My better half has something to say. Vote NO to the Brookings Opt-out on April 10th

Pat Powers

If you know my wife, (hopefully soon to be Dr. Powers in a couple of months) she’s more concerned about education than politics.

However there are a few things that get her Irish up, and one of them is the tax opt-out proposed for Brookings that could bring a massive raise of 675% to the school portion of property taxes, increasing the tax levy from 34 cents per $1,000 in valuation to $2.295 per $1,000.  Most of the increase is dedicated to staff, and a good portion of that is administrative staff.

Not to mention that the school board didn’t look at any cuts to the budget before they proposed their wish list to voters.

As such, my wife is on Facebook pointing out a few of those things, and is letting her opinion be known about the pay bump being given to the Superintendent one month before the school board came to voters with their hand out asking for more:

Brookings resident? Make a point to Vote NO on April 10th, and encourage the School Board to live within their means.

31 thoughts on “My better half has something to say. Vote NO to the Brookings Opt-out on April 10th”

  2. The simple fact that the this is even being brought up by the so called professionals that “teach our children is SCARY” I will be dumbfounded if it passes.

  3. Awe, come on. You need to raise your own taxes because remember its “for the kids”.

    1. That’s what the studies and statistics say… the more money put towards students and education, the smarter they become. It has nothing to do with teacher skills, or parents and home life or language barriers or….

  4. Does your wife “get her Irish up” when she sees what’s happening in Ireland with the “refugee resettlement” programs? Recently read about the town of Lisdoonvarna in County Clare, it’s sad and frightening what’s happening across Europe.

      1. If you insist;) And, just for you I’ll keep my response on topic so it’ll be allowed to stay posted.

        Residents of Lisdoonvarna did not have a voice in the decision to drastically change the demographics of their community. Sounds to me like residents of Brookings did not have much of a voice in exactly what their money will be financing if/when property taxes increase.

        In Lisdoonvarna, a local hotel owner is set to have a big payday by allowing refugees (which is questionable) use of his property and facilities. This benefits the owner, not so much the residents. If Brookings taxes increase, teachers & administrators may be set to have a big payday, not so much the students.

        Are you impressed by my skills? I did receive a public education in high school and college. Here’s one more b/c I know you are committed to me…

        Refugees will have a long and difficult path towards assimilation, their culture is coming with them and they will continue to live by their customs. Brookings path to increase student achievement is going to be long and difficult even if more $$ is dropped into the system for wishful items.

        You see, when I read reports about postal carriers, cable workers and journalists refusing to go into specific areas in Sweden, Germany and Italy because of “refugee” violence, I wonder if others know about these situations and the possibility their communities could experience drastic changes. Pat mentions his wife has Irish roots and I shared what I had been learning about Ireland. Unfortunately, I think you don’t care much about your community, but you certainly care about me;)

  5. Most school districts are no different that Brookings. At least they remodeled their HS and theater for $5.82 million dollars instead of building a $15,5 million dollar Fine arts center that sits empty.

  7. Actually the plan that has been proposed was because of the wishlist from the public and the staff. I am told the board is simply putting it to a public vote because without it they will have to cut teachers and programs in the coming year. I am completely for getting friends together for education!

    1. The public had NO input into this wishlist – which is actually called a set of “dreams” by the superintendent to be more correct. He pulled the administrators together and said to put down the all the things you are “dreaming” to have.

      So- since when do taxpayers fund the wishes and dreams of a district which are not related to the critical needs of students? Where is the alignment to data on identified needs?

      For this proposal, I fail to see how a human resource director or a foundation director are absolute needs when we want to keep class sizes low and support staff with appropriate salaries?

      Cuts are not on the table – truly some type of increase is needed – but the board is attempting to convince the public that this is the ONLY way to properly fund the district.

      We can have an opt- out at a reasonable amount that keeps class sizes low and meets staff needs. What we don’t need is a proposal that basically includes every little desire the school district superintendent “dreams of” into an opt out that lands directly on the backs of the taxpayers.

      1. This happens all too often. The Superintendent and administrators are paid large salaries along with other compensations that hardly any other person would ever recieve. They make sure new buildings, gyms and other facilities are built. Then they don’t have money to increase educators salaries or reduce class sizes. Frustrating.

  8. “Cuts are not on the table – truly some type of increase is needed.”

    At this point I have to say the facts are not in evidence, or at least, have not been effectively debated.

    2. Indeed. I find myself agreeing with young Mrs. Volesky very vehemently. The fatcat administrators need to be axed down to size. No fatcat administrator should make more than $120 large, and we should ban the hiring of “doctors” as these administrators, for they have large heads and think themselves smarter than the teachers they should be working for.

      1. Geez Grudz, finally a sane comment. It is crazy how top heavy the administration is. Well if they wouldn’t buy into Fed Ed and just let teachers teach.

  11. Given the high number of public employees in education in Brookings, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least that this levy passes easily.

  12. The hardest negotiations are for administration personal and without good administrators the teacher salary negotiations become a nightmare. If every school employed an outside negotiator for helping find a true valued salary for just the Superintendent all else would fall into proper salary structure. Not sure if that is ever done but should.

  13. Bill B the Executive Director of every Public School District is her Supt. That position sets policy, executes disciplinary actions upon both students and teachers and must be honest in evaluations of teachers with the publicly elected board. The advice of a Supt. sets the stage for hiring and firing of every teacher and non-certified employee of the district.
    Tell me what that person is worth?

    1. And each teacher is responsible for the education, safety, behavior in the classroom, along with other myriad duties not really a schools responsibilities. Tell mew what that person is worth. Certainly not only a fourth of a superintendent or less. Education is administratively top heavy, and this proves it. Hopefully this goes down hugely.

      To put it more plainly, if you have property worth $100,000, you now pay $34 a year. If this passes, you would pay $229.50 a year!

      1. Springer absolutely many districts are overladen with principals and absolutely could be overpaid. The fact of the matter is that at the end of the day most school boards are not overladen with top shelf negotiators which is why a good superintendent is so important. I spent 12 years on a school so I know at I sucked at negotiations and the Sup was a Pro.

    2. No Superintendent should make more than the Governor of SD. Same goes for any state job.

  14. It takes money to hire talent. Perhaps, for $200,000 per year, the district could recruit & employ a superintendent so excellent and resourceful that (under her management) schools would not need $5 million of additional taxpayer funding.

    “Tell me what that person is worth?”

    Here in South Dakota, female emergency room nurses (RN) earn $54,000 per year. It’s a hard job — one that requires intelligence, experience, dedication, and endurance. Nurses make tough decisions nightly. I understand Charlie Hoffman’s point. Perhaps he’s right. But for me, personally, it’s tough to swallow the assertion that Klint is worth three heroic nurses.

    1. I think you get better quality with less money. Then you know they have a passion for children and education. Just look at non-profit education.

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