are working behind the scene to do just that.

Comment by Spencer — March 31, 2008 @ 11:53 pm
I am still waiting for SD271 to partake any information (time, date & place)in regards to the community informational meeting they siad they are going to have to explain to all “patron” the specifics of this levy.

How can I reach my Trustees in area 4 & 5? There is a vote for Trustees in these 2 areas, who is running,and what qualifications?

Like to know are there any groups organized that are For the Levy vote or any groups organized that are Against the Levy vote? How can voters ban together to help eith side in this vote on May 20?

Where can I get one of those new CdA special projects patches – this is how I feel in regards to SD271 spending levy

Comment by ShyAnn — April 1, 2008 @ 5:14 pm
ShyAnn,

Here’s the lowdown on the District 4 and 5 trustees:

Diane Zipperer – Zone 4 trustee
Diane Zipperer was appointed to the Board in July 2004 and elected to a three-year term in 2005. She has been active as a parent volunteer for many years, including serving as Sorensen PTO president. She served on the Long Range Planning Committee for three years and on the Advanced Learning Committee for two years. She is a structural engineer for Tate Engineering. She and her husband, Jim, have two children – a senior at Lake City High School and a freshman at Lake City High School.

Sid Fredrickson – Zone 5 trustee
H. Sid Fredrickson was appointed to the Board in January of 2002 and elected to a three-year term in 2005. He was raised and educated in Montana and taught in public schools three years before entering the engineering field. He currently is wastewater superintendent of the City of Coeur d’Alene. He and his wife, Birdee, enjoy camping and exploring the beautiful Mountain West. Their two children and a foster daughter live in the area. Seven of 11 grandchildren are enrolled in the District.

I’d suggest calling the SD 271 office at 208-664-8241 and getting trustee contact information from them. Or, you can email Public Information Specialist Janet Feiler – at jfeiler@cdaschools.org and ask.

You’re correct — their terms expire in 2008.

Comment by Bill — April 1, 2008 @ 7:18 pm

RSS feed for comments on this post.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.