Our recommendation: Springboro voters should say 'yes' the first time to school levies

u should put more recomendation into this matter.write a longer description on this.

After a poll of my 14 neighbors we have come to an agreement that Springboro Schools will have to go without this year. The constant asking for more money then assuring us Springboro residents are "wealthy" enough to afford it is appalling. Maybe they should remember "it's the ecconomy stupid". Also, it is really ok for those whose children participate in school sports to "pay to play". After all, although sports has a place, it is not a necessary part of a public education which needs to be funded by the entire community. At least after a child no longer participates in a sport, the parents will no longer be paying for the "pay to play". But if the fees are included in the levy all of us will always be paying.

I have to agree with Taxed Enough's comments. More focus needs to be placed on academics and not just the bogus claim that Springboro Schools has received an "excellence" rating. With the demographics of Springboro and the amount of time spent teaching to the test each year, it would be a calamity if Springboro did NOT receive the excellent rating.

The district is moaning about the increase in gas and heating costs for the schools, but this is something that everyone is experiencing. The only difference is that the individual family cannot just go to their job and tell them to fork over more cash to cover the increases, rather they must learn to live with what income they receive. Springboro Schools will need to do the same. Also, Springboro's complaint that they are paying more for healthcare costs for employees is annoying. Everyone, every business, is also experiencing this increase and the result is the individual employee is having to contribute more money to cover their own healthcare. Let the Springboro School District pass the costs on also. The voters cannot carry their own and the districts healthcare increases! Give me a break!

I'v reviewed the proposed levies and agree the original levy should have a yes vote. The new 6m levy should have a no next to it. I can't believe they want the Springboro citizens to help fund increases for the 10% match by the school to teacher pension funds and an automatice 4.65% increase in pay. Also, a 3% increase in pay for purchased services. Why don't don't they just call purchased services what it really is, salary. So, over five years that levy will generate 30 million and 15 million will go to the pay increase, pension, and healthcare.(9 million to teach pensions). Why don't they lessen the amount they are putting in as a match for teachers pensions and allow the kids to play sports and get a bus ride to school. I guess the pension and pay increases are more important than the kids being educated. They could give each teacher a 3% pay increase each year and stop requiring families to pay fees. They fail to mention that the students pay fees on top of the parents paying for the property tax.

SO, from 2008 on each resident of Springboro will have to put less in a retirment plan and forgo healthcare, but the teachers will have a wonderful pension plan at retirment. I will my rich uncle would pay for my retirment.

Mr. Williamson your letter should be shared with the local media. I have been fed up with the way the school system expects the tax payers to go overboard for teacher retirement, healthcare, and salaries while our own employers are requiring us, the individual employee, to pay an even larger chunk each year. Then we see how the public employee, including our own Doc Baker, is double-dipping and this whole levy seems like a scam.

Springboro Schools likes to make it sound like teachers are martyrs, "Doing it all for the children", but let's not forget that teaching in a school system like Springboro is a cushy assignment. Even their propaganda mailing where Springboro is compared to other schools in Ohio, which most of us have not even heard of, is a joke. Even my college statistics professor made it clear that data can be manipulated to support whichever side one wishes to support. The more accurate look at the data is comparing Springboro to schools in our own area and when we do this we see Springboro is doing just fine. Two of its neighbors, Lebanon and Waynesville, have lower per student spending ratios than Springboro. More money is not needed in March!

"Springboro Schools likes to make it sound like teachers are martyrs, "Doing it all for the children", but let's not forget that teaching in a school system like Springboro is a cushy assignment."

I have taught in 4 other school districts...this by FAR is the hardest job I have ever had. Parents are always on your case, demanding almost as much daily individual attention as their child gets. Administrators are always looking over your shoulder, demanding student data and wanting you to prove how your weekly lessons plans touch on each benchmark standard, how student pre-test and post-test data looks for each learning unit. I am at school sometimes for 10 to 12 hours daily just to get my work done. I am insulted you would think my life is cushy and that the excellent rating is bogus. How often does your boss and do your clients/customers hover over you for quality control...I doubt it is daily like for teachers.

"Parents are always on your case, demanding almost as much daily individual attention as their child gets. Administrators are always looking over your shoulder, demanding student data and wanting you to prove how your weekly lessons plans touch on each benchmark standard, how student pre-test and post-test data looks for each learning unit. I am at school sometimes for 10 to 12 hours daily just to get my work done."

As a former Springboro teacher I can relate to the frustration of the teacher above. Springboro has become a district with too much emphasis on sports and test scores and neither of these are what a real education is all about. Too many hours were spent teaching to the test so the administration could boast about an excellence rating. Each week athletic activities account for the majority of the Super. Dr. Baker's weekly newsletter. And yes, pandering to obnoxious Springboro parent's who think each "little Johnny" or "little Susie" is going to be a pro athlete or valedictorian was all too common. I hope more of the Springboro citizens wake up and realize throwing more money at this district is not what is goint to make a difference in the children's education. A revamping from the top down will! Vote No for the new levy!

By the way, I have relocated to another district and found it a lot less stressful and it has more students and in a period of growth also.

I agree with most of the post here especially "Taxed Enough". What is so wrong with Pay for play? Everyone is having to cut back and watch expenses. Why shouldn't the schools do the same? There are plenty of non-education related cut backs that could be made. They want to give the teachers a 4.65% across the board automatic increase for a 9-month job? I will not be getting near that this year and lucky if I do not get layed-off and I have to show up all 12-months of the year - imagine that!!
And by the way, when they claim the renewal is "no new taxes" is really misleading as when it was sold to us 3 years ago it was billed as a temporary increase - not so temporary is it? Our taxes would actually go down if not passed (as was originally planned). Therefore it really is a tax increase.
Given th lack of support signs in invidual yards I believe is a sign we are not alone in our thinking that this levy is not the right thing. We are voting no and many I have spoken to are doing the same.

Yes, Mr. Williamson's information should be sent to the local media. It would be very enlightening if the general public would realize this...

Springboro schools are just too tax happy and need to realize that the taxpayers are NOT their personal ATM.

I read last weeks's levy article in the Springboro Sun. It's disgraceful that senior citizens on fixed incomes who can hardly afford to pay for their health care are required to pay this increase if the levy passes. I will only vote for this levy if Dr. Baker assures me that he will refund these increases to our senior citizens.

Comments made re: the Levy (Feb 19th)

I would like everyone to know that my comments made on Feb 19th provide for great discussion. I want to be very clear that my aim was at the process and not the Teachers. It's the taxpayers money and we decide how it's spent. The response from Sprinboro schools are typical of anyone who is fighting for a raise or increase in benefits. You try to justify the increase, but I don't recall voting for the following: These issues are all stated by the School's CFO in an article written in the Suntimes 2/26.

1. Provide for 90% of the teachers healthcare payment. Unions are the only employer that pays for 90% of healthcare.

2. Buying life insurance for each teacher.

3. Liability insurance - Most companies lower payroll or benefits to pay for increases in cost.

4. Hire 26 new teachers - I think we can find 26 new teachers that will charge less than 6 million dollars a year.

5. 10% mandatory match of salary for deposit into each teachers pension account.

The teachers and administrators are employees of the Springboro citizen. I think it's time we know exactly what we're paying for in detail.

Our current Federal, State, and local tax system expect more and more cash. They act as if the supply of cash is endless. I think the teachers contracts and pay should be voted on by the taxpayer, not the teachers.

Springboro Resident - curious why you believe only seniors citizens should get some type of refund for this proposed tax increase. What about the folks that are recently laid off and on a fixed income or single folks that to do contribute to the "issue"? Pay for play would solve these issues - only parents with kids would pay the extra leaving taxes the same for seniors and singles who do not use the system...

Correction - "or single folks that to do contribute to the "issue"? " should be "do not contribute to the issue"...

Today I paid my semi-annual property taxes and realized they have increase almost 50% since 2003! Most of the increase has been for the Springboro Schools! I am angry that in this economy and after how much they already receive that they are asking for more. I believe this levy will fail and rightly so. Even many parents with children in the system are opposed, which says alot. I just hope that finally Springboro residents stand up and refuse to take on more taxes, taxes that never go down! Last time I checked Springboro is not a nanny state yet, and just because the school administration and school board "feel" we are wealthy enough to support their increase whims, WE the PEOPLE, have the finally say. Don't be conned by "it's for the children.." Please remember to vote NO in march.

Yes, I just paid mine yesterday. Perfect timing (right before voting) to remind people exactly how much they already pay; with the VAST majority going to Springboro Schools. We just built (and are paying for) two new schools. They begged, pleaded and promised this would fix all of the districts’ problems but yet they are back now with their hand out. This is either very poor planning or milking of the taxpayer - or my guess a bit of both. Learn to cut back like the rest of us. I am growing increasing tired of all the scare tactics and emotional pleas - i.e. "It's for our children's future". What's next? Sally Struthers debuting in their new round of scare tactics?

Taxed to the Max wrote:

Mr. Williamson your letter should be shared with the local media. I have been fed up with the way the school system expects the tax payers to go overboard for teacher retirement, healthcare, and salaries while our own employers are requiring us, the individual employee, to pay an even larger chunk each year. Then we see how the public employee, including our own Doc Baker, is double-dipping and this whole levy seems like a scam.
Springboro Schools likes to make it sound like teachers are martyrs, "Doing it all for the children", but let's not forget that teaching in a school system like Springboro is a cushy assignment. Even their propaganda mailing where Springboro is compared to other schools in Ohio, which most of us have not even heard of, is a joke. Even my college statistics professor made it clear that data can be manipulated to support whichever side one wishes to support. The more accurate look at the data is comparing Springboro to schools in our own area and when we do this we see Springboro is doing just fine. Two of its neighbors, Lebanon and Waynesville, have lower per student spending ratios than Springboro. More money is not needed in March!

YOU go in every day to a room full of everyone elses children and deal with teaching those young ones who do not get enough sleep, are full of their parents problems. Our children are our future. People want better homes and cars but not better schools. Everyone including alot of the younger parents seem to have their own investments that are far higher on the list than their children. Children today are at a big disadvantage and the schools need more and more daily to cope with educating these children. It takes more than reading, writing and math. There are more special needs, councelors, alot of children do not even get three meals a day unless they go to school. The many single parents out there are scraping badly to make ends meet and even to afford to feed the children and keep them warm. It is the job situation that our goverment put these people into. Yes your schools do need more money. Just like our schools do over here. Forget one cup of coffee a day and pay the taxes to help educate the children in your community. You are as bad as the grinch!!

Our teachers deserve far more than they are given. You have no idea what they deal with daily.

No to Boro Levy wrote:

Yes, I just paid mine yesterday. Perfect timing (right before voting) to remind people exactly how much they already pay; with the VAST majority going to Springboro Schools. We just built (and are paying for) two new schools. They begged, pleaded and promised this would fix all of the districts’ problems but yet they are back now with their hand out. This is either very poor planning or milking of the taxpayer - or my guess a bit of both. Learn to cut back like the rest of us. I am growing increasing tired of all the scare tactics and emotional pleas - i.e. "It's for our children's future". What's next? Sally Struthers debuting in their new round of scare tactics?

SCARE TACTICS!! THE ONLY SCARE IN YOU IS GIVING UP MONEY THAT YOU PROBABLY WASTE AWAY ANYWAY. iF YOU DO NOT WANT TO PAY THOSE TAXES, DONATE A DAY OF YOUR TIME TO THOSE CHILDREN IN THOSE SCHOOLS AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND,THEN TELL ME IF YOU WOULD WANT YOUR OWN EDUCATED THAT WAY. WITH THE ARISING PROBLEMS OUR CHILDREN HAVE TODAY IT SIMPLY COSTS MORE TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THEM.

Yes, I will drop by some Wednesday afternoon in July while on a break from work and see exactly how hard they are working. Oh, that's right they will not be there -they will in the middle of a THREE MONTH VACATION!!!

Bee wrote:

<quoted text>
SCARE TACTICS!! THE ONLY SCARE IN YOU IS GIVING UP MONEY THAT YOU PROBABLY WASTE AWAY ANYWAY. iF YOU DO NOT WANT TO PAY THOSE TAXES, DONATE A DAY OF YOUR TIME TO THOSE CHILDREN IN THOSE SCHOOLS AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND,THEN TELL ME IF YOU WOULD WANT YOUR OWN EDUCATED THAT WAY. WITH THE ARISING PROBLEMS OUR CHILDREN HAVE TODAY IT SIMPLY COSTS MORE TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR THEM.

Typical narrow thinking of the folks that just want to tax to no end. I am just wasting money anyway so I might as well pay more taxes and give it to the schools? What an ignorant thing to say. It is MY money, not yours! You have no idea what I do with my money and it frankly is no concern of yours - keep your hands out of my pockets!