Torrance readies its bond plans

the school district needs to speak more openly about the number of permit students in the district - and what the net effect is on the budget (funds received from the state minus the costs) Torrance taxpayers deserve that information, but every time the question is raised it gets ignored.

Well, here we go again... if businesses were run the same way the school district is, they would certainly fail.

The problem with bonds? There is no way to guarantee the money will be spent on what is promised.

Just say NO to bonds...

I'm just looking at the renewal notice for my dog's tags (yes, I live in Torrance contrary to my post location)-$20 per year, much higher than other cities - it would be $40 if she wasn't spayed - on top of that, you can add another $20 if you pay late. Why doesn't the TUSD get some of those pet fees??? Hire another animal control officer to go door to door and collect!!!!

Everyone is aware that a bond is another word for a loan (alone with fees) which must be repay with interest at later time. At the later date, you can have another larger bond to pay off the first (consolidate,refinace) bond, and so forth. OK

Hopefully, this time the automated calls touting the bond won't come at 3am. That's the only reason I didn't vote for the measure last time. (If you can't schedule the calls correctly, how can we trust the money will be spent correctly.)

I've maybe narrowed my list down to 5 but ew can only vot for 4, right? who are you voting for?

Parents are going to have to start paying for more of the costs of educating their children. They do it in parochial schools so it is not unreasonable to expect they do the same in public schools. Maybe then parents will ask more pertinent questions about why school administrators are paid so much and with generous retirement plans, why incompetent teachers are kept on and new, more enthusiastic teachers are squeezed out. For much of the public, taxes just keep going up and up for little benefit.

All I can say is that we've been here before. With the state of the economy, including the gas prices, now is not the time to push a bond measure through.
Vote No to any bond issue.

People are thinking about the wrong issues! How are our school aged children responsible for dirty politicians and gas prices? They are not, so let's not punish them for it! Please drive by ANY Torrance school and look at the deplorable conditions. And don't say well it was poorly spent money or bad maintenance, because that is the past and we can't change it or let our kids suffer because of it. We can fix this! Think of the kids, please!

A Torrance Mom wrote:

People are thinking about the wrong issues! How are our school aged children responsible for dirty politicians and gas prices? They are not, so let's not punish them for it! Please drive by ANY Torrance school and look at the deplorable conditions. And don't say well it was poorly spent money or bad maintenance, because that is the past and we can't change it or let our kids suffer because of it. We can fix this! Think of the kids, please!

Im so tired of this 'think the kids' whine.(It really means think of MY kids). Figure it out. If the bond measure was passed it would take years for improvement to be shown. By then the kids who's parents supported the measure because they thought it would THEM have long ago graduated. You people or too niave.

We need to upgrade our schools now. For the children and for the city and for property owners in general. We must keep the city schools infrastructure sound

Naive is right - think of the kids - jeez, don't you realize that it's the politicians and the school board who are responsible for screwing this up FOR THE KIDS? It will never be fixed until the beauracracy is fixed.

Here we go again wrote:

Naive is right - think of the kids - jeez, don't you realize that it's the politicians and the school board who are responsible for screwing this up FOR THE KIDS? It will never be fixed until the beauracracy is fixed.

So we should just do nothing until we like the people in office? And what do we tell the kids? Sorry junior, we don't like the politicians so you can go ahead and risk electric shock and continue tripping over broken concrete and swim through the huge puddles. Sorry but that's not good enough for my kid.

You don't get it - it's not good enough for anybody's kid - the problem is THIS!!!! We voted for a bond last time, did your kid's school get fixed???? DUH - the money is not getting spent properly because the beauracrats don't know what they are doing!! We can vote for another bond and sit back and watch them waste it again - and your kid's school STILL has a problem.

Ok so lets do nothing. When someone's kid gets seriously hurt and the parents sue the district, we can be proud that we didn't even attempt to try to fix it.

Ok, does anyone have any suggestions? Because I think most people can agree that there IS a problem. What can we do to make the schools safe for our kids?

What the hell is a "beauracrat?"

I'm pretty sure these "beauracrats" you refer to are regular Torrance citizens who were elected to their positions, and make next to nothing for all their troubles.

One must wonder who writes these posts. Because anybody who thinks our schools can get better while the Governor cuts education budgets and we don't increase taxes is insane. I hate paying taxes like the next person, but I also recognize that we must fund our schools and there is no other way.

The only people coming up with unique solutions are the ones who sent out the recent letter requesting citizens to donate their "economic incentive" tax refund to save our schools.

Kudos to Mayor Frank Scotto, School Board President Michael Ernst, Superintendent Dr. Mannon and Torrance Education Foundation President Pat Furey. Hopefully the Torrance Residents will see that giving their money to our schools will increase their quality of life and their property values immensely.

I feel if a bond is to succeed, There must be strict clear language within it. 1. the specific purpose .2. progress reports sent to its citizens as the bond application. 3. All loopholes closed: words like : " will be overseen " "will be held accountable " really means nothing when the finger pointing starts. Named position or controller must be indicated and accepted, for criminal prosecution if misappropriated for some other purpose. Charges also for others involved . 4. A percentage could include the renters therefore everyone shares, I think I would approve if presented,something like this. Loose, vague language is subjective in interpretation, The last thing you want.

Curious: Wow! The Torrance people need to really work hard on their proposal. There is just too much distrust/suspicion of connivance and fraud in the air.

A Torrance Mom wrote:

<quoted text>
So we should just do nothing until we like the people in office? And what do we tell the kids? Sorry junior, we don't like the politicians so you can go ahead and risk electric shock and continue tripping over broken concrete and swim through the huge puddles. Sorry but that's not good enough for my kid.

If it's not good enough for your kid send junior to a private school. Don't kid your self into thinking that the passage of this bond measure will have any effect during any current TUSD students academic career. You need a dose of reality. Big time. In the meantime don't saddle the rest of us realists with another tax for your kids benefit ! People who understand tax payers are 'cunsumers' and the public agency the 'vendor' should get their moneys worth.

A Torrance Mom wrote:

Ok so lets do nothing. When someone's kid gets seriously hurt and the parents sue the district, we can be proud that we didn't even attempt to try to fix it.
Ok, does anyone have any suggestions? Because I think most people can agree that there IS a problem. What can we do to make the schools safe for our kids?

Dont send your kid to that school. Plenty of private schools.