When I saw the headline “Reasons for bond’s rejection uncertain” I had to opine. The district is clueless.
Let me, as a taxpayer, parent with a child in the system and a historic volunteer with the school help the administration understand why this vote failed.
Part of my problem is that I work and live in the private sector. In privately funded businesses and families, you look at the money in the budget and prioritize and direct the money to the most important area that needs funding.
Building a $24 million new administration building when money is needed in other areas that would benefit students does not meet smart voter needs.
Moreover, one reason that I refuse to vote to fund any government-funded project is the “prevailing wage law.” For privately funded job, a contractor will pay for a journeyman-level employee a rate of $15 to $20 per hour. But as soon as it involves a government job, due to the “prevailing wage,” that increases to $50 to $80 per hour.
The above are two reasons why I could not vote to fund this bond.
Whenever the district is going to the public to attempt to take more of our hard-earned money to fund projects, they first should ask themselves the following questions:
Have we maximized all of the money we have taken from the taxpayers? ($24 million to an administration building says no)
Is it worth the money we are taking from others to pay interest on the money borrowed for the job, project or item?
Can we use the existing tax money taken from families more effectively? (Paying $50- $80 more per hour does not meet criteria)
And finally, is this project or tax worth taking money away from families that are still struggling?
Until the school district and the government start treating tax money like we, as families, treat our budgets, they will continue to have a hard time funding projects that are voter approved.
For any government or school district to get a vote from me to increase funding, they will have to cut all that is not necessary, budget effectively, fund the most important things first, and finally, when negotiating for expenses, get the best value and price for the project. Do not pay someone $50 per hour when it is available for $20 per hour.
Ken George
Everett
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