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Help! wrote on Mar 27, 2010 3:05 PM:

" I've had it. Busses no longer make the same route from different schools. One of the changes the district made last year was to only allow bus service within boundaries for schools. The only schools with bus service are TBolt and Daytona (those busses serve different areas of town) and busses for some special needs students,, plus a very small group of students who live in Desert Hills, Havasu Heights etc. for Nautilus. If you are seeing more than one bus on your street it may be because it is a special needs bus or something to that effect. LHUSD just worked with the state last year developing the most cost effective bus plan possible. I would suggest you cal LHUSD transportation for an explanation or to give your suggestion. "




oldone wrote on Mar 26, 2010 10:15 PM:

" I missed the meeting last night, but found out today that for a child to go to full day kindergarden in the fall it will cost the parents $250.00 a month. So the parents I talked with also told me that they signed up at a church school at way less cost. When will Gail learn that our TAXES must go for learning first. It is well known elswere that early learning is the most important step. So If one cannot afford to send a child to PUBLIC funded school the may be arrested. WHAT A WORLD we live in. "




ivehadit wrote on Mar 26, 2010 12:08 PM:

" The other morning as I was getting my morning paper, I noted three school buses driving down the street in my neighborhood, apparently going to pick up students for school. When they left the area, one could see but maybe five kids in each large bus. Now I realize they may be from different schools but if you want to cut cost, why not operate one bus and fill it? The same bus can make stops at the different schools to drop off their respective students and do the evening run in the same manner. If the schools really want to cut cost, there are alternatives.................WITHOUT OVER RIDES! "




watching havasu die wrote on Mar 20, 2010 7:45 PM:

" Gail,,,,NO means NO,,,Dont you teach that ?? Chicago thug tactics is right,,,And you say she is double dipping ? Well that needs to stop right now! Country Wide there should be no double dipping that is the biggest sham ever perpetuated on the taxpayer,,,,STOP THE MADNESS "




johnjay wrote on Mar 17, 2010 8:53 PM:

" oldone,

Again I understand city council does not control the school district, I know, I know, I know. My point is taxpayers have limited resources to spend, which government entities should be allocated those resources, is the question and in what quantity. And just because you keep saying funding for the city has nothing to do with funding for the schools, my reply is it comes out of the same pot of money the taxpayer is trying to live off of, it's all one wallet or purse to them. "




oldone wrote on Mar 17, 2010 12:24 PM:

" Johnjay the city has nothing to do with the school budget. "




hughbert wrote on Mar 17, 2010 12:02 PM:

" Sign the pledge card. Submit the names of four others to vote yes. Sounds like Union Authorization Cards because that's what this is - Chicago / Union thug tactics.

Help - No pensions? Ask Gail if she enjoys receiving her school district pension while she continues to work.

Gail talks about losing money - the overides are TEMPORARY. LHCUSD knew this and should have anticipated the reduction that began this year.

Its like the governor saying that the sales tax increase is temporary - there is no such thing as a temporary tax increase. LHC still has an IDD tax even though there hasn't been an IDD since the 70s. If Gail and crew had their way they would make overides permamant and then tell us they need more.

My vote is NO on the sales tax increase and NO on the overide. "




dudu2 wrote on Mar 16, 2010 11:14 PM:

" The $500,000.00 LHC Athletic budget is a good place to start the cutting. Let the parents pay or coach for free. "




oldone wrote on Mar 16, 2010 10:29 PM:

" All I know is I pay tax for Schools to the Feds, State,County,and thru tax credits for my Granddaughters classes, And when I do so I get a letter asking me to give some of that to the sports fund. I voteted for the first override but if alot of that money goes for Sports forget it. It should go to the class room. "




johnjay wrote on Mar 16, 2010 6:57 PM:

" riverruner,

My minor was Political Science worked on some really competitive campaigns. Trust me I'm using the kit gloves in reference to Gail. I'm just trying to force you to be realistic, you don't have the tax base to fund what you're asking for without a corresponding reduction from some other public department. It's a shame the city didn't put as much effort into building the tourism base and strengthening the boating industry as they have in the non-revenue producing projects. Now you have a real hole to dig out of and not a lot of revenue to do it with. "




ivehadit wrote on Mar 16, 2010 11:08 AM:

" Political Meetings or Not? Lets see, holding District Adm. informational self serving meetings to build support for placement on a ballot equals a political agenda (but its done for our kids). Bribing kids with an "A" to get parents to attend such an agenda on Public School Grounds, focused on gathering support for ballot placement equals a political agenda. Using paid public employees to get the message out to parents who attend such meetings on school grounds equals a suspected abuse of public funds for political purposes raising questionable legality. Using taxpayers money to oppose what the taxpayers have LEGALLY voted against and force them to pay more during hard economic times is WRONG! Just plain WRONG. And you want us to understand YOUR need? We are not your "Cash Cow" to milk to satisfy your thirst! Use your efforts to work on our Representatives as the system was designed for or is that too hard on a group of supposed educators? People check your tax bills, federal, state, county, city and public service, any DECREASES? Now check your own incomes, any Decreases? You Bet There Are! NO MORE!!! Once the district has tasted the sweet flavor of our labor (the override tax money) they will keep coming back for more. NO MORE! How do you spell State Attorney General's Office? "




johnjay wrote on Mar 16, 2010 9:01 AM:

" I'm also a little tired of people saying I'm not informed, I'm ignorant, I don't know what I'm taking about. And in the next sentence they are asking me to write them a check, something is wrong here. "




johnjay wrote on Mar 16, 2010 8:58 AM:

" tired,

You can break up taxes in as many different levels or separations you want. I don't have a separate wallet to pay your separate taxes. "




riverruner wrote on Mar 16, 2010 8:54 AM:

" tiredofbunk, that would be nice, but clearly you are asking someone to do something they are unwilling or unable to do. It is much easier to vilify Gail and the school district that take the time to learn the facts. I really loved the one about thug tactics...now THAT is constructive political discourse! "




tiredofbunk wrote on Mar 15, 2010 4:17 PM:

" johnjay,
You obvously are not informed about school or city funding. The school district is a seperated entity, and has nothing to do with the city or it's departments. Take the time to go meet Gail and discuss your concerns. Everybody has the right to their opions, but should take the time to at least learn the facts before formulating those opinions. "




Help! wrote on Mar 13, 2010 5:03 PM:

" There is no conflict of interest. This was an informational meeting about the crisis that is coming to a head for our schools. If an override election is called for, there will be no meetings at schools. There has been no abuse of the current override the district is on. The district is happy to supply anyone with accounting sheets that are audited by the state. I know you have all be students in schools at some point in your lives, but the reality is things have changed. Schools are tasked with doing more by law...NCLB and AZ Learns. Also, this is not a union school district and there are not pensions. All school employees will take a paycut next year. "




BonHomme Richard wrote on Mar 13, 2010 4:31 PM:

" NO, Is this hard to understand?
You had a boost from us and the state, and you have blown both, NO!

Look to living within a budget. "




DUSAN wrote on Mar 13, 2010 3:17 PM:

" This is just like the Martin Luther King Holiday,,,"Your gonna keep voting til you get it right" !!! Except then they BLACKMAILED us with the Super Bowl,,,There is a reason there are blinders on the voting machines,,Everyone's vote is their own business ! "




johnjay wrote on Mar 13, 2010 9:10 AM:

" These tactics make me so mad, it's one of the major reason we are in this economic disaster right now. Gail, there is a reason we have secret ballots in this country, why we don't require people to sign their names to their votes, we don't tolerate coercion in our election process. These tactics are wrong on so many levels, the people voted you don't like the outcome so you're going to spend more of their money and try to get the outcome you want. Only this time you're going to use vote buying and thug tactics. "




johnjay wrote on Mar 12, 2010 9:35 PM:

" I think if business revenue goes up in the city, the teachers and the schools should get additional funding, no question. I'll vote for the override, however I want a corresponding reduction in sales tax. I want a reduction in water and sewer charges, and a decrease in business licenses and fees. I'm curious is there any tax the school officials are against? Does the school officials believe their tax deserves to be funded at the expense of any other city department, I think that's a fair question. What city department should we make the corresponding cuts in expenses if the school receives the funds they are asking for? "




ivehadit wrote on Mar 12, 2010 3:04 PM:

" Sadly, I can't help but wonder how many of the parents in attendance; did so for a better grade for their kids, are actual home owners and not renters, or have enough sense to realize the ramifications and future cost to the homeowner and subsequently passed on to the renter. Has anyone contacted the Attorney General regarding the conflict of interest in school employees using the tax paid school building for self interest political causes? "




schoolgrades wrote on Mar 12, 2010 11:41 AM:

" At these meetings was there any mention of how parents can do the tax credit? If your going to waste more money on trying to get another override and you have this large group of concerned parents to listen to you; why not tell them how they can earn a tax break and it goes to the school of their choice. Wouldn't this help out the schools in the short term(or long term) until the economy gets better. Fewer students mean fewer rooms needed which equals closing of schools that are no longer needed. Especially when you have an aging population whose kids are moving away. Just look at Orange County's history. And when things build up again a bigger tax base, more money, more kids, equal new schools.

Sorry school board but most of us have been here 20 plus years and remember the jazzuci and football team luxury bus. You shouldn't have abused the past over-ride. "




dudu2 wrote on Mar 12, 2010 11:02 AM:

" Thanks to our governor the half a day kindergarten is coming even if the override passes. Because of the economy more children will leave, we will need less teachers, this is the sad reality. If the override passes, the administrators can keep their social security, union pension and salary at the same time or they have to take a paycut like everyone else, that is the only stake of the override. "




Roco wrote on Mar 12, 2010 10:42 AM:

" I would still like to know how many parents at this meeting are homeowners? As a homeowner, I am being taxed for this and taxed for that. I am willing to pay my fair share of any tax, but why should I pay for something that others don't have an obligation to pay for and use it? What happened to pay your own way? My parents paid property taxes but did not ask for additional money to cover my education. If something was need and it was not part of the school budget, it came out of my parents pockets, not someone's else's pocket. With the current economic atmosphere, everyone needs to live and function within their means. With schools being closed all over the country, what makes LHC any different from them? Tighten your belts. Core education is the most important part of an good education. The district should place more emphasis on that and adjust the budget accordingly. The estimate enrollment of about 6100 seems somewhat small for the kind of money the school board is seeking. (This numbers is supposedly to decrease in the coming year).There is a total of 8 public schools with one charter school. There are numerous faith-based primary educational schools. This amount of students and this amount of schools seems to be disproportionate. The school district needs to do what the rest of America is doing and live within their budget. "




Arliss wrote on Mar 12, 2010 9:48 AM:

" It is still not going to pass, stop wasting money you don't have on a useless ballot initiative. "




! wrote on Mar 12, 2010 9:00 AM:

" Are they acting as a PAC under the guise of school educators? We don't have our police, fire, public works people electioneering for their department and the school district should remain neutral. "




johnjay wrote on Mar 12, 2010 7:57 AM:

" Watch, next step local government will try to shut the newspaper down for subversion, only they won't call it that. They'll come up with some tag line like "All the negative comments are hurting the children, we need to do this to help the children". "




johnjay wrote on Mar 12, 2010 7:52 AM:

" Amazing,

Gail and her cohorts are using political tactics right out of the Chicago handbook. Vote yes on this tax increase or else. Fill in this card with all your personal information pledging to vote yes then turn in your neighbors or else it won't be pleasant for Junior. This is as slimy as it gets, I'm absolutely disgusted at these people, they're willing to go to any lengths to push their agenda. First step sell grades, second step, publicly identify those against us, care to guess their next step. "




ivehadit wrote on Mar 12, 2010 7:45 AM:

" "Gail Malay talked about why quality schools are needed along with the district’s academic successes, how schools are funded, explained why there is a budget crisis, why the budget overrides are needed, what “may happen” if further funding is lost." More Dog and Pony shows to add to Chicken Little's "The Sky Is Falling." The operative word is "MAY" with non-emphasis on it "WILL." School districts all over the nation are closing schools where operational cost exceed the need to keep them open. Children are then transfered to other surrounding schools where they receive the same quality if not better education. Throwing up a number of $1.7 million will be lost as being devastating to schools is smoke and mirrors. Part is lost to declining student numbers, part is due to over ride ending in two years and part is due to lower valuations of homes in the City. What happens when the assessed valuations turn around and start to climb before as in the past? That alleged small amount of tax increase suddenly will balloon and we are stuck with it for another nine years (2 present-plus 7)? For a city of this size and the number of schools is absurd. We have roughly 24,000 homes in Havasu that are paying approximately $110.00 plus a year more right now toward the current override. Inject into that state contributions which will invariably increase in the coming years and increasing appreciating value of our homes, the school will be receiving much more than enough for operations and educating our children. Have you ever heard a school or public entity say, "We don't need any more money?" Waste in appropriations by the district will continue and educational results will remain the same due to tenured teachers and overpaid administrative staff. I've said it before, NO MORE OVERRIDES. Stop using our schools as political platforms for personal agendas! People, the schools are using OUR money to dig further into OUR pocket books on the auspices to educate OUR children. Just consider, the State is also pushing for an additional 1cent sales tax increase to fill budget gaps. Can't the supporters of the override see how they are being USED? "

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