Oxford Area School District Tax Hike

Oxford Area School District taxes going through the roof. It is time for people to speak up. The students are performing poorly. 60% fail to meet graduation test requirments. The school board bought more land for a future school. They purchased a 3 million dollar plus building on toute 10 for the administration. That took the real estate tax for schools ($50,000) off the books. Now they want a 14 % tax hike? Speak up.

I am not from Il. I live and work in the Oxford Pennsylvania area. They need to seriously consider not rehiring the administrator of this school district. Overpaid and underperforming for sure.

I agree 100%.....Especially if you have 3 children and one on the way????? Mary Beth, is that you?

the school taxes are way out of hand all residents need tos speak up to stop this...we already pay 1.5% open area tax and now more shcool taxes wake up people!!!!!!!!!!

Dump the president of the school board and maybe things will improve. How can anyone allow the school board to approve such incompetent leadership? The school board must hire someone competent.

I agree with mary beth,drop the dead wood President,stop over paying the Administration,Chip lewis should go also.They are making oxford a disgrace.Wonder who is getting all the kick back money,Boyd and Lewis.

What is often lost in the discussion is the fact that each year property values tend to increase. That means if the state, county, or local authorities do nothing, they still get an increase in tax revenues. As an area grows and developes additional revenues are brought in as new businesses and houses generate more and more revenue. So why is there ever a need to increase the local tax rates?

The result of 3%, 4% & 5% tax increases here and there are hurting people over time. Government Officials!!! How do you sleep at night knowing the your career as a public servant has hurt many good people? Do you honestly believe you are building a better society for your children and gand-children to live and prosper? Well, I hate to tell you, you are not. The world you helped create will not be as favorable for your children as it was for you.

I am sure the public officials in the 1950's thought they too were building a better society with better schools, safer streets, and a civil and supportive community when they raised taxes back then.

We are witnessing the first steps in the decline of the United States. It may take 50 or 100 years but decline is what is occurring. Our children will not experience the clean,safe, polite and civil society that we enjoyed.

What you have is a rabid liberal school board that is out of control. I moved to Solanco school district three years ago for that reason. I pay about 1/3 school tax compared to Oxford. Solano is a lot better school. My cuttent house is larger than the Tweed Crossing house. As soon as the we voted in the casinos for tax relief, a letter came out from the school suggesting that money was not to be used. Before we voted, it was advertised it would reduce the taxes by 40%. The school board stated the reduction would be around 5%. They already planned on the 35% waste of casino revenue. Home owners who pay taxes are paying for all the illegals. Look at downtown Oxford and Kenneth Square. It is starting to look like LA. Crime will follow. The libs will waste more money, and blame everyone else for their failures.

My property value decreases and the school tax increases. I have no children but I have to pay for all the illegals and new developments. The
schools are producing morons. I should at least
get something in return for my so called investment.

Yes, I am a school board director & Yes I am a tax payer. I see things first hand & I can safly tell all you good folks. Oxford keeps building houses & will not let NEW Buisness in to help with Tax relief. Every time a New house is built with one child. We are delt a $3,441 deficit per child in that new house. Because we have to keep building schools. While our tax dollars goto other towns with Walmarts & Such. You want a solution folks? Stop building houses & get some Buisnesse in OXFORD! There is some more reason to but this is one for you all to chew on for awhile. The school board? We are only dealing with what you all handed us.
Thanks for listning :)

I doubt you are a school board director, since you can't even write complete sentences.

A Oxford Board Director wrote:

Yes, I am a school board director & Yes I am a tax payer. I see things first hand & I can safly tell all you good folks. Oxford keeps building houses & will not let NEW Buisness in to help with Tax relief. Every time a New house is built with one child. We are delt a $3,441 deficit per child in that new house. Because we have to keep building schools. While our tax dollars goto other towns with Walmarts & Such. You want a solution folks? Stop building houses & get some Buisnesse in OXFORD! There is some more reason to but this is one for you all to chew on for awhile. The school board? We are only dealing with what you all handed us.
Thanks for listning :)

The people that have children attending the schools in Oxford that live in apartments should pay some kind of school taxes as well as us home owners that are breaking our freaking backs to keep our homes and send our kids to school.

"A Oxford Board Director" states that residents should "get some Businesses in OXFORD." Neat. I love how we elect these folks to represent our interests and when they fail, they blame us for not doing their jobs for them. Like we can stop home building...perhaps they should stop building schools for a while?

Oh...has the sewer system issue in Oxford been resolved? I thought this was a big reason there was no progress in bringing large-scale businesses to the Oxford area. I'm sure they don't want to rely upon port-a-potties.

Here's a suggestion: Cut out ESL Programs.

The School Board has no direct influence over zoning; it would be nice if there were some interaction between the school board and Borough officials who are responsible for zoning for residential, commercial and wastewater treatment facilities (industrial), with some influence into the zoning process. Maybe this type of interaction might aide in reducing ever rising costs. There is a huge problem of one Government entity hindering another, to a degree; this is needed, at the same time, not to the degree being delivered (DEP). I agree on the ESL issue, it needs to be re-examined in terms of need as do a few other courses: the yoga class that is being substituted for PE for example, where an instructor is being paid an exorbitant fee to teach students to become "one" with the cookie. Instead of beating up on the school board directors and the board president, try approaching your congressman/woman, senator or state representative and demand that they put a stop to unfunded mandates on schools (no child left behind...)and start funding schools the way the state should, while your at it, tell them to stop giving grants to private businesses for alternative energy projects and start putting this money to better use by making school buildings more energy efficient with alternative energies. Here is a novel thought; start going to the board meetings, one better get; involved.

People that pay rent are paying taxes; it's rolled into their monthly rent, renters don't get the benefit of tax rebates on the taxes paid thru their rent, landlords on the other hand do reap the rewards for their renters efforts.
For those of you that are not in the "know" school board directors do not get paid for their service to the community, they are a body of volunteers elected by you.

Randolph G Price. I attend board meetings when I can, however, I work full time and my husband works two jobs. We have children involved in many activities, a home to take care of and other commitments which require our presence. We consider ourselves involved. My inability to attend board meetings should not be interpreted as lack of interest or license for the board to pass judgment on the reason my person is not in attendance. I vote in every election and therefore expect elected officials to act on my behalf. Whatever flaw there may be in that system is beyond me to correct...atleast until the next election.

I have contacted my local reps on many occasions to express my "concerns" about no-win, wastes of money like NCLB. I'm usually treated to a nice generic form letter in my mailbox several days later.

"Them" don't care.

I would like to see local vo-tech students involved - with licensed supervision - in projects such as installing solar panels on our schools and providing needed repairs to school buildings. This could also be rolled into credit for Senior Projects where applicable.

Seniors could also volunteer for maintenance projects for their senior project as well.

I would like to see several school districts file a class action lawsuit against PECO for their unfair and highly unethical billing practices.

I would like to see the board investigate ways that community members could receive credits on their property tax bills for participating in activities such as coaching or providing groundskeeping services in exchange for a check.

I would like to see the school board look at the possibility of a four day school week for the upper grades to reduce energy costs. On the fifth day, kids from the upper grades could volunteer - for some sort of credit - in the lower grades as aides, tutors, hall monitors, cafeteria help., etc.

The ESL program should be scaled back or eliminated. Once again, communinity members could receive tax credits for volunteering in this area or Seniors could assist for project credit.

It is time to think outside of the proverbial box. I'm sure that there are laws and liability issues that prevent many of these ideas from coming to fruition.

However, the board will not receive the support it deserves for their efforts, when the response to the taxpayer outcry against higher taxes -- which we just don't have the cash to pay -- is the vapid and predictable..."well, we'll have to cut the sports programs." Nor do taxpayers, who are within their rights to protest tax increases, want to be marginalized because their hectic, overcommitted and stressful schedules prevent them from sitting in a seat at a meeting.

TrixieTrue wrote:

I would like to see local vo-tech students involved - with licensed supervision - in projects such as installing solar panels on our schools and providing needed repairs to school buildings. This could also be rolled into credit for Senior Projects where applicable.
Seniors could also volunteer for maintenance projects for their senior project as well.
I would like to see several school districts file a class action lawsuit against PECO for their unfair and highly unethical billing practices.
I would like to see the board investigate ways that community members could receive credits on their property tax bills for participating in activities such as coaching or providing groundskeeping services in exchange for a check.
I would like to see the school board look at the possibility of a four day school week for the upper grades to reduce energy costs. On the fifth day, kids from the upper grades could volunteer - for some sort of credit - in the lower grades as aides, tutors, hall monitors, cafeteria help., etc.
The ESL program should be scaled back or eliminated. Once again, communinity members could receive tax credits for volunteering in this area or Seniors could assist for project credit.
It is time to think outside of the proverbial box. I'm sure that there are laws and liability issues that prevent many of these ideas from coming to fruition.
However, the board will not receive the support it deserves for their efforts, when the response to the taxpayer outcry against higher taxes -- which we just don't have the cash to pay -- is the vapid and predictable..."well, we'll have to cut the sports programs." Nor do taxpayers, who are within their rights to protest tax increases, want to be marginalized because their hectic, overcommitted and stressful schedules prevent them from sitting in a seat at a meeting.

Now your talking, have these ideas been expressed to the board, if not, you should they are all good, there are many ways to help cut taxes, going to a 4 day school week is very good, how about "virtual school" for grades 9 - 12, not popular with teachers as this would reduce the number of teachers required...

Taxes have to be frozen! Fixed income people are really stressed. Are community courses offered at the schools in Oxford? How does the community benefit from the $$$ spent? Reevaluate the budget from top to bottom. It's crazy to pay such high taxes to a school district. I've lived in many different parts of the country and I've never been in the situation of paying more for school tax than state tax. Oxford and area Townships really does need to change the tax base. I've never had to pay a township tax until moving here too. I honestly feel as a retiree it's getting too expensive to stay in the Oxford area.

I agree the taxes are getting out of hand... We're thinking of moving out of the area for this very reason. Soon, my taxes will be more than my mortgage and then its time to go. A shame for all the business that will suffer when the middle class starts to move it. This also begins a downward spiral of eroding the tax base, needing to raise taxes on the remaining base, further eroding it until businesses close and only the low wage earners are left. Then you REALLY have a mess on your hands. Somebody in the SD better get smart and creative fast...