They should look at this tax situation a little different. If I put 85% into my checking account and 15% into my savings account, but pay 90% out, I have to reevaluate how much goes into my savings and recalculate it. Why doesn't the city do the same with our taxes? We pay taxes as a whole to cover all of the costs of the city. Why can they not reevaluate the percentages to make this whole thing balance. I think we all know that there is a shortfall when it comes to schools, so why can we not look at all of the monies to see where it can come from. There has to be programs out there just "wasting" our taxpayers funds. Just look at all of these frivilous things they are trying to do with streets, ice arenas, and things like that. To some those may be important, but realistically, what is more important. The tax payers helping out businesses or the tax payers getting our children educated? The other programs can wait a bit until everything is back on track. I know these statements are not going to be appreciated by some, but really what is more important here?

To Sannio:

Because you have no children in the public schools, I think you should pay MORE school taxes.
For today's parents, it's pretty expensive raising the kids who will be the next generation of tax-paying citizens who will be your neighbors and whose taxes will support you in your old-age years.

The Departmet of Education in Washington should realize you can not continue to mandate more Math & Science, more Special Education, more Foriegn Languages, Computer Classes, PE, Consumer Education, etc. without finding a way to pay for it. Fifty years ago we supported schools with property taxes and it didn't seem all that bad because Education was just the 3'r and going on to high school was a choice you made between farming and further education. Seems like it was a long time ago but the idea that local property taxes can pay for all these new mandates didn't change. It all started when the Russians sent that missle up in the sky. The Department of Education went ballistic and every politician platformed on "improving" Education but none of them thought for a second how all these changes and improvements would be paid for. Like kids in a toy store they wanted everything and would just ask mom and dad to pay for it. Well mom and dad bought some of it for a while but now we are losing our homes, defaulting on credit cards, and having our cars repossesed just to keep up with it all. In my opinion, you can not have a World Class Education with the greatest percentage of funding coming from property taxes. That idea is as old as the one room school house. School districts all over the country are going broke. It is time for our politicians to stop making education an issue to get elected on and do something for a change. There is hope, our President has hinted at finding a way to pay for Education up through the college level. Maybe they are starting to get it.

"Board members have argued that Janesville is suffering more than most from unemployment and the other effects of a nationwide recession, and taxpayers should get a break."

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WHAT????

I will agree that the city has not been doing the greatest and unemployment has been high but this is not the time to make cuts. What do you think will draw people into the city? A good school systems is definately high on many peoples list. The increases they SHOULD have made would not have costed the average household very much. As many have said probaly only a coule bucks a week. Even people on a fixed income can afford two dollars a week. There are very few people that could not find a way to save $2 a week.

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So you made these decisions to help the citizens of Janesville right. Now there will be more unemployment and children that aren't learning what the need to be learning. Those so called electives are needed for many children that don't have an interest in continuing education. Those are life skills that may or may not be learned at home depending on the situation. Did anyone even consider that?

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I agree that the choices are hard but I've hear quite a few good idea's coming from the community that seem to fall on deaf ears, forgive the analogy.

It is time to start making the right decision by the students and not the popular one with the loudest whining community members out there!

That's it Mr. Sodemann? You have time to read the blogs but no time to put your two cents in(if it amounts to that). Is that some sort of rule once you become president? Can't correct all the incorrect info out there! Maybe there isn't anything worth correcting becuase the public that is angry about the cuts is absolutely correct; you and some of the other board members just choose not to listen.

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The board, while you have been in office has not raised taxes as it should have to gain the neccesary funds from the state each year. You must have known how that worked, so I'm calling you and the rest of the board during those years irresposible. We're not talking about a ton of money that it would have cost the tax payers either.

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What about the fund 10 balance. Everyone in this city knows there is more in there than needs to be and you could easily take some of it to make up a portion of the budgit defecit. As other posters, teachers or union leaders have posted you have about 8% more in the fund balance than most other schools this size. Why? I've never heard a good answer as to why this is so!

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You are a board member to represent both the school and the citizens of the city and it seems as if a select few of you are there strictly for the citizens and not the welfare of the children. What do you have to gain, it is an unpaid spot in office. Quit doing the popular thing and make the right decision which is to find other alternatives to cutting so many positions.

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After you figure out a way to alleviate cutting so many jobs (by listening to the intelligent people in the community), pat yourself on the back and step out of office as you certainly don't belong with the skill set you have.

Thanks, uwish11 - those are the facts that need to be understood by everyone involved. Is the preliminary budget available to the public? Somehow they missed - what was it? $750,000? - in last year's budget.......are we all sure that these preliminary numbers are even accurate?

bignik: When I post a blog, which I seldom do anymore, I always sign my name. For the record, I have had 3 children graduate from Parker, one who is graduating this year and another who is currently a sophomore.

Sincerely,
Bill Sodemann

There is no simple way out of this. Raise taxes and you cripple even more an already crippled local economy. The student population is shrinking. The school employee roster needs to shrink as well. That includes administrators as well as teachers. And it also means closing schools which diminishes maintenance and operating costs. We have a school system built for 11,000 or more students but we will soon have less than 9500 if we aren't already there. The only real difficulty in making the necessary cuts are the usual problems. There are constituencies for every item that can be cut. So folks are going to be unhappy no matter what gets cut. But we can't maintain the status quo. We all know that's true. The school board needs to resolve to do what must be done regardless of who screams or how loudly they scream. That's not going to be easy.

sannio..........whats your real name? bill sodeman?

Not all of these classes charge fees. And if fees are charged, the fees cover the cost of materials used by the student in the class. The fees do not pay the salary of the teacher who teaches the class. That is where the greaer cost lies.

Parents do pay an extra fee for the "extra" classes that they take like Photo and Tech (those are the only ones my children have taken--I am sure the others charge too). The additional fees go towards the cost of the supplies for that class. I would think that if they were in need of more money for those classes they could come up with some plan that the parents could pay more. Maybe a weekly fee for the course or a 2 payment plan, something. I would gladly pay more for MY children to take the classes that they enjoy.

@Mouse... actually I have 3 young children in the JSD. Too many people have the NIMKS (Not in my kids school) attitude and say keep the arts, the tech classes or whatever, and then their kids are no longer in school and then they say cut, cut, cut. If those parents want art or tech classes for kids, then "pay to play" may be the new way to go.

Facts about the $9.8 MILLION Budget Deficit:
• The district is currently projecting a $24 MILLION reserve (Fund 10) on June 30, 2011. That is 21% of their operating budget. Many similar-sized districts run a 12 to 16% Fund 10 balance. If we went to a 12% Fund 10 balance, we would cover our budget shortfall. It is possible to cover the $9.8 million without raising taxes. The Janesville School Board creates their own policy in regard to the use of Fund 10.

• It would cost the average taxpayer $1.39 per week if taxed at the maximum allowed which would raise $4.4 million. That's less than a soda per week. Our school taxes are lower than most similar-sized districts in the state.

• Our insurance reserve (Reserved for Claims Stabilization) included in the overall fund 10 reserve has increased from $2.5 million to $4.5 million in 2 years. The Board could easily lower this “Reserved for Claims Stabilization Fund” to a lower percentage.

• The more a school district spends, the more money the state will give to fund education! The district taxed about $6.5 million less than it could have over the past three years. If the district had taxed the extra amount and spent it, then state aid would have been nearly $2 million more over those three years.

With a different approach to its reserve policies and/or taxes, our School Board would not be forced to make drastic cuts to our students’ educational opportunities or raise any class sizes. The School District of Janesville would be able to continue to offer the students of Janesville an education we can all be proud of.

HA HA Good One! That is so true.

Sigma40:

Are you serious? Don't worry about science except the health end. Well then you better not cut the foreign languages because we will all need them real soon based on that comment. I hope I don't need to spell that out any more for you!

It's unfortunate that we are facing the budget situation but many things have contributed to make the situation what it is.

The teacher's asked for more $$ and health insurance benefits during contract negotiations and we the taxpayers via the school board agreed. Not a wise decision. Most private sector jobs have taken a pay cut, or have had their wages froze.

Instead of letting teachers go, why are we not considering reducing administrative staff at the central office. Are all those higher paying officials really necessary? Could we get by with fewer guidance counselors at the high school? Are 4 guidance counselors needed at the high school? Do we need 3 assistant principals at the high school? There is a police liaison, let the police liaison assist with discipline problems. There are several good teachers within the district. Too bad some will lose their job.

Rumor has it that the students are planning a walk out 2/23 to show their frustration and disagreement with this matter. Will this make a difference?

There are many challenges ahead, but we must compromise together--administartive staff, parents and teachers for the sake of the students.

Sigma40 - Science - beyond the health aspect of it... worthless.

Science built the gun and ammunition that you are so proud of.

Sannio- who paid for your education? Who paid for your parents' education? You have benefitted from this system in one way or another so stop whining about not having kids.

If you cut out half the worthless stuff they try and shove down your throat... all the need to know stuff could be consolidated to half the amount of time in school and half the teachers. 75% of English class is all stupid stuff like shakespear and crap like that....worthless. Gym classes can be eliminated, just have an open gym/study hall. Health classes should be emphasized because kids are getting crazy fat. Biology = worthless to anyone that isnt going to be a biologist. Science - beyond the health aspect of it... worthless. Theres so much that needs change... but Americans dont know change.

The best way to solve this problem is to have a head tax on each student in the school district. If you have kids in school that will be affected by any cuts, you and all the other parents that have a bigger stake in the education system than a non parent should have to pay more. The higher amount of public education services consumed should warrant a higher cost to the end user. When people cry foul about paying more the JSD could ask for donations to cover the deficit, and see how far it gets them.

Oh and the admin. salaries do not help the situation either. Can they not run the school district will less personnel (not teachers)? Look at finding admin. positions and teachers positions for that matter that could cover both schools. Pretty much saying 1 person doing 2 jobs. It has worked in the private sector for years. Maybe they should try that (more than what they are dong now).

I guess this whole thing confuses me. Did they not see this coming? Why is it that this needs to be 100% dealt with this year? Why do they not look at a projected 5 year or even 10 year plan to try to figure this thing out? Make gradual cuts that do not immediately affect the students. Still offer the cut classes, but cut them in a sensible manner over time. The Freshman coming in will know what they will be able to take during their tenure at school, but to cut them out and have all of these kids who have worked so hard at getting to this point and to have them not matter is sad. I have 2 kids in high school that are going to be affected by the cuts next year and they both wonder if they are cutting all of the tech, art, and other classes, why do they not just teach the madatory classes and offer no other classes? They find this ridiculous that they have to take courses that they just do not care about because they have to fill their schedule. I see their point. I can just imagine that their 3.7 GPA will drop, because they have to take classes they could care less about. (That will do wonders for them trying to get into a good college.) I hope this doesn't happen, but I can see it being a possibility.

Option #1. Cut all athletics and then enough regular teaching staff, based on students scores on standardized tests, to balance the budget.

Option #2. Shut down Craig, and bus students to Parker at night for 2nd shift high school classes. Teachers are selected by inverse seniority, regardless of which school they currently teach at, to work double shifts and the remainder are to be laid off.

Option #3. Students at each senior high school divide into two teams, one offense, one defense. The offense attacks the other school while the defense defends at their school grounds on a selected day. Any weapons the students can make, buy, or steal may be used. Teachers will remain in their home rooms, unarmed and are acceptable targets of attrition. The first offensive team to take over the Principal's office and use the phone to call the school board wins. The losing school is closed for a year and students from that school skip a year of education. If this doesn't reduce the budget deficit, repeat with the junior high schools. The school board may make any deal with the entertainment industry for filming rights it deems profitable to help reduce the budget deficit, and will rule on the eligibility of soccer moms to participate in the battle.

Let's see...
I've never had any kids in public school.
I doubt very much I'll ever have kids in public school.
My taxes for the public schools are over $1000/year.
How do I think about all this?