July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
School debt out of control (08/04/07)
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
$52,613,087.29.
That figure was the principal outstanding (debt) for the Jay County School Corporation at the end of the 2005-2006 fiscal year and climbing. The fiscal year begins on July 1 of any given year and ends the following June 30. If you have the time or patience, you can go through the 22-page Jay School corporation fiscal financial report. It takes forever to go through all the ins and outs, including asterisks, transfers of funds from one to another, and the repetition of social security, group insurance, and teacher retirement funds etc. You will find in the Community Services a figure of $317,867.20 for athletic coaches.
A person or group might lose $3 million or so in a process like this and never recover it for one reason or another.
The outstanding principal for 2000-2001 was $10.3 million-plus. In 2003-2004, it was $28.5 million-plus. We keep losing ground to debt because of irrational Capital Projects and other spending that is hidden or unrevealed in common language.
During 2005-2006, the Jay School Corporation created or spent $19,350,146.50 and paid $2,578,158.83 on the principal. The $52.6 million amortized at 5.5 percent for 30 years is approximately $3.6 million in principal and interest per year, and the school board and administration want to spend more and more.
It appears to me that we have mismanagement or failure to understand how to properly budget is a large problem within our school board and administration. Every spending entity must bring the lavish spending they are accustomed to under control and become a better keeper of the taxpayers' money. I hardly think any of the current members could or would conform to such a change in their spending habits. We need to cut, not increase the debt.
Normally, spending your own money changes one's spending habits.
Why does the taxpayer-elected school board allow high-paid school administrators to live outside Jay County. These people do not pay property taxes and could care less about how much of our money they spend. When you pay some people up to four times or more than an average Jay County worker earns, they should be required to live in the county and pay our tax rates with no exceptions.
I would like to see many expenditures broken down into specifics so every citizen of Jay County can comprehend where their money is being spent. Currently, we must believe what is told us or the spin that is fabled in an article, speech, or conversation. What is the cost of fuel, maintenance, personnel, insurance, and how many miles are our buses driven for other activities outside classroom time? What or why did we spend money on educational license plates?
I could throw out hundreds of figures and questions and will at a later date. You should get the idea.
The increased property taxes come from the local elected officials we voted into office. We need some common sense people with some brass fittings on our school boards, city, county, state, and federal government. Just because they are rich, business, professional, educated people or a nice person does not qualify them for the tasks at hand. We have lost control and have not been willing or have the moral fiber to take back that control.
The restless spending must be stopped now. We need someone that is willing to follow the wishes of the "majority rule" and not take rejection personally.
Jim R. Sanders
420 E. Votaw St.
Portland
Keep walking
The INShape Jay County Health Coalition launched Jay County Walks One Million Miles back at the end of May 2007, and we are proud to announce that over the course of the 12-week program that Jay County residents and individuals who work in Jay County walked 111,492 miles.
Even though we did not reach our goal of one million miles, it did bring about a lot of awareness and got people thinking about their health and exercise that otherwise might not have, and for that we feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Way to go!
There were over 700 individuals that participated in the program, 16 companies and industries, and 280 individuals that consistently reported their activity each of the 12 weeks.
During the course of the 12 weeks, the program awarded nearly 300 prizes to individuals who participated.
INShape Jay County would like to thank The Portland Foundation for its financial support of this program, the many local businesses that donated prizes, and encourage each individual to continue their walking program and exercise as we approach the wonderful fall weather in Indiana.
Stephanie Arnold
On behalf of INShape Jay County Health Coalition[[In-content Ad]]
$52,613,087.29.
That figure was the principal outstanding (debt) for the Jay County School Corporation at the end of the 2005-2006 fiscal year and climbing. The fiscal year begins on July 1 of any given year and ends the following June 30. If you have the time or patience, you can go through the 22-page Jay School corporation fiscal financial report. It takes forever to go through all the ins and outs, including asterisks, transfers of funds from one to another, and the repetition of social security, group insurance, and teacher retirement funds etc. You will find in the Community Services a figure of $317,867.20 for athletic coaches.
A person or group might lose $3 million or so in a process like this and never recover it for one reason or another.
The outstanding principal for 2000-2001 was $10.3 million-plus. In 2003-2004, it was $28.5 million-plus. We keep losing ground to debt because of irrational Capital Projects and other spending that is hidden or unrevealed in common language.
During 2005-2006, the Jay School Corporation created or spent $19,350,146.50 and paid $2,578,158.83 on the principal. The $52.6 million amortized at 5.5 percent for 30 years is approximately $3.6 million in principal and interest per year, and the school board and administration want to spend more and more.
It appears to me that we have mismanagement or failure to understand how to properly budget is a large problem within our school board and administration. Every spending entity must bring the lavish spending they are accustomed to under control and become a better keeper of the taxpayers' money. I hardly think any of the current members could or would conform to such a change in their spending habits. We need to cut, not increase the debt.
Normally, spending your own money changes one's spending habits.
Why does the taxpayer-elected school board allow high-paid school administrators to live outside Jay County. These people do not pay property taxes and could care less about how much of our money they spend. When you pay some people up to four times or more than an average Jay County worker earns, they should be required to live in the county and pay our tax rates with no exceptions.
I would like to see many expenditures broken down into specifics so every citizen of Jay County can comprehend where their money is being spent. Currently, we must believe what is told us or the spin that is fabled in an article, speech, or conversation. What is the cost of fuel, maintenance, personnel, insurance, and how many miles are our buses driven for other activities outside classroom time? What or why did we spend money on educational license plates?
I could throw out hundreds of figures and questions and will at a later date. You should get the idea.
The increased property taxes come from the local elected officials we voted into office. We need some common sense people with some brass fittings on our school boards, city, county, state, and federal government. Just because they are rich, business, professional, educated people or a nice person does not qualify them for the tasks at hand. We have lost control and have not been willing or have the moral fiber to take back that control.
The restless spending must be stopped now. We need someone that is willing to follow the wishes of the "majority rule" and not take rejection personally.
Jim R. Sanders
420 E. Votaw St.
Portland
Keep walking
The INShape Jay County Health Coalition launched Jay County Walks One Million Miles back at the end of May 2007, and we are proud to announce that over the course of the 12-week program that Jay County residents and individuals who work in Jay County walked 111,492 miles.
Even though we did not reach our goal of one million miles, it did bring about a lot of awareness and got people thinking about their health and exercise that otherwise might not have, and for that we feel a huge sense of accomplishment. Way to go!
There were over 700 individuals that participated in the program, 16 companies and industries, and 280 individuals that consistently reported their activity each of the 12 weeks.
During the course of the 12 weeks, the program awarded nearly 300 prizes to individuals who participated.
INShape Jay County would like to thank The Portland Foundation for its financial support of this program, the many local businesses that donated prizes, and encourage each individual to continue their walking program and exercise as we approach the wonderful fall weather in Indiana.
Stephanie Arnold
On behalf of INShape Jay County Health Coalition[[In-content Ad]]
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