Are you ready for another big school tax increase? Well, start preparing now because all indications are, they’re planning one. During the most recent school board meeting, 11-21-24, Jeff Fox, school district business manager presented the year end summary and then described a major upcoming project, entitled GESA (Guaranteed Energy Savings Act) Phase III (High School Air Conditioning). Everyone agrees the high school needs air conditioning, but a couple of points need to be raised.
The school district has not been able to find grant money to fund the project. As a result, as shown in the image above, this project needs to be locally funded, that means you need to dig into your pocket and pay for it.
How much money are we talking here?
Isn’t it interesting the price tag is about the same as what was just spent on covering the football field with plastic grass?
It’s almost a done deal already!
Notice the two agenda items highlighted here. One says at the next meeting the GESA air conditioning project should be approved. At the following meeting they will approve a resolution not to exceed the Act 1 index. If you’re not familiar with Act 1, it’s a formula that calculates how much each school district can raise your taxes without asking taxpayers for permission. The limit has been over 7 percent, so they are really giving us a big break by saying they aren’t going to exceed the maximum they are allowed. Right. The same school district that squandered $4 million on plastic grass, now wants to spend another $4 million on air conditioning upgrades that should have been the priority in the first place.
If this is approved now, when the budget is presented later next year, the argument will be, “It’s already been voted on and passed, so we have to raise your taxes to pay for it.” See how that works? Hurry up and agree on a big project before the budget is put together and then say taxes must be raised to pay for it because now their hands are tied, they have no choice.
Spending your money is easy
They need money, so they raise your taxes. You don’t care, do you? It’s only money.
How about NO TAX INCREASE? If this project is absolutely necessary, start cutting somewhere else. Taxpayers have had enough of this.
Now you see why the agenda isn’t published earlier
When you see what they do in school board meetings, is it any wonder the superintendent refuses to publish the agenda any earlier than 24 hours before it starts? If there was more time, the citizens and taxpayers might be able to dig in, see what’s happening and decide to show up with uncomfortable questions and we can’t have that, can we?
Either show up or pay up
This is what happens when no one shows up at meetings. The same few of us who always attend can’t do this alone, so don’t be surprised when your school taxes take another big jump.
Just thought you would like to know.
Steve LaFuria says
Can you publish what the tax revenue is per student and draw a comparison to other school districts? This would be one metric to evaluate the management of school board tax and spend policy.
Salvatore Michael Vella says
This is bull crap! Why we spending 4 million dollars on a football field when everyone including the pro’s want to go back to a dirt field. Wait and see how many more injuries our kids get.
Doctor D says
Tell me ,how many people in the NESD are retired and and on fixed income.
Getting more expensive to live in North East.
Joan Bubna says
What is wrong with our school board we cannot afford them let’s get a new board that can use a budget
Joan Bubna says
Does anyone hold the school board accountable for budget mandates
Jeffery Lowes says
I agree with Mr. Lafuria above with the caveat of standardized test scores for all grades compared to county, state and national scores. Maybe we should see. how we rank and see where the money should be spent.