Click on the post to see the agenda for tonight's school board committee meeting of the whole. Finance will address the new budget process and how budget reconciliations will be handled with the new District Finance Manager, Doreen Treuden.
My girls have a choir concert tonight and I won't be able to attend, or may only hit the first 15 minutes if I do. I already had to miss an important meeting to attend the very belated 11-12 budget presentation in September, so I'm going to the concert tonight for sure.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Commercial Featuring School Board Member Supporting Walker is Misleading
Click on the post to see the article in the Journal Sentinel Online regarding commercial featuring the school board member (identified in the article as Waukesha School Board member Karin Sue Rajnicek) lauding Governor Walker's school finance reform. The part that makes one hot under the collar is when she says they are "saving money from our biggest costs AND PUTTING IT BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM WHERE IT BELONGS." Really? How exactly is a funding cut redistribution of funding? There are no funds being redistributed to anybody or anything. It's all CUT CUT CUT. Or take from savings and pray the boiler holds together another year. She must not pay attention during the finance section of their meetings.
Even if ECSD administration had not locked in contracts only expecting 5 percent contribution to the insurance instead of the targeted 12 percent, there still wouldn't have been extra cash to throw at programming. They might have dodged the whole "take the deficit out of the fund 10 balance" problem, but as for any money being left to invest in the classroom, that is pure fantasy on somebody's part. A very sad misrepresentation of what is truly happening across our state.
That brings up the next topic, that of the rabid recall fever taking Wisconsin by storm. I support the proponents right to seek a recall. I even respect their dogged determination to show up at every public gathering that won't throw them out (though I do kinda draw the line at them soliciting signatures at the St. John's Bazaar last weekend). But in the end, I can't with all good conscience rationalize spending a predicted $650,000 in state funding to finance a recall and untold millions in local funding to put on special elections all over Wisconsin because we disagree with a particular political party which so happens to have won the popular vote last year. Unless being ignorant of the finer points of school financing is a crime (or maybe just ignorant in general), there is little evidence that applying the recall process to Walker is called for. Sure, he's a nincompoop and a fool, but let's consider the whopping 30 % voter turnout / apathy that ushered this ignoramus into office in the first place. Any recall election should take place only with the folks who originally took their civic duty seriously and prioritized voting on that first Tuesday in November last year. Since there is no way to prove who voted last fall, there is no way to recreate the voter roster for a recall. Those who suddenly got "non-participants" remorse do NOT get a say in a recall. Next time, get off your ass and vote.
Even if ECSD administration had not locked in contracts only expecting 5 percent contribution to the insurance instead of the targeted 12 percent, there still wouldn't have been extra cash to throw at programming. They might have dodged the whole "take the deficit out of the fund 10 balance" problem, but as for any money being left to invest in the classroom, that is pure fantasy on somebody's part. A very sad misrepresentation of what is truly happening across our state.
That brings up the next topic, that of the rabid recall fever taking Wisconsin by storm. I support the proponents right to seek a recall. I even respect their dogged determination to show up at every public gathering that won't throw them out (though I do kinda draw the line at them soliciting signatures at the St. John's Bazaar last weekend). But in the end, I can't with all good conscience rationalize spending a predicted $650,000 in state funding to finance a recall and untold millions in local funding to put on special elections all over Wisconsin because we disagree with a particular political party which so happens to have won the popular vote last year. Unless being ignorant of the finer points of school financing is a crime (or maybe just ignorant in general), there is little evidence that applying the recall process to Walker is called for. Sure, he's a nincompoop and a fool, but let's consider the whopping 30 % voter turnout / apathy that ushered this ignoramus into office in the first place. Any recall election should take place only with the folks who originally took their civic duty seriously and prioritized voting on that first Tuesday in November last year. Since there is no way to prove who voted last fall, there is no way to recreate the voter roster for a recall. Those who suddenly got "non-participants" remorse do NOT get a say in a recall. Next time, get off your ass and vote.
Monday, November 14, 2011
School Board Packet
Well, I was gone this weekend and biffed on posting the link to the packet. It's always late anyway, and this month was no different, not getting packets before the weekend to review has been a bit hectic. I linked to the whole packet so you can see all the data that is being reviewed tonight. They throw all the achievement data at the board at once: MAP, WKCE, AP, ACT, PLAN, EXPLORE and if that doesn't make your eyes glaze over in sheer data blitz-krieg fashion, they're throwing in a few ways to look at the budget that is entirely foreign to everyone involved. If that doesn't get them, then the "analysis" by the superintendent regarding enrollment, funding and equalized property values compared to like-sized districts, conference mates and other local districts will be the kill shot. I call this the annual data-blitz meeting. Usually, it's only achievement data. This year, to add a bit of spice to life, they've included budget and enrollment "trends" to the mix. Last year, the board asked them not to do all the data at once again, as it is overwhelming to look at all the data at one time. "Could we get this in smaller chunks next time?" Apparently not.
It will be interesting to me what topics come up for discussion and which ones will become a "back burner" item due to sheer volume of data being sifted through? Based on what I choose to cover in the paper, I'll address the other items here. There's more than enough to go around!
M
It will be interesting to me what topics come up for discussion and which ones will become a "back burner" item due to sheer volume of data being sifted through? Based on what I choose to cover in the paper, I'll address the other items here. There's more than enough to go around!
M
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Ohio Voters Speak Loudly
Good grief, it's snowing like crazy outside (I just noticed). I shouldn't complain because I managed to make it all the way through fall soccer season without enduring one flake of the stuff, but I hate winter. I guess I better secure boots for my various kids!
Back to Ohio. Their Governor tried the same thing ours did with public sector unions, but put it to a vote of the people. They also included all public sector employees, not singling out those who belonged to a subgroup that just happened to help elect him. Ohio citizens spoke loudly and in record numbers for an "off year" election. 63% of them sided with labor on this issue.
This issue isn't as clear cut as the unions will have you believe. For one thing, they poured some 30 million dollars into fighting the law severely limiting collective bargaining. That's a lot of scratch. I presume the opposite side spent similar amounts. Imagine what Ohio schools might do with that money?
Unions would have you believe that demonizing the union is simply class warfare. Untrue. There are many union rules which enable boat anchors to keep their jobs at the expense of fabulous employees. This was pointedly illustrated in the last year in Wisconsin when a newer award-winning teacher got laid off while undoubtedly some place-holder who's been marking time for the last 5 years of so kept his or her job. Exhibit A: Years on the job does not equate to competence.
How about that benefits part of collective bargaining? In 2006, the ECSD found a health care package that cost 2-3 thousand dollars less PER EMPLOYEE to purchase. Did the district reap any benefit from their due diligence with taxpayer funds for this miracle they wrought? No, because the contract was written as total compensation package. The savings went into the teacher's pockets. So, if the staff members want to know how they are supposed to pay for their 5% contribution to the health care benefit package, I recommend they stretch their memories back to that (effective raise). While they're at it, they can thank the district for effectively saving them money on their expected contribution to their health care package. 5% of 15K is a lot better than 5% of 18 or 19K.
The new contract that administration rushed into before everybody knew exactly how big the cuts were going to be also benefit staff. Governor Walker asked for a full 12% contribution to Health Care. Reasoning that they had already realized such a huge savings in 2006, administration did not ask for the full contribution, arriving at 5% based on how much savings had already been realized in 2006. That was irrelevant to the legislature. Revenue caps were not altered because you were a good steward with taxpayer funds 5 years ago. Every district saw the same cuts. The magnitude of the "tool" remaining to offset the full amount of the cut was insufficient because the balance is in the teachers' pockets. Exhibit B: Nearly $700K deficit budget.
There was an amusing letter to the editor last week (in the Gazette) listing all the money taxpayers saved in local districts, including Evansville's "savings" of about 650K dollars. Number one, the writer didn't bother to discover the exact value of the deficit, which was 672K and some change. Number 2, apparently they are unfamiliar with how fund balances work. Target values for fund balances ("savings accounts") in Wisconsin are recommended to be at or near 15% of the fund 10 budget. Five long years of conservative fiscal practices in the district took that balance from about 6-7% up to 12% on June 30 of this year. With the stroke of a pen on October 24, it was reduced back to 8.6%.
The amount of fund balance a district carries effects their bond rating, just like the amount of savings a person has determines their "reliability index" for repaying a loan. Also, just like on the personal level, this affects the resultant interest rate charged for loans. The district's bond rating was upgraded a few years ago during a re-fi of one of the loans because the financial institution saw good progress toward the target of a 15% fund balance. If folks think this is insignificant, a review of the debt repayment schedule is available on the Observer blog or even the school district website by clicking on the annual meeting packet under "board meetings." This year the district will contribute about 2.7 Million dollars toward retiring the debt on the outstanding referenda. That figure will increase every year until 2020, ending at well over 4 Million dollars to pay off the debt. Anybody with a mortgage knows how much of this has been interest up til now and how much has been principle. Interest is paid through taxes too! If you suffer delusions that that "savings" of 650K are not offset by potential losses when bond ratings for districts fall in the next few years, you do math differently than I do.
What happens next year is anybody's guess.The one thing everyone seems to agree on is that the financial outlook for public / government employers will be as bleak as or worse than this year. A similar hit on the fund balance next year will decimate it by 46%. What happens if a boiler blows up? Which 10 teachers (or 6 administrators) will you lay off to realize such savings? Which programs will suffer?
The overall point here is that there is plenty of blame to go around for the budget mess in which ECSD finds itself. Writing deficit budgets for each of the last 3 years is a good place to start. This year's was the absolute worst, and to be fair, the first two years ended up being either much less a deficit or a surplus. I don't think they're going to find a spare $672K laying around somewhere in the budget, so we can stop hitching our horse to that wagon. How about a good old-fashioned idea like living within your means? I have heard at least 3 different board members express this desire. I realize many individuals suffer from the inability to live within the confines of their income. The last year I sat on the board was the first year the administration brought forward a deficit budget. I voted against it because it irritated me that anybody would plan to spend more than they anticipated they would make. If it turned out that they saved that amount, you get it the next year. But by God, don't start out planning to spend in excess of your income. Maybe next year, this old-school idea can come to fruition.
Back to Ohio. Their Governor tried the same thing ours did with public sector unions, but put it to a vote of the people. They also included all public sector employees, not singling out those who belonged to a subgroup that just happened to help elect him. Ohio citizens spoke loudly and in record numbers for an "off year" election. 63% of them sided with labor on this issue.
This issue isn't as clear cut as the unions will have you believe. For one thing, they poured some 30 million dollars into fighting the law severely limiting collective bargaining. That's a lot of scratch. I presume the opposite side spent similar amounts. Imagine what Ohio schools might do with that money?
Unions would have you believe that demonizing the union is simply class warfare. Untrue. There are many union rules which enable boat anchors to keep their jobs at the expense of fabulous employees. This was pointedly illustrated in the last year in Wisconsin when a newer award-winning teacher got laid off while undoubtedly some place-holder who's been marking time for the last 5 years of so kept his or her job. Exhibit A: Years on the job does not equate to competence.
How about that benefits part of collective bargaining? In 2006, the ECSD found a health care package that cost 2-3 thousand dollars less PER EMPLOYEE to purchase. Did the district reap any benefit from their due diligence with taxpayer funds for this miracle they wrought? No, because the contract was written as total compensation package. The savings went into the teacher's pockets. So, if the staff members want to know how they are supposed to pay for their 5% contribution to the health care benefit package, I recommend they stretch their memories back to that (effective raise). While they're at it, they can thank the district for effectively saving them money on their expected contribution to their health care package. 5% of 15K is a lot better than 5% of 18 or 19K.
The new contract that administration rushed into before everybody knew exactly how big the cuts were going to be also benefit staff. Governor Walker asked for a full 12% contribution to Health Care. Reasoning that they had already realized such a huge savings in 2006, administration did not ask for the full contribution, arriving at 5% based on how much savings had already been realized in 2006. That was irrelevant to the legislature. Revenue caps were not altered because you were a good steward with taxpayer funds 5 years ago. Every district saw the same cuts. The magnitude of the "tool" remaining to offset the full amount of the cut was insufficient because the balance is in the teachers' pockets. Exhibit B: Nearly $700K deficit budget.
There was an amusing letter to the editor last week (in the Gazette) listing all the money taxpayers saved in local districts, including Evansville's "savings" of about 650K dollars. Number one, the writer didn't bother to discover the exact value of the deficit, which was 672K and some change. Number 2, apparently they are unfamiliar with how fund balances work. Target values for fund balances ("savings accounts") in Wisconsin are recommended to be at or near 15% of the fund 10 budget. Five long years of conservative fiscal practices in the district took that balance from about 6-7% up to 12% on June 30 of this year. With the stroke of a pen on October 24, it was reduced back to 8.6%.
The amount of fund balance a district carries effects their bond rating, just like the amount of savings a person has determines their "reliability index" for repaying a loan. Also, just like on the personal level, this affects the resultant interest rate charged for loans. The district's bond rating was upgraded a few years ago during a re-fi of one of the loans because the financial institution saw good progress toward the target of a 15% fund balance. If folks think this is insignificant, a review of the debt repayment schedule is available on the Observer blog or even the school district website by clicking on the annual meeting packet under "board meetings." This year the district will contribute about 2.7 Million dollars toward retiring the debt on the outstanding referenda. That figure will increase every year until 2020, ending at well over 4 Million dollars to pay off the debt. Anybody with a mortgage knows how much of this has been interest up til now and how much has been principle. Interest is paid through taxes too! If you suffer delusions that that "savings" of 650K are not offset by potential losses when bond ratings for districts fall in the next few years, you do math differently than I do.
What happens next year is anybody's guess.The one thing everyone seems to agree on is that the financial outlook for public / government employers will be as bleak as or worse than this year. A similar hit on the fund balance next year will decimate it by 46%. What happens if a boiler blows up? Which 10 teachers (or 6 administrators) will you lay off to realize such savings? Which programs will suffer?
The overall point here is that there is plenty of blame to go around for the budget mess in which ECSD finds itself. Writing deficit budgets for each of the last 3 years is a good place to start. This year's was the absolute worst, and to be fair, the first two years ended up being either much less a deficit or a surplus. I don't think they're going to find a spare $672K laying around somewhere in the budget, so we can stop hitching our horse to that wagon. How about a good old-fashioned idea like living within your means? I have heard at least 3 different board members express this desire. I realize many individuals suffer from the inability to live within the confines of their income. The last year I sat on the board was the first year the administration brought forward a deficit budget. I voted against it because it irritated me that anybody would plan to spend more than they anticipated they would make. If it turned out that they saved that amount, you get it the next year. But by God, don't start out planning to spend in excess of your income. Maybe next year, this old-school idea can come to fruition.
This and That
I'm taking an informal poll regarding the Evansville school district's strategic planning process. How many of you took part in the process? If you DID take part in the process, what were your impressions?
If you did NOT take part, why didn't you? What could the district have done to make the process more accessible to you?
I hope to include results in a post at a later date. Stay tuned!
Thanks for your help!
M
If you did NOT take part, why didn't you? What could the district have done to make the process more accessible to you?
I hope to include results in a post at a later date. Stay tuned!
Thanks for your help!
M
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