Need more class space? PITCH A TENT!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides with GM leaving that will more than free up space!

If anything its time to start cutting things (like public positions)!

Stop raising our stinkin taxes !! Bunch of pigs always spending money like its growing on trees. Permit required for this permit required for that, tax here tax there, NO MORE TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

benthinkin: I agree... if the school board is looking to create a budget with a zero tax increase, what are they not telling us... too many unknowns in this equation...

crazcass: even if block scheduling were considered, you still won't be minimizing the class size... speaking from experience, I feel as though block scheduling is something the students (or what's left of them) wouldn't benefit from it... granted, you have 4 classes a day, but the amount of homework is the same, if not more than what you receive now, just fewer subjects... if anything, it puts more of a demand on not only the student but the teaching staff to teach more material in a shorter amount of time... plus the number of students in the classroom would actually slightly increase...

to be able to utilize the cost on that one is as futile as a referendum about a HVAC installed in both high schools to compensate for the heat being omitted from having computers in virtually every room in opposition to updating what the students need most: updated educational materials... wish in one hand, crap in the other... either way, it's a lose/lose... even with the concept of a zero increase in tax rates and levys, something somewhere is going to get cut... could be a program, could be funding for one of the departments, could be books or other materials, could be a teacher's salary... no one truely knows...

Again, a simple number while looking at a complex issue. Do you know if they were retiring debt load from building issues etc. Or do you know the total number of students etc.
Or did the state alter teacher / student ratios? To many inputs for comparison...

Janesville residents pay less for school operations than in 1993-1994 (and that's without adjusting for inflation). In 1993-1994 Janesville residents paid $31,572,583; for the 2007-2008 residents paid $27,286,855. Not only has the levy rate declined dramatically, but the property taxpayer dollars for school operations have fallen by $4,285,728, or 13.6%.
(Source: Department of Public Instruction, http://dpi.wi.gov/sfs/taxlevy.html.)

The levy rate is not strictly a fair comparison.
If last year the levy rate was say $10, and the city is re-assessed upward by 30% because of housing value over time, the levy rate would be $7 and yet the homeowner would still pay the same tax.

The levy rate in 1992-93 was 18.19; in 2004-05 it was 9.11; and for the last school year it was 8.34. The primary goal of the school board should be a quality education, not to minimize taxes. School property taxes have already been reduced by the state revenue caps, as well as increased state aid -- the board does not have to seek what already has been accomplished. In recent years the school board has cut programs and kept teacher salaries low (compared to similarly sized school districts), and this has caused many teachers to go to other districts while limiting opportunities for Janesville's kids. For Janesville to attract businesses and increase opportunities for our kids, the district will have stop cutting programs, offer contracts that attract and retain the best teachers, and set quality education as its primary goal.

By all means - keep the budget constant. Don't pay any attention to the fact that the cost of heating schools and driving the school bus has increased so dramatically. We can always cut a few teachers to pay for that. Let's just crowd all the kids into a barn somewhere and let their body heat warm the building as one person teaches all of them all at the same time, regardless of age or ability. That would be cheap!

I thought the referendum was a bit more money than needed to be spent. But, I also believe that when I was in school they really didn't have that many computers which throw off a lot of heat. They have computers in just about of every classroom which raises the temperature in the classrooms. I do believe that the school board should strive to keep the taxes at a no increase each and every year. For example the students that take art classes should be requires to pay for the supplies they use. That's just an example of how they could cut costs. We as homeowners have to live within a budget and usually can't look for handouts when we need a little more money. We have to cutback on something else. It maybe a tough decision but, that's what we have to do. It's to easy for the school board and the city council to raise taxes because it's not their money. Step up and make tough decisions it's going to be hard to do sometimes but quite trying to take the easy way out and raise taxes.

Gouge the schools all you can, I always say. Who cannot be four-square for increasing illiteracy?

More for invasion forces' propaganda, less for education!

I LOVE YOU CALL1.... My government class last year couldn't use our stinken books because the government is ever changing. Materials aren't cheap.

I couldn't agree more call1.

So despite the deplorable conditions your children graduated? That is truely amazing, just how were they so lucky to overcome those deplorable conditions???

The older i get the more embarrassed I become for being born a baby boomer. The majority of the voters are selfish, & could care less that these kids need what they should have to learn. It really irritates me when i hear adults say things like, "air conditioning??!! I sat in these same schools with no air conditioning and i did just fine." Or.. "new books! Those book were fine for me, when i went to Craig back in the 70's. Why do they need New books?" Wake up.. Different times, different circumstances.. It cost money to educate children.

For the record.. Yes.. i'm a home owner in Janesville (pay property taxes), & until last year i had two kids at Parker who graduated...

When a referendum fails it should not be allowed to be revoted on for 5 years. When one fails the next election it is back on the ballot worded differently. They keep cramming it down our throats and belitteling anyone who voices thrie opinions

Bring back Brett!

Guess what folks---the citizens voted for the referendum which we now have to pay for, and just like home, expenses for fuel, food,etc. plus the raise for staff has to be paid. Not raising taxes means cutting staff or programs to make up the difference. That is the real no brainer! I think this board needs to get real instead of trying to make a political name for themselves. At least Lori Stottler seems to be realistic and honest.

That should be the goal every single year.

The Janesville School District is loosing kids to the smaller community schools like Milton, Edgerton, and Evansville, along with Turner. Why? Smaller class sizes, block scheduling. Its a lot easier and the teachers can teach more, and get more acomplished.

How can they justify spending more money when they have fewer students to teach?

No brainer!