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Originally posted by starstruck:
Anyone want to venture a guess as the the outcome of the bond election? I think it'll be close but the low tax people will prevail. My guess........it fails 55% to 45%.
Hope someone posts the results this evening.

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I guess we'll do it again, but in the meantime we can come up with a GOOD plan.

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Originally posted by contributor:
1280 FOR
1728 AGAINST
3008 TOTAL

In two more years, it will be a $36-38 million dollar bond proposal.

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Starstruck - yu were still close since the figures stayed at 57% against to 43 % for.

Hopefully, the Texas Legislature will settle on school reform this next special session. (Maybe we should vote out all the old farts in the legislature who can't make a decision with regards to our kids best interrests!) So, now we need to be working on getting them to change the Robin Hood plan, etc. since Wimberley is considered a "richer" district. We don't need so much of our money going elsewhere when we are so overcrowded and our kids electives are being taken away.
A better way than Robin Hood, would be if all districts put in the same percentage. Then the poorer districts could request money from the fund based on their needs.
-Just a thought.
Here is a link on Education Reform and Public School Finance. Take a look under "Reform Options" and them "Meaningful Discretion" to see what we are in store for next.
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/commit/c525/c525.htm

or http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/032.htm

To find who your senator is go to
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/Members.htm#FYI

To find who your representative is go to http://www.house.state.tx.us/resources/faq.htm#who_rep

Let them know how you feel. Also be sure to cc the committee members as well.

Are you the same person, Kelly Evers, who went off on the opponents of the bond in the Ridgerunner? The tone of your condescending post and that letter lead me to believe you are one and the same. That attitude may have been contributing factors in the defeat of the bond. I'm not a full-blown geezer yet, so I didn't take offense. Your children mainly suffer from having an impolite and self-absorbed parent. I hear the Eanes school district is very good.

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Originally posted by hill slug:
I am disgusted. Checked the news and a quick check of the appraisal district website. Moist of the people quoted as against because of taxes WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN BEEN AFFECTED!!!!!! Their taxes were frozen because they were OVER 65!!! My children's education is being hindered by these old geezers who don't even know what they are talking about. They don't have anything better to do than screw up things for everyone else or complain about how they wish wimberley would quit growing and stay the way it was when THEY retired here.

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I voted against the bond, and HEY, guess what, I am in my mid-30's with a child too!
It really irks me when people who aren't over 65 talk about "their taxes being frozen". People should get eductated about this before turning 65, or they will be in for a shock.
What people are not realizing is that, YES, your RATE is caped when you reach age 65, but your PROPERTY VALUE can (and will) continue to rise and you will still be taxed on the increased amount. So, when a community is short on monies, the property values will increase. Look around the country and you will see how the elderly are being appraised out of their homes b/c they cannot afford the taxes (based on property value). If you were to look at the WISD website, on the Ch.41 & Budget Breakdown, you will see, "Chapter 41 is based on the property values assigned by the state divided by the weighted average daily attendance (wada). If this figure is greater than $305,000, the school district will be subject to Chapter 41 provisions. Wimberley has exceeded this figure since 2002. As property values increase so does our Chapter 41 payments." SO, how does the district come up with "the average home in Wimbereley at $150,000" meaning that taxes will only go up $150.00 (the district is talking out of both sides of their mouth on this). This shows us several things. After taking out the taxable amount for the rates frozen for over 65, the property values will need to increase. Along with that, more money will be sent out of our district via the Robin Hood plan. And, that the Robin Hood plan doesn't work! Regardless of how much property values are in an area, they are still poor when their schools are overcrowded yet we are sending money out. The school board should be putting its money and effort into getting people to contact their reps. for reform.
It seems that people on both sides don't really know how it truly affects the other, but will hang their hat on a bondwagon (Oops, meant bandwagon).
The tax issue was NOT the only reason why I voted against the bond. There are ALOT of reasons.

1).The school has NOT been forthcoming with answers. Come-on, they have been through this before, they know some of the basic questions that will be raised, why not put the community's concerns to rest right from the beinning by offering up these answers?
2). Why are they trying to push this through before the legislature makes some decisions on school reform? We really need to see what will happen there FIRST.
3). The district choose not to hold a public forum to address concerns because, "The public forums that were held during the first bond election were both poorly attended. Any groups wanting answers or presentations may request them." WELL, the few "public" forums that were requested, were not well known about, but were not "poorly attended" (what is their definition of poorly attended for Wimberley). The district has a responsibility to get the word out in a timely manner. And the response that, "The board is addressing all the community responses and questions." is not true either, they never repsonded to MY questions sent via email. They request that you email questions individually, but don't bother to publish the questions or answers for the whole comminity's benefit. They choose to make the community ASK the questions, instead of offering the answers they know in advance, and what questions would be addressed to the public.
4). "This bond has been in the planning for the last 2 years. All board meetings are posted and open to the public."
Again, knowing what a hot topic this is and how important it is "to the children", the board should realize that just posting when a general board meeting is on a little sign on RR 12 doesn't cut it! Tell us what and when this type of discussion is on the agenda. Tell us with enough time. Provide child care for the voters whom you are trying to reach so they can attend. Do not be vague with your answers. Get the word out! Send home a notice with the children. Put an ad in the paper. Put up the little pickette signs that say "VOTE YES" on the road ways that tells us instead when the board will be discussing potential proposed bonds.
5).The district agreed to accepted the "donated" land and enter into and agreement to buy the 70 acres back in Nov. THEN, sent out the "newsletter" in Dec. without a public discussion.

AND, these are just a few reasons.

It is truly ridiculious how much time and energy was wasted in the wrong directions, especially since they had been through this before and should have know what they were up against.
The bottom line is that I think most people voted their conscience and that was based on the district again doing a bad job by not fostering good will and confidence. They offered up little information and held 2 forums that had to be requested!

[This message has been edited by Blax (edited February 06, 2006).]

[This message has been edited by Blax (edited February 06, 2006).]