The Fallacy of LPOSD New Levy Request
As a local business owner I understand how a business works to grow while maintaining a balanced budget in a dwindling economy. I’m finding it most alarming how schools in Idaho are not taking reality into play when requesting funds.
First: We have the issue of Idaho’s Cost of Living verses Income (particularly Bonner County). For a family in Idaho to reach a moderate living costs around $46,000 a year this does not include Health Insurance, as has been pointed out by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
Second: We have an unemployment rate of around 7% with increased labor in the ‘service sector “ over the last 6 years.
Third: Most residents haven’t seen more than a 1% increase in pay within the last 6 years except in the government and tech sectors as outlined by the Congressional Budget Committee (CBC).
Fourth: All Governor’s this last month at the National Governor’s Association were informed by 5 of the top economists around the Country there is a 25% chance we see another recession in 2016 with 100% by the end of 2017.
Fifth: They are introducing new experimental curriculums which are costing multi-millions, new technology costing multi-millions, and new testing data centers costing multi-millions as outlined in Common Core. Shouldn’t they finish one mega project before slamming us with another?
And
Sixth: In the last 10 years out of 125 we have seen our school’s funds increase over 500%, as was pointed out at the local GOP Central Committee in March. When asked what it is expected to cost, School Board Chairman Youngdahl sidetracked the issue explaining, “This is not an Operational Levy”.
When looking to add any Levy, “We the People” should take into account these factors, ask the hard questions, and elect people of principle who tell you straight up the things we may not want to hear.
