What I'm up against...

I know a semi-lengthy explanation of local school district funding isn't the most exciting thing to read, but bear with me. It gets good!

So in Great Falls this year the school district is asking for a Mill Levy to be passed to help fund the schools. I honestly don't know what the words "mill" and "levy" even mean in this context, but I do know that the citizens of the town get to vote on whether or not to increase property taxes by $14.00 a year per $100,000 your home is worth. These taxes are proposed on a year-to-year basis; they are not permanent. This means that the increases in taxes only last from year to year as these levies are requested or not. It kind of doesn't make sense to me why the people are even allowed to vote on this, but this is just how the budget is created.

Asking the voters for a Mill Levy is something the district's been doing for many years. Throughout the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s, the Mill Levies almost always passed. Then in 2008, the voters said no. Most teachers agree that this was largely due to the fact that the voting was switched to completely by mail-in ballot, coupled with the (then) recent economic downturn. It's a lot easier to vote no on school money when you don't even have to leave your own house, and it's easier to say no when you can cite the bad economy as your reason.

But people went around saying, "Tighten your belt, tighten your belt" and "Live within your budget!" What people failed to grasp is that the levy request IS a part of the district budget. The state funding formula for a school budget contains the amount of state and local support required for the operations of a school district. When the voters approve the levy then the district will have its budget for the year.

But it failed in 2008, the schools cut jobs and didn't fill spots left by retiring teachers. I was fortunate enough to retain my job that year, but my class loads got bigger. How did class loads get bigger, despite falling student enrollment overall? When an English teacher leaves a school, the 130-150 kids who would have had him must be packed into different classrooms instead. This makes for about 3-5 more kids per class, depending on what grade level you teach. I saw the change with my own eyes last year, as my classrooms went from having 20-25 kids to 25-30 kids.

For two years, the district did not ask for another levy. We were afraid that if we asked again we'd be voted down, and it would turn into an unbreakable trend. This year, the schools are facing a huge deficit of funds. This is due to many economic factors. We need the levy to just barely maintain the status quo, but even saying that is misleading. Because even if the Mill Levy passes, the district will have to make some cuts in teachers and programs. If it doesn't pass, which looks likely, massive cuts will be made. At least 10 teachers per high school will have to be cut. I don't know about the middle schools and elementary schools, but they will also have to cut teachers.

So what is it about asking for $1.50-$2.50 a month for public schools that makes the people of Great Falls scream for blood?

Well I'm glad you asked, because I don't know. To give you an idea of the prevailing attitudes and moral philosophies that I'm up against, I've included an amazing sampling of comments left on the website to the local newspaper, the Great Falls Tribune.

And to give you some background information: A starting teacher in Great Falls, Montana, makes $27,000 a year. After taxes and insurance, they take home about a $1600 paycheck. That equals about ten bucks an hour. I'm not pointing this out to complain about my salary, just to illustrate that teachers aren't rolling in dough. Obviously teachers with more experience make more, but the jobs that are going to be cut are the new ones, the ones that make about $27,000 a year.

One of the things that gets tossed around is that teachers were expecting to receive a 1% pay increase next year, as negotiated in our contract. It comes to about $25 more a paycheck, but is instantly erased by the fact that our health insurance premiums are being raised by $40. This 1% increase is extremely modest, and does almost nothing.

I should also note that Great Falls pays its teachers less than any other AA district in Montana. Also, Great Falls spends less money per student than any other district in Montana.

With all that information in mind, I present to you:

READER COMMENTS OF GREAT FALLS!!!

"Let's point out the obvious here. Our economy is in the toilet and it's on the verge of being flushed. WHY? Because when it comes to spending, the political courage to say NO cannot be found. If there is one thing that the TEA Party movement has brought to the table it is this; CONTROL SPENDING. Live within the existing budget(s). The Trib and the teacher's union supporting this levy hope to cloud this simple principle by hiding behind the kids. They will look right past the many in our community without jobs and the elderly who are on fixed incomes! WHY? Because their interests come FIRST. Vote No!"

"Don't be shamed or cajoled into voting YES. How many of you folks are getting a raise this year? These people spend you dollars like it's Halloween candy. Dont tell the school board no....tell them HELL NO!!"

"like Obama with healthcare, you are missing the point. You can't talk your way into having higher taxes legitimized. The school district has a budget. LIVE WITHIN IT! At what point does one say enough already? You might think that we have not reached that point yet; I say we have! More importantly, I believe the voting taxpayer will agree with me."

"It's this type of rationalizing that drives the taxpayer crazy! I think it's about time for the taxpayer to run a levy that requires local and state governments (and yes that means the school district) to cut spending by 3%... a real 3%! Not some accounting technique. This levy is all about feeding the teacher's union... and that's an appetite that will never diet on its own!"

"Public schools are socialist! I refuse to continue to subsidize the education of other peoples' children!"

"Time again to vote NO on this levy. The People have alloted [sic] "x" dollars and its time the schools start living within that budgeted amount given by the taxpayers. This idea that schools think they can create budgets that exceed what the taxpayers allotted shows poor leadership and accounting by those in charge of the schools."

"Don't think for a moment that school is for or about kids. It's about corporate welfare for the textbook, computer, and bricks and mortar contractors (and here in GF, the private bus company, which closes down neighborhood schools to increase its revenues and "jobs")"

"I would probably be more supportive of this levy increase if it were applied entirely for the student's benefit such as better books, better facilities, etc instead of the majority going to teachers and adminstrators [sic] salaries! In case no one noticed we happen to be in a severe depression. Serious times deserve serious methods and perhaps f the teachers and administrators were willing to accept a 5 year salary and benefits freeze to lower the levy, it might stand a chance of passing."

"Also the $14.32 they ask for doesn't have a sunset clause so it could go on and on and on. Another thing I don't like is don't threaten me with the education you provide my children . . .don't use my children to get what you want I really resent that."

"The schools I attended received no funding from the state in the form of taxes and consistently produced students with higher GPAs and college scholarships that their public counterparts. No unions muddying the water and no politicians forcing political requirements intended or implied like union membership in a predominantly republican or democratic involved union. Seemed to work quite well. But that was 50 some years ago and under a kinder and gentler USA that had ethics and worked to earn a living instead of standing in line for government handouts."

"How does the quality of education fall because the taxpayers don't pass a couple of mill levies over the past couple years. If that's your best, no wonder the vote is going to lose."

"hey maybe great falls could be the first to not fund school sports with tax payer money then when it works than the rest of the state might follow we could make history and for once be a leader not a follower"

"We pay enough, we all live within our budgets (and not because we can't demand a levy when WE run short, but because we're responsible enough not to spend more than we make). I'm with NERVA: Deal with it, you leftists, WE DON"T HAVE THE MONEY!"

"Could you imagine if our public schools made a leftist's parents student work in the school to help pay for their education? Oh man...The ACLU would be called and the school would be sued for making poor little Johnny help pay for his education. For a lefty, the only place little Johnny is going to work is the football field. You see, lefty's believe in taxes, they love taxes because they can then make the playing field EVEN. By Even I mean: "Even little old grandma's have to pay taxes so Johnny can go to school" Even little old retired Grandpa's have to pay for Johnny's education" Even Childless couples and middle age couples with no children in the school system have to pay for little Johnny's education" Lefties will not and cannot go it alone...they need their hand held while they hold their hand out."

"The funding is more than adequate without the levies. Schools cry they need more money for the students, yet as we know the money never goes to the students, it goes to wages. It goes to wage increases despite the fact that there isnt a corresponding increase in student graduation rates or grades. Do the right thing and VOTE NO."

"Like spending HOW MUCH for those electric signs in front of each school? (Can we say carbon burners?) You know the signs Im taking about. like the one at North Middle School. Claimed that they had 400 and some odd "Honor roll" students last year. Now lets see... HOW many students go to that school? The percentage of hornor roll kids tells me that 1) North is just shoving kids through with "make em feel good" grades, OR the cirriculum [sic] is to simplistic for children of that age. Seems like only the top 5% or so of the students should be on the honor roll, but it might hurt their feelings if their freinds make it and they dont!!"

"I take it you haven't looked at the high school newspaper. If it leaned left any more it would fall over. It just reflects the liberal attitudes in education in general."

"I used to support these new taxes until I realized that its all my taxes. From the stimulus money they blew through, to the reserves they have built up using my taxes, to the money they are allocated by the state, to all of the levies - all my tax dollars. If this levy is approved - and I urge everyone to vote NO - they say we will maxed out and no future levies. No long term plan - just scare us by saying our schools will collapse. Previous levies have failed, it won't be any different this year. The only money I am going to spend is the stamp to send in my "NO" ballot!"

"There is one teacher, that collects $20.00 from each student. The parents have the entire year to pay the twenty dollars. The teacher uses the extra money to pay for Snacks, extra projects, books, field trips, and lots of other things. On top of which, she makes it a point to invite the parents IN TO THE CLASS ROOMS. I had absolutely no problem giving that teacher $20.00 because it went DIRECTLY to the kids. NOT to fill some hire ups [sic] pocket."

"If only homeowners are being taxed than only homeowner should vote."

"Not to worry O'Bama will fund college for the children. We have to pay for that. We are being nickel and dimed to death and some people cannot understand the simple request to stop this madness."

"Methinks all those backers are school employees like administrators and consultants!"

"The District needs to bite the bullet. I say "no" to the levy."

"throwing money at a situation often times doen't improve the situation at all."

"So just who is the "GREEDY" one in this regard, certainly not the homeowner on a fixed income that might have to do without medications because that 12.00 or so reflects a much greated deduction in their income than someone making 30000 a year such as a teacher/administrator!"

"I don't think they deserve a blank check. They have a responsibility to not waste the money I have entrusted them with. I think they are wasting money."

"This levy request is a good example of what I've been talking about in the topic noted above. IMO, I think this is just a big "Charity Tax". When this goes through, this doesn't help the private schooled or homeschooled children, it just helps the public schools. That's all fine and good, but why shouldn't people be able to choose whom they'd like to be charitable too [sic]."

"I've seen some of the most uneducated kids bagging groceries at wal mart and albertson's and they are the nicest kids in Great Falls because their parents taught them to respect others which keeps them out of trouble. What an absolute joke you lefties are...."

"This levy is not about more education.It is about giving more money to the school district to pad the general fund to pay wages.It will not privide better education or better teaching, just better pay for the teachers and administrators. Throwing more money will not provide better education, it will just approve the current spending habits of the school district.Make the district operate within their allotted budget and vote NO on the levy."

"Must be nice to be able to go to Applebees for lunch! Since you can afford to go there, why not pay that 14.00 bucks for everyone who is on a fixed income and can't. Hope that lunch tastes good!"

"Be a PATRIOT take responsiblity [sic]...site [sic] your facts!!!"

"Teachers: welcome to the new economic times. We all have been doing this for a few years now."

Really makes you feel good inside, doesn't it? To recap:

*Again, this is over a one-year $14-30 increase in property taxes.

*Teachers will get that 1% pay increase whether or not this thing passes.

*When it fails, many new teachers like me will be unemployed. If I go, about 150 students won't have an English teacher next year. Those students will be forced into other English classes.

*Class loads will get bigger, which causes more stress for teacher and student. Students receive less individualized attention.

*Teachers have to focus more time and effort on discipline issues that come with big classes.

*Teachers will have more and more essays and papers to read, which will mean less and less time spent actually reading them and more time just glossing things over.

*Teachers will get more burned out. Quality of education goes down.

*On top of that, the community loses 50 college-educated, professional people who lived, voted, spent their salaries, raised their families, and owned homes here.

Enjoy your fourteen dollars!