Continue reading "Medina Schools put levy on November ballot"

What does the school district NOT understand. Seriously people are being laid off, taking pay cuts, and Medina Schools want more money! Why not do a sales tax so EVERYONE has to pay! Why keep putting the burden on the taxpayer, I'm single and can't keep affording putting all these non homeowners kids thru school! Have you noticed that more and more out of towners are moving into Medina milking the system, now I get stuck paying for their kids! Have you not seen the foreclosures, the homes for sale, people at the welfare office, the companies closing? Give me a break! I cannot believe the district is so selfish and irresponsible! OH wait, yes I can, after you built two new schools and by the sun times article your are trying to save face by firing a couple of employees, just two? think you probably have more double dipping or using company cars for other things besides school!

Its a fact of life that costs escalate. However, targeting programs like sports, strings and orchestra by threat of not funding them and converting them to "Pay to Play" seems to be hand-picked targets by the school to get their point across to parents.
Why is it that the school targets these programs first? Because they hit home the fastest. In reality, the state of Ohio still forces students to play for their school instead of playing in outside Leagues that are usually better organized and focus more on the development of each individual.
I believe if the levy fails, outside sports programs will flourish and probably cost less than half of the cost of "Pay to Play". Remember, the market is not changing. Just the supplier. There will still be hundreds or even thousands of young students that want to play sports, or music. Do you really think that organizations will not form outside of the school programs to accommodate these developing athletes and musicians. I say, open the market to competition....but you wont because the new football field still needs to be paid for....

Good thing I live within the Buckeye school district.

I agree with Bethanee though.....school districts need to become more fiscally responsible rather than simply looking for additional tax revenue.

I agree too, the teachers work less in a year than the 40 hour a week people, they are given how many days, and they DO NOT always use the days off for school stuff. There is a lot of waste as far as payroll in the Medina Schools, I say vote everyone off the board up for re-election and show them that the taxpayers bank is DRY.

Something does NOT make sense here. Who decided what programs to cut? Who sent out a letter one week before the vote, emphasizing that transportation would be cut. Take that $400,000 out of the $5,000,000 (yes $5 million) administration budget instead!
Who decided where the cuts will be made!!!!

Teachers are paying $40 for single health care per month and only $80 for family health care per month!

The school system paid over $4 million in interest charges in 2008.

You are so right Mary from Medina teachers do not work a 40 hour work week, more like 50 hours a week not including time on the weekend for preparation. Are you aware that it is mandatory for teachers to obtain a Master's degree? Are you aware of what the starting salary is for a teacher? These are the people who teach our children-this is the future of our nation. You are all angry that teachers actually get a break on health care? It is so nice to know the community is supportive of those whom you entrust your child's education. Why don't you focus on the real problem, doesn't anyone remember that the state of Ohio ruled the current method for funding schools is unconstitutional? Why aren't you writing your representatives asking why this problem hasn't been fixed,? I am. Does anyone realize that there is a state close by that may have an answer? Pennsylvania has been funding schools for decades taxing those who actually use the school systems. I am not saying they have a foolproof system, I am saying someone should start looking for alternatives. I am not a teacher, I am a parent that wishes better for my kids than I had. I am disgusted with the lack of support and complaints I see regarding teachers and their "benefits". That is why I urge you to focus on the system and how we as a community can fix this system.

I'm not ragging on teachers. In fact, my sister teaches at a public high school in the Cleveland area. It's not an easy job. That said, by her own admission she gets a LOT of time off (two months during the summer, two weeks at Christmas, one week in the spring).

I'm just saying that school districts in general need to be more fiscally responsbile. Maybe that means trimming less fat off the top (i.e. superintentent and school board).

Focus on the problem. If it is unconstitutional, then write those letters and get your representatives off and on. Reread focus on the problem and act accordingly. They are your representatives.

Save the lecture on writing are representatives etc.. duh... Like we don't. I pay almost $50. for single health care, teachers are not the only profession that has to have a masters degree so that point is mute, they chose the profession and the pay that goes with it. After I watched that one school board meeting and heard the one board member go off all snotty on a resident and throw the you don't care about the kids card, it showed me just how what a bunch of arrogant people run that board and how they overstep their positions with threats. Trimming the fat would help their whining instead of expecting more, more and more. Oh and why don't they all chip in extra money for the nonpaying residents who moved into Medina overcrowding the schools, why are they MY financial problem because I'm a single homeowner who has one income that didn't increase this last year. Where's my extra money to pay my bills, my home, my car, my prescriptions, my utilites, my insurance? Oh, that's right, YOU people who want to push this levy down my throat, your hypocrites, because you don't care about me.

I hate to say it but Mary is right, they don't seem to realize the stress on the taxpayers right now, this is not the time with all the foreclosures and job losses. I know that there is waste in the school system within teaching and after the election year that promised change, it's just one more thing that stresses the working person into a deeper financial pit. Medina Schools, you kind of did it to yourselves and I won't vote for the levy, not after everything I've seen out of your schools and your school board.

My point was to encourage people to consider the bigger problem which is the way schools are funded in the state of Ohio. I am proposing we change a system that isn't working for any of us. I see emotionally charged arguments and finger pointing, but no long term solutions. I would love to have a conversation about change and future plans to keep Medina a vibrant community using factual information and realistic approaches. If you just log on here to complain and talk about yourself then have at it, but you aren't making anything better by doing so.

Wall Street crashed. The effects were devestating. The housing market crashed. Our property values went down. The auto industry crashed. We are trillions of dollars in debt. Do we really want to let the school system crash?
Let's support (as well as reform) the educational future of our children.

Medina City School teachers and administrators average yearly salary is over $75,000. They only work 9 months out of the year and enjoy extended vacation time. This would equate to $100,000 per year for a regular 12 month working schedule that most of us have to endure. They also enjoy premium medical coverage and 401k/pension benefits. Companies are cutting salaries and benefits in all walks of life during these troubled economic times. If the teachers and administrators are willing to take a 10%-15% cut in their salary and benefits, then I would gladly support a reduced school levy tax to help fund the schools. A sacrifice has to be made on both sides for this to be a true community partnership to help keep our schools properly funded.

Pay cuts are RIGHT! and trim some of the fat from the overpaid, over insured part-timers! Look at the newspaper, the amount of foreclosures, the city schools are over burdening the homeowner, while the city keeps trucking in all the welfare people from Cleveland and you expect us to foot the bill for all these non paying residents. So VOTE NO and when the schools start spending within their means, and they REFORM their way of spending. Many homeowners have no extra cash for another levy that just doesn't increase the first year and stop. I care about children, but they also have to have a roof over their head and they have to eat. I don't see the schools in Medina even trying to meet the TAXPAYING resident half way.

To continue the conversation, go to: http://medina-city-schools.blogspot.com .