One voter who won't support Kalispell school levy
I will not be voting in favor of the Kalispell Public Schools building reserve levy.
In short, I do not believe that the Board of Trustees have been prudent with the funds they have already been allocated.
There is not an endless supply of cash to bail out the board when the members realize that they have mismanaged our resources, paid too much for staff and benefits, and miscalculated present and future needs. Dear board, If you are not up to the task of running the school system’s finances like a real business that must live within its means, then perhaps it is time to step aside or hire a consulting company that can get you back on track.
When voters continually deny your insatiable appetite for more of their income, it is not because “you failed to get your message out.” We got the message. It is not because we don’t “care for our kids,” because we do. It is because the administrators are not managing within their budget. And educators and staff keep asking for more when the taxpayers are already tapped out.
Consider that this taxpayer’s income declined over 40 percent starting in 2008. I counted the days until my company’s open enrollment date came so I could CANCEL my medical insurance in order to be able to pay my mortgage! I am lucky — I still have a job. I am still able to keep my home but not without a lot of sacrifice. When we are picking up a prescription that costs $300 a month and we write a check, the pharmacist asks, not once, not twice, but three times, “you don’t have insurance?” No, not any more. But we have our home and we cut back in every area imaginable to live within our current means.
Imagine how voters feel when they hear that the collective bargaining going on between the union and the board are going to bring improved benefits to those that are living on our tax dollars. All the while we continue to eke out a living and are asked over and over again for more. Imagine our chagrin when we read that administrators and fire officials alike apparently lacked any foresight in safety areas (even though inspections were being conducted every 18 months), but they had the foresight to spend the money on a commons area, something that gave them (the students) an extra feeling of, “Wow, we were included.”
I’m sorry, but if you were really interested in the long-term needs of the students, you would educate them on the real priorities of safety, building and budget issues. They would have understood — their parents are forced to make those tough decisions everyday.
Perhaps at the next talk with the unions someone can point out to the educators (average salary of $51,195) and staff (average salary $44,101) that we voters also understand percentages. We realize that you work hard. We appreciate your efforts. We also understand that you work 70 fewer days per year than the average worker making $32,205 in Flathead County. You make more, but you work less, so the pay is now REALLY out of line, by at least 28 percent!
If the average Flathead worker worked the schedule of a teacher, they would have missed 70 days of work and made $6,192 LESS income. And most workers do not get all of the additional benefits that our school staff also enjoys.
No, I will not be voting in favor of another bailout. Get busy and make the tough choices. Take a hard look at the benefits packages that are costing a lot of money. I gave mine up; will you? For the kids?
Grant is a resident of Kalispell.