Im torn a bit. Some said to give the immigration thing a rest, so I did, but then, not as many people discussed the posts.
Soooooo .... makes me wonder whether i should be responsible and talk about what needs talkin about, or whether I should just stir things up to cause a ruckus to get more discussion on my blog.
Oh well.
Here goes my foray into the school bond issue.
Its about time to vote, if you have not voted, you need to get that ballot mailed in.
If you didn't get a ballot, you can get one at the courthouse in Winfield.
Ballots have to be in by noon Tuesday, NOT mailed by then, but in the ballot box in Winfield at the courthouse.
So even mailing it Monday probably won't work.
We had a story about one problem that is developing, and that being the fact that a lot of ballots have been returned by the post office as undeliverable.
This is because people have not changed their address when they have moved. We got ballots for the people who used to live in this house, but they don't live here anymore. I dont know where they live, but I dont think it is Arkansas City.
Obviously they have not changed their address with the voting people.
Now before the naysayers get riled up about this, you have to realize it is just a quirk in the system. I dont think its some grand conspiracy to either get it passed or to derail it, depending on which side of the conspiracy you are on.
If you are a registered voter in the district, you can still get a ballot even if one did not come in the mail.
It will just be a bit more hassle if you didnt change your address.
I am begrudgingly supporting the bond issue.
You can tweak with details and argue the various points to death. I am sure some parts could be made better, but I dont think that helps anything.
If we really think a detail should be changed, we can go to the school board and make the case.
I see it more as giving a general approval to a building program that will improve schools. I dont really care if they follow the plan exactly, though they may have to.
I dont have kids in school, but I believe in supporting my community.
It is a quality of life issue, and it is going to cost me about an extra $60-$70 a year for 20 years. Taxes are already high, that much more wont break me.
But I do sort of object to the fact that renters are not paying any of the freight.
Still, its a good thing to do for the community.
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23 comments:
Well I will be the first to respond as I am a tax payer that has no children in this school system. I am one of those people that did't recieve my ballot. I am calling the courthouse in the morning. And hopefully if I get the ballot in the box by Friday my vote will count. I changed my address from my house to a PO Box because it is safer to recieve mail under lock and key, I forgot to change my voters reg. address. I am now aware of it and will fix it.
As for me being for the bond issue I am not. I have a friend that works at the middle school that tells me that some of the children have to share books because there is a lack of them. If this is so, then buy them books and go for the bond issue. But sports is not something that ALL children will benifit by, to me it is secondary. I raised my children here and they are grown and gone from here. Would I support child safety? yes, would I support more books for learning? yes. Would I support seat belts in school buses? yes. But I will not support a complex that not all of the children will benifit from. Detach this complex from the bond and I will vote yes.
Of course the renters will pay. Landlords may use it as an excuse to raise rent even greater than the actual cost.
I hope people will realize they should have received a ballot.
If you don't get it by Friday, you may have to go to Winfield. But if you go there, you can vote there immediately i believe.
I suppose renters pay through their landlords, but they do not pay directly.
Maybe renters do pay. What if the renter moves? The landlord will still have to pay property taxes, with no rent to offset the taxes.
Take a drive around town, and look at all the vacant houses, someone still pays the property tax or should.
Maybe the school system should do what we all have to do, suck it up, make the repairs that are allowable with the revenue at hand.
I can't afford to buy a new house, or add on to one, or buy new A/C just because mine is not 100% effecient.
Here goes, back in the day, we didn't have A/C, we had windows, we also went outside to play, we walked to school.
We all like luxuries, but at what cost, when luxuries take precedent over necessity, then we spend what we don't have.
Yes, I know about technology, and it's merits, and it's drawbacks, in some situations it is a no win situation, but it still doesn't prevent us from stepping back and taking a look, at what we are attempting to do, and where it will eventualy lead us.
dddfan
I can't afford to buy a new house, or add on to one, or buy new A/C just because mine is not 100% effecient.
>>>>>>>>>>
maybe we could float a bond issue for you :)
that's all true. The question is what do we want ?
We can get by with a lot less, but ... should we ?
I am still on the fence, but leaning toward voting yes, HOWEVER, I think that only property owners should be allowed to vote on the issue. Just because a person is registered to vote does not give them the right to vote on something that will cost us money and not them. And to see now that people outside of Ark City (I personally know of a few college kids that don't even live here anymore who have received ballots) are able to vote is just plain old wrong.
Be sure to get those ballots mailed in.
they have to be in the box by Tuesday noon.
So, if they're not mailed tomorrow, they might not make it.
Renters will be affected too!
If my landlords taxes go up, don't you think he will raise the rent to make up for it?
How can you possibly think that it doesn't roll downhill like everything else. If property taxes go up for any reason renters will end up paying for it too.
I just realized the renters will be more affected because the profits from the renters is what the landlords will use to pay the taxes on where they live!
As a renter I still think it is worth it. Even at $120 per year, that only adds up to $10 per month. The benefits far outweigh the costs.
I understand the sentiment in doing things for kids, but when i see the bank that is secureing the bond selling the issue i am worried that there are underlying reservations that are not in the intrest of the public
I think i heard something about the guy that is selling this works for union state bank is that correct?? that could very well be an issue
tand the sentiment in doing things for kids, but when i see the bank that is secureing the bond selling the issue i am worried that there are underlying reservations that are not in the intrest of the public
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Yes, the bank does stand to make some profit off the deal.
I dont really see anything wrong with this. No one is trying to hide it, so it just seems like normal business to me.
If another bank were doing the business end, they would be making a profit, and would be pushing it.
Better to be using a local bank than an out of town one?
Actually lots of people could be making money off this thing. Contractors, suppliers, even restaurants who sell lunch to construction workers.
It should actually help the local economy by bringing more money into the area. It is true we will be spending 35 million over several years, but that money will be spent here.
:)
Yes but to have John Sturd doing all of the seminars and not revealing that he has a vested interest in the 24 million dollars in interest is not right and a little dishonest.
This reason alone was the reason for my no vote
ill be curious to see what others think on that.
could be a double-edged sword for the schools.
if he were not supporting it, that could be used as an argument against.
i dont see what is wrong with making money ?
now if he said he wasn't, but really was, then that would be an issue to me.
How about if he said this is a good thing for the city, but it wasn't just the city he was concerned about, and he didn't reveal his financial windfall.
24 million over 20 years is almost the amount of money per year that it costs the district.
With the state contributions it costs the district tax base $1.5 million per year.
The interest is $1.2 million dollars per year to the bank.
Ka-Ching!!!!!
Thanks John.
Stated another way almost half of the money goes to the bank.
Ill try to find out.
No idea how it works really.
I kinda doubt the bank will get half the interest, but ill see what i can do to find out for sure.
j
More I think about this, I wonder if he will make much of a profit.
He wont peronally at all probably, though the bank might.
The bonds are done through private bond counsels, which are attorneys, and the bonds are issued through the state. Or through a bonding company, which is not really related to the bank.
So the bank wouldnt be getting any of the interest at all.
It wont be financed through the bank.
THe bank isn't "toting the note."
About the only way the bank could make anything would be some sort of handling fee, which is probably a set amount.
Im going to see if i can find out how much and so forth.
But the bank itself wont be pocketing any interest im sure.
"I kinda doubt the bank will get half the interest,"
I didn't say the bank got half of the interest. I said the interest is almost half of the total cost.
Good luck getting a straight honest answer on how much the bank makes on the deal.
One of the most significant arguments that seems to keep being stated in support of the bond is how these upgrades will help with energy savings. When you put in more efficient heat and air and new energy-efficient windows, you save money on utility costs. They say we'll save $1.8 million dollars over 20 year! Wow. That's amazing. Let's spend $60 million so we can save $1.8 million. WAKE UP!!!!
The state will specify exactly how much the bank will get as a commission for handling the deal. It will either be a percentage of the original amount, or an exact figure in dollars and cents. The paperwork is supposed to be public and should be available at the district office.
They say we'll save $1.8 million dollars over 20 year! Wow. That's amazing. Let's spend $60 million so we can save $1.8 million.
Not a very logical argument.
That is what was being pointed out.
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