Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Lotto Trigger goes to the Capitol
Hello From your friendly neighborhood Wickerdale WalkersOn Monday May 3rd House Bill HRC10-1007 will be introduced. This bill contains many of the provisions that Brad and I have publicized in school board meetings, television interviews, news papers and other print publications. Essentially this bill would redistribute lotto money that currently funds GOCO. When Brad and I first looked at alternate methods of school funding this idea was paramount. What was appealing to us was that it was not creating a new tax or raising an existing one. Here in Douglas County we spend a lot of time talking about the 70% of people who do not have children in school and how to reach them. We felt and feel that ideas like this show the public at large that education can get out of the box and do new things in the realm of funding. While we both have deep concerns for our environment and the preservation of land we feel that today the greater need is for our children and those who teach them. Conservation is important, however, we can make up time towards those goals in the future, when the economic climate has recovered. These difficult times call for balancing wants and needs more so than ever before. Parks and land conservation are in the want category especially when examined against education. I would add that trees do not have mortgages to pay, teachers do. The bill is being introduced by State Representative Jerry Sonnerberg from District 65. I am attaching a link to the bill below, as well as additional information on his web page. I will be at the capital on Monday to fight for this bill and I am asking for support, especially from teachers or administrators who can attend. I will apologize in advance for the next few statements, but given the nature of these times I have to go political. The CEA opposes this bill, I am sad to say that is not a shock. They oppose it because it (in their view) it pits two “progressive” and historic allies against one another, education and the environment. Why do I know this? Because we reached out to the CEA in December and again January, after 20 + phone calls and countless messages we finally spoke to a CEA representative who told us that our energies would be better spent trying to pass a mill increase for our district because our idea would put education and the environment at odds. Apparently in their myopic view they missed what their job is, to represent their members, not environmental special interests. This is an emergency measure designed to help teachers and children. The CEA’s stance is politics plain and simple and I for one feel that my children and our school district deserves much better. Thankfully they are not our union and while I would never presume to guess what position the Federation will take on this measure I will say that when Brad and I presented them with our plan (which was far more comprehensive and cut GOCO and the Colorado Land Trust much deeper) they thought it was great and encouraged us to pursue it. Lately it seems that the CEA opposes any legislation that is progressive, tenure reform to name just one. We missed out on Race to the Top money in part because of the states tenure laws and the lack of Lotto investment into education. How is it that and organization that is supposed to work for educators opposes measures that (had they existed at the time) could have won Colorado a windfall for education? This makes no sense to me. I as a private citizen interpret it like this; the political affiliations of the CEA are taking precedence over the well being of their members, the children and the communities they all serve. Please reach out to representative Sonnenberg at jerry@repsonnenberg.com to get involved. I will be there and I hope to see many of you as well. Copy of the actual bill: http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2010a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont/E494D71D4AA4DF6F872576FF006236BC?Open&file=HCR1007_01.pdf
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Responsible Ethical Citizenship
This is a fabulous program that we are losing to the school budget cuts, take a look at this web site!! I met with Barbara last Monday and she took me through what this program has accomplished and how it supports and underscores the districts vision. It is a shame beyond words to lose this program. Please take a moment and click the below link and see for yourself just what we have lost.
http://schools.dcsdk12.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=149849
http://schools.dcsdk12.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=149849
Proposition 101 and its Amendments 60 & 61
I am a deeply conservative man when it comes to taxes and fiscal responsibility, with that said these 3 acts, lets cal them Moe, Larry and Curley and bloody insane! I am not about to give up my local sovereignty on taxation and subject myself to the whims of the states voting populace anytime a Mill Levy is needed. This will decimate our police force and emergency service and crush all local government. The people who came up with this are so detached from reality it is scary!
Please become informed about these upcoming ballot initiatives. I believe they will cause long-term damage to our State and Local entities. I value nice roads, good schools, public libraries and local government - each will be impacted negatively if these pass. In addition to opposition site I listed below - read these... articles from the Denver Post which include links to both opposition and support groups http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_14445721and http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14445856
Protect Colorado's Communities Vote NO on Colorado Amendments 60, 61 and Prop. 101
protectcoloradoscommunities.net
Extremists are already trying to make the 2010 ballot longer than ever. Three reckless and radical initiatives have been proposed--Proposition 101 (formerly Initiative #10), Amendment 60 (formerly Initiative ...
Please become informed about these upcoming ballot initiatives. I believe they will cause long-term damage to our State and Local entities. I value nice roads, good schools, public libraries and local government - each will be impacted negatively if these pass. In addition to opposition site I listed below - read these... articles from the Denver Post which include links to both opposition and support groups http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_14445721and http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_14445856
Protect Colorado's Communities Vote NO on Colorado Amendments 60, 61 and Prop. 101
protectcoloradoscommunities.net
Extremists are already trying to make the 2010 ballot longer than ever. Three reckless and radical initiatives have been proposed--Proposition 101 (formerly Initiative #10), Amendment 60 (formerly Initiative ...
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
News 31 Interview follow up
I want to thank Kim Posey and Fox News 31 for interviewing us tonight. There is a lot of confusion over what we are saying and I want to clear the air so that everyone can be upset about the facts and not the conjecture.
1) The survey that was referred to in the story states that 87% of Coloradoans still favor Lotto money going to parks. What they do not say is that education was not one of the alternatives listed on the survey. So it is an apples and oranges discussion, we therefore find their logic mute.
2) Chris Leding with GOCO said parks and conservation projects are important when companies consider coming to Colorado. I disagree and here is why. A company wants and needs 2 things; Low Taxes and Skilled labor. Parks factor very little in that equation, but education is what is going to provide the skilled people needed to make a business run well. Ever increasing Mill Levies and Bonds erode the financial integrity of the community and decrease our appeal to business. Businesses are leaving Colorado as we speak and the parks as nice as they are have not been a factor in retaining them. So her argument is flawed.
3) If parks and open space projects are so vital to land values why does my property value continue to fall when I am surrounded by them?
4) Our Lotto idea is a trigger on existing funds during periods of high unemployment. THIS IS NOT A NEW TAX! When times are good parks get all the money. When times are bad parks are treated like the luxury that they are and would do their part to help the community that they serve. If 87% of the people of Colorado truly want to fund parks with Lotto money, then there should be no problem for GOCO and The Colorado Land Trusts (which currently holds 800 million in funds) to pass a bond or Mill Levy of their own.
To Chris Leding at GOCO, I ask you the following questions;
Are the parks and open spaces more important than children?
If parks and open space projects are so vital to land values why does my property value continue to fall when I am surrounded by them? (I will give you a hint, my school district is suffering and is a far more accurate barometer of economic health than are the parks.)
Has GOCO or the Colorado Land Trust let go of employees?
Has pay been cut?
Has GOCO or he Colorado Land Trust had to return part of its budget to the state?
Have your bonds or levies failed?
Are you opposed to sharing your wealth with Colorado’s children?
If we cannot get the best funded institutions in the state to share their plenty, during times of need, with the worst funded institution in the state, all is lost and your parks will be home to our future homeless, jobless kids. Colorado’s children are funded $1400 less per pupil than the national average, how do you think our parks will compare nationally?
I challenge you to come up with a better idea, our children, who are the future, beg you to come up with a better idea. With all of your wealth and resources surly a better solution should come from you. If you cannot think of a different long term solution, you should join our group.
We are a state of 5 million people living on nearly 110,000 square miles of land, conservation is important, but time can be made up on conservation. We have 1 chance to educate Colorado’s children. Before we deiced to put wants before needs, luxury before duty and parks before education we must answer the toughest question, who will run the parks in 20 years if we do not educate these children today? The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the only time to educate children is today.
1) The survey that was referred to in the story states that 87% of Coloradoans still favor Lotto money going to parks. What they do not say is that education was not one of the alternatives listed on the survey. So it is an apples and oranges discussion, we therefore find their logic mute.
2) Chris Leding with GOCO said parks and conservation projects are important when companies consider coming to Colorado. I disagree and here is why. A company wants and needs 2 things; Low Taxes and Skilled labor. Parks factor very little in that equation, but education is what is going to provide the skilled people needed to make a business run well. Ever increasing Mill Levies and Bonds erode the financial integrity of the community and decrease our appeal to business. Businesses are leaving Colorado as we speak and the parks as nice as they are have not been a factor in retaining them. So her argument is flawed.
3) If parks and open space projects are so vital to land values why does my property value continue to fall when I am surrounded by them?
4) Our Lotto idea is a trigger on existing funds during periods of high unemployment. THIS IS NOT A NEW TAX! When times are good parks get all the money. When times are bad parks are treated like the luxury that they are and would do their part to help the community that they serve. If 87% of the people of Colorado truly want to fund parks with Lotto money, then there should be no problem for GOCO and The Colorado Land Trusts (which currently holds 800 million in funds) to pass a bond or Mill Levy of their own.
To Chris Leding at GOCO, I ask you the following questions;
Are the parks and open spaces more important than children?
If parks and open space projects are so vital to land values why does my property value continue to fall when I am surrounded by them? (I will give you a hint, my school district is suffering and is a far more accurate barometer of economic health than are the parks.)
Has GOCO or the Colorado Land Trust let go of employees?
Has pay been cut?
Has GOCO or he Colorado Land Trust had to return part of its budget to the state?
Have your bonds or levies failed?
Are you opposed to sharing your wealth with Colorado’s children?
If we cannot get the best funded institutions in the state to share their plenty, during times of need, with the worst funded institution in the state, all is lost and your parks will be home to our future homeless, jobless kids. Colorado’s children are funded $1400 less per pupil than the national average, how do you think our parks will compare nationally?
I challenge you to come up with a better idea, our children, who are the future, beg you to come up with a better idea. With all of your wealth and resources surly a better solution should come from you. If you cannot think of a different long term solution, you should join our group.
We are a state of 5 million people living on nearly 110,000 square miles of land, conservation is important, but time can be made up on conservation. We have 1 chance to educate Colorado’s children. Before we deiced to put wants before needs, luxury before duty and parks before education we must answer the toughest question, who will run the parks in 20 years if we do not educate these children today? The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the only time to educate children is today.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Your Hub Article Response 2
This is the follow up to last weeks Your Hub article by Dave Schallert.
His response is first and mine follows it on the same post.
Mr. DiCarlo...so much to address. 1. Don't talk to me about "leaving the safety" of the desktop. Writing this piece exposes me to multiple harms by over-aroused DCSD hacks and others (including union thugs) who believe it is their right to prosper while the folks who fund their paychecks struggle.
2. DCSD is funded w/ MY MONEY! I earned it. Your comparison of for-profit businesses vs. the schools is lame to say the least. Just because DCSD has a guaranteed income stream from a captive Douglas County taxpayers does NOT exempt them from good financial and business practices. Does DCSD actually ask themselves "Gee...if this were MY money, would I spend it this way?" I pay approx. $300 a month in taxes to DCSD..and what do I get? $223 for scented pencils! Don't you think I could have USED the $300 myself? Instead it goes to these morons in DCSD. It isn't DCSD's money it's THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY...and they should treat it as such. Don't you think I'd rather do something else with my $$$ than send it the DCSD Black Hole? Again...it's NOT DCSD'S MONEY...it's OUR money.
3. DCSD proposes furloughs and pay "freezes". What a cop out. These folks work FOR US! We don't work for them. They can always rehire staff later when/if times improve. I have no sympathy for DCSD...as I said, let them feel what we've been feeling for the last 2 years. Get rid of them permanently...there is no such thing as "furloughs" in the private sector. If your job is so unimportant where I work that you can be sent home for a few days a year w/ no pay to save money, then you are let go COMPLETELY. DCSD doesn't begin to know the meaning of "hard choices."
4. DCSD pay "freezes?" What a joke! We'll freeze your inflated salary instead of giving you a raise. OOOhhhh...that's SO bold! How about an across the board 10% salary REDUCTION at DCSD. That covers the entire deficit. Schools aren't a sacred cow. They don't wag the county and they aren't immune from reality. Finally David...what are they going to do when the reduced property assessments hit this year w/ a lookback period of June 2008 to June 2010? I expect they'll see about a 20% reduction in their "revenue" from the unfortunate homeowners in Douglas County. DCSD doesn't get it...and I'm going to be on them until they do.
Dave...in all I said/replied below, I want to make clear one thing: I think what you and your group are doing/trying to do is very positive w/ regards to the DCSD. We just come at it from different perspectives and backgrounds. Layoffs, people losing their jobs, the uncertainty it brings to a family/household are terrible things. I've been through it. That said, I believe DCSD comes up w/ all kinds of ideas to meet a budget shortfall except the obvious...they have too many people working for them and need to cull personnel, no matter how painful for all involved. Period
David DiCarlo's Response 2/7/2010
Hey Dave,
1. This hub character limit makes responses hard. First of all I appreciate your input regardless of perspective differences. As for exposure I can tell you that anyone who would (or could) fall into that category has yet to surface in the circle I have seen and believe me I am on record with some pretty inflammatory thing to both left and right. I agree with the comment on folks struggling and layoffs, my home has recently gone through this and I can attest to the fear and stress this can cause. But keeping the $300 is pennies in a fountain. We all spend far more on taxes we never see at all. I would rather spend on schools and cut the amount I am sending to the poor stewards in D.C.
2. I agree that it is our money, but I stand by my non-profit assessment. I will tell you that the transparency is not a transparent as you may think. Many of the superfluous items such as the pencils have an actual use for educating students with disabilities; I found this out after losing my mind over the same information. The other missing part is that many of these items are in fact reimbursed to the school by either the PTO or parents but unfortunately that part of the math is not yet in the so called “transparency”. Bottom line is it is our money and we do need to be sure that the school is being good stewards of that money. I advocate increase accountability but not more cuts. Civil services that are poorly run are going to kill more of my property value. As with most working people my retirement fund is my home, I need it to be worth every penny. If the DCSD is a black hole it is our duty as the tax payers to fix it. I believe we are all responsible because we only look at things after the crash. No one was interested when things were good.
3. This is again a comparison that cannot evenly be made. We must by law educate children. There is no law guaranteeing employment or quality thereof for you or I. A teacher is a non-negotiable part of the education equation, how do you propose we provide quality education without quality teachers? We have only 1 chance to educate a child and the next generation cannot afford to be as stupid as mine. Generation X has made a career out of bad choices and putting wants before needs. We need to end that culture and build in its stead a culture of responsibility. Responsibility goes hand in hand with education.
4. While I do not agree with the inflated salary scenario, I do agree that pay freezes are over played. I am in that boat myself and raises cannot be guaranteed to anyone, neither can affordable health benefits, mine go up every year. The health of the economy dictates the ability to give a raise. In a recession raises are not going to be possible, however, a pay cut will KILL moral. I have worked in companies where pay was cut and the only thing that is worse than losing a job is to have that employer decide you are worth less today than you were yesterday. The new property evaluations are indeed going to kill the schools budget, yet again. But let’s be honest, we are no talking about an amount that will make my life better or worse. The figures I have seen means about a $15 monthly savings. This amount is not going to get me retired to a beach anytime soon. But when combined with community it will make a difference in the education of our children.
I have spoke to many people who feel they have no stake and in fact that since their children are grown or they have none that they should not have to pay at all. In both scenarios I support their position; however, they do not support my solution for the dilemma. For the retiree who has educated their children and claims to get no benefit from the school system I say keep your property tax, but I get no benefit from Social Security so I will keep that money and send it the police, fire and school systems. They can live off their property tax and all would be great.
For the folks that do not have children, I would issue them an exemption from paying property tax, as soon as they present a certified check for all the funds (adjusted for inflation) that were ever spent publically educating them K-12. In both cases the folks on the other side of the issue believe my position to be unreasonable. Which is how I feel about theirs, although I will tell you after I lay out my solutions, we seem to have a better understand of one another.
Dave, I want to invite you to post on our blog as a counter point. I respect the opinions you have put out and after reading your recent post I realize that it does take courage to share your point of view. Doing what is right is not always doing what is popular. Believe me the land management people think we are trying to lead the Frankenstein villagers into their parks to burn them down for the children. These are not easy time for anyone and we will all get further if we talk about the issues and learn together. In the end this is not a problem that can or will go away any time soon. We have many ideas that we are launching which are outside of the Mill Levy arena. The Mill is a poor band-aid for a deep sickness and we will be working to address the disease not just the symptoms. I again extend a personal invitation to our facebook and blog and welcome your opinions and verbal / written sparring. I will leave you with this thought, education today or welfare tomorrow, rhetoric aside look to your big American cities as this was their choice 20 – 30 years ago.
His response is first and mine follows it on the same post.
Mr. DiCarlo...so much to address. 1. Don't talk to me about "leaving the safety" of the desktop. Writing this piece exposes me to multiple harms by over-aroused DCSD hacks and others (including union thugs) who believe it is their right to prosper while the folks who fund their paychecks struggle.
2. DCSD is funded w/ MY MONEY! I earned it. Your comparison of for-profit businesses vs. the schools is lame to say the least. Just because DCSD has a guaranteed income stream from a captive Douglas County taxpayers does NOT exempt them from good financial and business practices. Does DCSD actually ask themselves "Gee...if this were MY money, would I spend it this way?" I pay approx. $300 a month in taxes to DCSD..and what do I get? $223 for scented pencils! Don't you think I could have USED the $300 myself? Instead it goes to these morons in DCSD. It isn't DCSD's money it's THE TAXPAYER'S MONEY...and they should treat it as such. Don't you think I'd rather do something else with my $$$ than send it the DCSD Black Hole? Again...it's NOT DCSD'S MONEY...it's OUR money.
3. DCSD proposes furloughs and pay "freezes". What a cop out. These folks work FOR US! We don't work for them. They can always rehire staff later when/if times improve. I have no sympathy for DCSD...as I said, let them feel what we've been feeling for the last 2 years. Get rid of them permanently...there is no such thing as "furloughs" in the private sector. If your job is so unimportant where I work that you can be sent home for a few days a year w/ no pay to save money, then you are let go COMPLETELY. DCSD doesn't begin to know the meaning of "hard choices."
4. DCSD pay "freezes?" What a joke! We'll freeze your inflated salary instead of giving you a raise. OOOhhhh...that's SO bold! How about an across the board 10% salary REDUCTION at DCSD. That covers the entire deficit. Schools aren't a sacred cow. They don't wag the county and they aren't immune from reality. Finally David...what are they going to do when the reduced property assessments hit this year w/ a lookback period of June 2008 to June 2010? I expect they'll see about a 20% reduction in their "revenue" from the unfortunate homeowners in Douglas County. DCSD doesn't get it...and I'm going to be on them until they do.
Dave...in all I said/replied below, I want to make clear one thing: I think what you and your group are doing/trying to do is very positive w/ regards to the DCSD. We just come at it from different perspectives and backgrounds. Layoffs, people losing their jobs, the uncertainty it brings to a family/household are terrible things. I've been through it. That said, I believe DCSD comes up w/ all kinds of ideas to meet a budget shortfall except the obvious...they have too many people working for them and need to cull personnel, no matter how painful for all involved. Period
David DiCarlo's Response 2/7/2010
Hey Dave,
1. This hub character limit makes responses hard. First of all I appreciate your input regardless of perspective differences. As for exposure I can tell you that anyone who would (or could) fall into that category has yet to surface in the circle I have seen and believe me I am on record with some pretty inflammatory thing to both left and right. I agree with the comment on folks struggling and layoffs, my home has recently gone through this and I can attest to the fear and stress this can cause. But keeping the $300 is pennies in a fountain. We all spend far more on taxes we never see at all. I would rather spend on schools and cut the amount I am sending to the poor stewards in D.C.
2. I agree that it is our money, but I stand by my non-profit assessment. I will tell you that the transparency is not a transparent as you may think. Many of the superfluous items such as the pencils have an actual use for educating students with disabilities; I found this out after losing my mind over the same information. The other missing part is that many of these items are in fact reimbursed to the school by either the PTO or parents but unfortunately that part of the math is not yet in the so called “transparency”. Bottom line is it is our money and we do need to be sure that the school is being good stewards of that money. I advocate increase accountability but not more cuts. Civil services that are poorly run are going to kill more of my property value. As with most working people my retirement fund is my home, I need it to be worth every penny. If the DCSD is a black hole it is our duty as the tax payers to fix it. I believe we are all responsible because we only look at things after the crash. No one was interested when things were good.
3. This is again a comparison that cannot evenly be made. We must by law educate children. There is no law guaranteeing employment or quality thereof for you or I. A teacher is a non-negotiable part of the education equation, how do you propose we provide quality education without quality teachers? We have only 1 chance to educate a child and the next generation cannot afford to be as stupid as mine. Generation X has made a career out of bad choices and putting wants before needs. We need to end that culture and build in its stead a culture of responsibility. Responsibility goes hand in hand with education.
4. While I do not agree with the inflated salary scenario, I do agree that pay freezes are over played. I am in that boat myself and raises cannot be guaranteed to anyone, neither can affordable health benefits, mine go up every year. The health of the economy dictates the ability to give a raise. In a recession raises are not going to be possible, however, a pay cut will KILL moral. I have worked in companies where pay was cut and the only thing that is worse than losing a job is to have that employer decide you are worth less today than you were yesterday. The new property evaluations are indeed going to kill the schools budget, yet again. But let’s be honest, we are no talking about an amount that will make my life better or worse. The figures I have seen means about a $15 monthly savings. This amount is not going to get me retired to a beach anytime soon. But when combined with community it will make a difference in the education of our children.
I have spoke to many people who feel they have no stake and in fact that since their children are grown or they have none that they should not have to pay at all. In both scenarios I support their position; however, they do not support my solution for the dilemma. For the retiree who has educated their children and claims to get no benefit from the school system I say keep your property tax, but I get no benefit from Social Security so I will keep that money and send it the police, fire and school systems. They can live off their property tax and all would be great.
For the folks that do not have children, I would issue them an exemption from paying property tax, as soon as they present a certified check for all the funds (adjusted for inflation) that were ever spent publically educating them K-12. In both cases the folks on the other side of the issue believe my position to be unreasonable. Which is how I feel about theirs, although I will tell you after I lay out my solutions, we seem to have a better understand of one another.
Dave, I want to invite you to post on our blog as a counter point. I respect the opinions you have put out and after reading your recent post I realize that it does take courage to share your point of view. Doing what is right is not always doing what is popular. Believe me the land management people think we are trying to lead the Frankenstein villagers into their parks to burn them down for the children. These are not easy time for anyone and we will all get further if we talk about the issues and learn together. In the end this is not a problem that can or will go away any time soon. We have many ideas that we are launching which are outside of the Mill Levy arena. The Mill is a poor band-aid for a deep sickness and we will be working to address the disease not just the symptoms. I again extend a personal invitation to our facebook and blog and welcome your opinions and verbal / written sparring. I will leave you with this thought, education today or welfare tomorrow, rhetoric aside look to your big American cities as this was their choice 20 – 30 years ago.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Response to the Your Hub Article
Here is the link to the article:
http://denver.yourhub.com/HighlandsRanch/Stories/Opinion/Local-Happenings/Story~739487.aspx
My response was too long to post there so i am posting it here. Please read the article and understand this is the type of misconception we must overcome in this battle.
Dave's response:
All I can say is wow. As a parent and voter in Douglas County I found your article to be current, on task, thoughtful, informative and yet completely wrong. You are doing a great injustice by making a comparison that is in fact impossible. You are juxtaposing the “for profit businesses” with “not for profit school system”. This is an unbalanced equation with no common denominator. Children have no choice but to go to school, however, as an employee or person of business I always have the choice in what I am doing. If I do not make enough, I look for a new job. If my business is not successful enough I get more innovative. In business, my actions dictate my revenue stream. In education the revenue steam is outside of the employee’s sphere of control, innovation is locked up in the desk drawer of the state or federal government as mandates and “one size fits all programs” rain down like volcanic ash.
We are, duty bound to the endeavor of providing the best education possible for children. Before we berate the Douglas County School District we need to look at some facts. We are the eighth largest county by population and have the highest median incomes in the state. Yet we are in the bottom of 180 school districts in a state that funds education at $1400 less per pupil than the national average. Even with this yoke this county has consistently produced the highest test scores in the state. The funding formula is a living exercise in Robin Hood economics. Make more; take more, with no consideration for the fact that if we earn more it stands to reason that we have a higher cost of living. A teacher working here must be able to afford to live here. We have good teachers, because we pay well. Sounds like capitalism at its finest. I always shake my head when we as a people send a mixed message about education. As a society we engage in a five decade long struggle against socialism? We toppled that belief and disproved its false gods, yet we hold education in limbo between the failures of socialism and the faults of capitalism. The fault lives in the community, if you engage with the public and ask questions you will see it. Education lacks the “what’s in it for me” perspective. We have lost sight of the balance between wants and needs and to steal (slightly) from Benjamin Franklin, a society that sacrifices needs for wants deserves neither and shall lose both. Do we in sincerity believe that teachers have no economic aspirations that they are of a socialistic nature and are looking to be dependent upon governmental programs for their needs? No, they want opportunity and room to advance and grow. It was said at a school board meeting that teachers don’t go into to teaching to become rich. This may be a fair statement, but they don’t do it to be poor either. As a state we have created conditions where this is now the choice. This is a state problem and but it is our responsibility to take the fight there.
Douglas County is treated as if property value is always on the upswing and no one ever loses a job. The media reinforces this stereo type and pours glasses filled with the Kool-Aid for the public to drink down. Suddenly, almost magically, like an Oliver Stone movie, facts seem less important. Citizens line up across the pit and scream about how we got here, recriminations fester and suddenly the enemy lives on your block or next door, based on whose campaign signs they display in their yard. My group, The Wickerdale Walkers, has actual ideas and plans on how to do fix the mess; we are trying hard to be part of the solution.
I must ask every citizen reading this, have you attended a meeting of the school board, SAC, DAC or PTO? Do you have firsthand knowledge of what these cuts will do to our county (our property values)? Do you realize that the preliminary numbers for next year’s state education cuts gives Douglas County 13% of the total? To author such an article with no sort of remedy is in fact the worst kind of action we can engage in. This article speaks to administrative waste in one sentence then blames the union in the next. Is the problem management or is it labor? If this is just the start of an anti-Mill movement I applaud the effort, but it is, alas, about 15 years too late. The time to fix today was yesterday, we missed it. The time to fix tomorrow is now; if we do not act in long term meaningful ways we will be in the same leaky boat drinking from the same sieve 15 years from now. This means we need a levy to stop the bleeding while we actively pursue different avenues of education funding, such as Lotto, existing bond re-direction, co-op buying as a state and a host of other ideas. The enemy is not your teachers, administrators, parents, community or school board; right now it is the state and the poor way that the capitol has handled finances. That is where our energy must go. We must move above the fray and keep the fight where it belongs
The time for stale election year rhetoric has passed and I invite everyone to get off the couch and move in closer to the issues. Leave the safety of your laptops and show the courage you all have. If we are only to be about “tilting at windmills” we will soon learn that this is a real dragon and idiom alone cannot slay it. If we are not working on solving the problem, we are the problem. Visit us on facebook as the “Wickerdale Walkers” and get plugged in to solutions in the making.
http://denver.yourhub.com/HighlandsRanch/Stories/Opinion/Local-Happenings/Story~739487.aspx
My response was too long to post there so i am posting it here. Please read the article and understand this is the type of misconception we must overcome in this battle.
Dave's response:
All I can say is wow. As a parent and voter in Douglas County I found your article to be current, on task, thoughtful, informative and yet completely wrong. You are doing a great injustice by making a comparison that is in fact impossible. You are juxtaposing the “for profit businesses” with “not for profit school system”. This is an unbalanced equation with no common denominator. Children have no choice but to go to school, however, as an employee or person of business I always have the choice in what I am doing. If I do not make enough, I look for a new job. If my business is not successful enough I get more innovative. In business, my actions dictate my revenue stream. In education the revenue steam is outside of the employee’s sphere of control, innovation is locked up in the desk drawer of the state or federal government as mandates and “one size fits all programs” rain down like volcanic ash.
We are, duty bound to the endeavor of providing the best education possible for children. Before we berate the Douglas County School District we need to look at some facts. We are the eighth largest county by population and have the highest median incomes in the state. Yet we are in the bottom of 180 school districts in a state that funds education at $1400 less per pupil than the national average. Even with this yoke this county has consistently produced the highest test scores in the state. The funding formula is a living exercise in Robin Hood economics. Make more; take more, with no consideration for the fact that if we earn more it stands to reason that we have a higher cost of living. A teacher working here must be able to afford to live here. We have good teachers, because we pay well. Sounds like capitalism at its finest. I always shake my head when we as a people send a mixed message about education. As a society we engage in a five decade long struggle against socialism? We toppled that belief and disproved its false gods, yet we hold education in limbo between the failures of socialism and the faults of capitalism. The fault lives in the community, if you engage with the public and ask questions you will see it. Education lacks the “what’s in it for me” perspective. We have lost sight of the balance between wants and needs and to steal (slightly) from Benjamin Franklin, a society that sacrifices needs for wants deserves neither and shall lose both. Do we in sincerity believe that teachers have no economic aspirations that they are of a socialistic nature and are looking to be dependent upon governmental programs for their needs? No, they want opportunity and room to advance and grow. It was said at a school board meeting that teachers don’t go into to teaching to become rich. This may be a fair statement, but they don’t do it to be poor either. As a state we have created conditions where this is now the choice. This is a state problem and but it is our responsibility to take the fight there.
Douglas County is treated as if property value is always on the upswing and no one ever loses a job. The media reinforces this stereo type and pours glasses filled with the Kool-Aid for the public to drink down. Suddenly, almost magically, like an Oliver Stone movie, facts seem less important. Citizens line up across the pit and scream about how we got here, recriminations fester and suddenly the enemy lives on your block or next door, based on whose campaign signs they display in their yard. My group, The Wickerdale Walkers, has actual ideas and plans on how to do fix the mess; we are trying hard to be part of the solution.
I must ask every citizen reading this, have you attended a meeting of the school board, SAC, DAC or PTO? Do you have firsthand knowledge of what these cuts will do to our county (our property values)? Do you realize that the preliminary numbers for next year’s state education cuts gives Douglas County 13% of the total? To author such an article with no sort of remedy is in fact the worst kind of action we can engage in. This article speaks to administrative waste in one sentence then blames the union in the next. Is the problem management or is it labor? If this is just the start of an anti-Mill movement I applaud the effort, but it is, alas, about 15 years too late. The time to fix today was yesterday, we missed it. The time to fix tomorrow is now; if we do not act in long term meaningful ways we will be in the same leaky boat drinking from the same sieve 15 years from now. This means we need a levy to stop the bleeding while we actively pursue different avenues of education funding, such as Lotto, existing bond re-direction, co-op buying as a state and a host of other ideas. The enemy is not your teachers, administrators, parents, community or school board; right now it is the state and the poor way that the capitol has handled finances. That is where our energy must go. We must move above the fray and keep the fight where it belongs
The time for stale election year rhetoric has passed and I invite everyone to get off the couch and move in closer to the issues. Leave the safety of your laptops and show the courage you all have. If we are only to be about “tilting at windmills” we will soon learn that this is a real dragon and idiom alone cannot slay it. If we are not working on solving the problem, we are the problem. Visit us on facebook as the “Wickerdale Walkers” and get plugged in to solutions in the making.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Soda and Candy Tax
I just read an article about the soda and candy tax that the Gov. signed. If my math is correct it will raise around 140 million dollars in 2010-11, but cuts to education alone will be 250 - 350 million plus another 60 million at the higher education level. How much of this money will actually go to schools? Does anyone know? It is a nice start, but does not come close to filling in the hole. Here is a tip Bill, There is money in the Parks! If soda and candy are a luxury (and they are) so are the parks! Stop cutting education, stop hurting kids, stop driving down the value of our homes by creating schools that cannot properly run. We have a lot of ideas on this topic, tell your scheduling people to set a meeting with the Wickerdale Walkers and let’s move forward for Colorado's children.
This message was brought to you by the coalition against making stupid citizens.
I'm David DiCarlo and I approve this message.
This message was brought to you by the coalition against making stupid citizens.
I'm David DiCarlo and I approve this message.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Governor Ritter
We have been pursuing Governor Ritter for 4 months in a vain attempt to get an appointment. I offered to meet at anytime any place. We did receive a letter before Christmas advising us that we would be contacted within 5 days. Needless to say we were never contacted. We have called numerous times and been given every excuse except the Governor is too busy attending sale on steak at King Soopers. I find it disheartening that he is too busy to meet with the citizens of the state of Colorado, but I am not surprised. New ideas scare people and woe to he or she that dares to embrace a plan. Shame on the Governor and shame on his staff, especially an employee named Liz who identified herself as the Governors educational liaison. She told us that our numbers were wrong and that every child in Colorado was funded the same amount. Not only is this preposterous, but it is downright ignorant. Please call the governor’s office at 303-866-2471 and ask why they are ignoring us.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Lotto Money and State Law makers
The Wickerdale Walkers are not the only ones talking about Lotto money. Check out is link to a great article and see what some of the state leaders are saying about parks versus education.
http://www.csindy.com/colorado/cash-scratch-fever/Content?oid=1591743
http://www.csindy.com/colorado/cash-scratch-fever/Content?oid=1591743
Saturday, February 13, 2010
RAISE MY TAXES FOR DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS
Please consider joining this group. They are working hard to make sure that the School Board votes to pursue a Mill. We need the Mill to pass in order to temper these cuts. Passing a Mill gives us the much needed funds and buys time while we work to ensure that the State of Colorado changes its archaic views on school funding. Colorado children are funded $1400 dollars under the national average and Douglas County is even lower. We need to all be in the same tent!
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=456168115164&ref=ts
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=456168115164&ref=ts
Saturday, February 6, 2010
WE NEED YOUR OPINION!!!
So we have touched off a controversy about Lotto money. Is it ok to use gambling profits for education? What is your opinion?
Here is mine:
Gambling exists, right or wrong. If you do not want legal gambling your crusade lay elsewhere.
Gambling is currently funding parks among other things, is it any more moral when used in this capacity?
I feel if you allow it to exist and the moral value is questionable you have a duty to your community to make the best use of those funds, in this case, EDUCATION.
What are your thoughts?
Here is mine:
Gambling exists, right or wrong. If you do not want legal gambling your crusade lay elsewhere.
Gambling is currently funding parks among other things, is it any more moral when used in this capacity?
I feel if you allow it to exist and the moral value is questionable you have a duty to your community to make the best use of those funds, in this case, EDUCATION.
What are your thoughts?
COLORADO EDUCATION CALL TO ACTION!!!!!
COLORADO EDUCATION CALL TO ACTION!!!!!
I will preface the below with my usual disclaimer, I am a dad, not a lawyer. I do this on my time, by foregoing sleep! (It is that important to me.) I do the best I can to make sure my facts are clear and honest. If I am wrong, let me know where and how. Give me a better resource, share your opinion, lets educated each other. There is no right or wrong only opinion for most issues and I have no problem hearing alternate views. My goal is to blend extremes into the middle and leave the politics and special interests behind. Having said that the one thing I will not bend on is that children are not a “special interest lobby”, they are a special responsibility. I was recently told that what I was doing was self serving, so let me clarify. What I am trying to do is to ensure that this next generation is smarter and better prepared than mine was. If I am serving anyone one it is the children. Every word I say or write is motivated from me by their need.Colorado is already talking about a water shortage this summer. One way to save is to cut back on watering parks! The half acre park just down from where I live is watered like an oasis in the desert, you would think it was the front lawn of the Taj Mahal. All this watering necessitates mowing 2 times a week. Do we need to waste that resource? Do we need to fund that waste? If we are asking our children to tighten their belts we better make certain sure we have tightened up every other belt first! A source at Lotto told us (this was confirmed by several state legislatures) that GOCO/Lotto funds are used pay a subsidy to farmers on the western slope to not sell their land to developers. This is flawed logic especially in a recession. We are a state of roughly 5 million people, we are the physically 8th largest (104,100 square miles) with unemployment at 7.5%. Some experts are saying the it will go as high as 11% in Colorado before we see a slowing. I say if the farmer wants to sell, great, sell and put someone to work building something! Why am I paying a subsidy to someone who is already making a living on the land they own? Am I against the farmer? No I support our farmers too, but they are grown adults with options, working in a “for profit” business. Children have no such luxury. The law is compulsory, children must be educated, and schools are “non-profit”, which means there is little to no control over revenue. If a farmer cannot make a living on his/her land there is the option to sell or to change businesses. Children are professional students with a mandate to learn. There is no choice (nor should there be) in this, wants come after needs; the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, the clichés can go on and on but the facts are that children and schools cannot raise meaningful sustainable revenue streams. Only we can do this, it is time to change how education is funded and start putting wishes behind requirements!In these difficult economic times every cent counts, schools across Colorado are squeezing each penny until Lincoln screams! Many Colorado families are doing the same thing. Lotto money does not represent new taxes; it represents a wiser investment with current money. Our research shows that once a state lottery is tied to education there is a lift in sales, as much as 20% in 2 years! Let GOCO go hat in hand asking for a bond or a Mills override, this would be an excellent test as to what the tax payer’s value more. I believe the reason that schools are funded differently than parks is because there is a better chance to raise a bond or levy for children than there is for a park. So parks (the luxury) are funded without having to beg the voters and schools (the need) boil their shoe leather to stay alive.Lotto employees are in the same boat as our teachers in regards to PERA, their retirement is your retirement, increasing Lotto sakes could help ease this burden.We want to know where you see money being wasted, post your ideas / findings to our blog or here on facebook. Apparently we need not just to make a point, or prove a point; we will have to drive the point in like a stake through the heart. GOCO has deep pockets and will work to save itself. GOCO is a bureaucracy like all governmentally funded or run institutions and a bureaucracy by its very nature wants to grow. It will not willingly cut off a branch to benefit the whole. We must do the pruning. We are not anti-parks or anti-GOCO we are pro children and in a time of recession children come before parks.Lastly I spoke to a community member the other day who told me that there was no direct value to them in public education as they had no children in school and felt that their money should go towards things that affect them directly. I explained the value of good schools in terms of increased home values, but the message was not hitting home. So I made the point in a more colorful way, “The community paid to teach you. If you do not want to pay to teach someone else, fine, just return all the money the community spent educating you and we will let you off the hook”, the argument was over. Do not be afraid to spread the word in different and sometime very direct ways. The coming months will be difficult. We are talking about changing Colorado’s constitution which will not be easy. But if each of you will please reach out to a friend, coworker or family member and tell them from your heart why this is so crucial and why they should be involved we will grow and growing is how we will win. Good night to some, good morning to others. With sincere thanks, Dave and Brad......
I will preface the below with my usual disclaimer, I am a dad, not a lawyer. I do this on my time, by foregoing sleep! (It is that important to me.) I do the best I can to make sure my facts are clear and honest. If I am wrong, let me know where and how. Give me a better resource, share your opinion, lets educated each other. There is no right or wrong only opinion for most issues and I have no problem hearing alternate views. My goal is to blend extremes into the middle and leave the politics and special interests behind. Having said that the one thing I will not bend on is that children are not a “special interest lobby”, they are a special responsibility. I was recently told that what I was doing was self serving, so let me clarify. What I am trying to do is to ensure that this next generation is smarter and better prepared than mine was. If I am serving anyone one it is the children. Every word I say or write is motivated from me by their need.Colorado is already talking about a water shortage this summer. One way to save is to cut back on watering parks! The half acre park just down from where I live is watered like an oasis in the desert, you would think it was the front lawn of the Taj Mahal. All this watering necessitates mowing 2 times a week. Do we need to waste that resource? Do we need to fund that waste? If we are asking our children to tighten their belts we better make certain sure we have tightened up every other belt first! A source at Lotto told us (this was confirmed by several state legislatures) that GOCO/Lotto funds are used pay a subsidy to farmers on the western slope to not sell their land to developers. This is flawed logic especially in a recession. We are a state of roughly 5 million people, we are the physically 8th largest (104,100 square miles) with unemployment at 7.5%. Some experts are saying the it will go as high as 11% in Colorado before we see a slowing. I say if the farmer wants to sell, great, sell and put someone to work building something! Why am I paying a subsidy to someone who is already making a living on the land they own? Am I against the farmer? No I support our farmers too, but they are grown adults with options, working in a “for profit” business. Children have no such luxury. The law is compulsory, children must be educated, and schools are “non-profit”, which means there is little to no control over revenue. If a farmer cannot make a living on his/her land there is the option to sell or to change businesses. Children are professional students with a mandate to learn. There is no choice (nor should there be) in this, wants come after needs; the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, the clichés can go on and on but the facts are that children and schools cannot raise meaningful sustainable revenue streams. Only we can do this, it is time to change how education is funded and start putting wishes behind requirements!In these difficult economic times every cent counts, schools across Colorado are squeezing each penny until Lincoln screams! Many Colorado families are doing the same thing. Lotto money does not represent new taxes; it represents a wiser investment with current money. Our research shows that once a state lottery is tied to education there is a lift in sales, as much as 20% in 2 years! Let GOCO go hat in hand asking for a bond or a Mills override, this would be an excellent test as to what the tax payer’s value more. I believe the reason that schools are funded differently than parks is because there is a better chance to raise a bond or levy for children than there is for a park. So parks (the luxury) are funded without having to beg the voters and schools (the need) boil their shoe leather to stay alive.Lotto employees are in the same boat as our teachers in regards to PERA, their retirement is your retirement, increasing Lotto sakes could help ease this burden.We want to know where you see money being wasted, post your ideas / findings to our blog or here on facebook. Apparently we need not just to make a point, or prove a point; we will have to drive the point in like a stake through the heart. GOCO has deep pockets and will work to save itself. GOCO is a bureaucracy like all governmentally funded or run institutions and a bureaucracy by its very nature wants to grow. It will not willingly cut off a branch to benefit the whole. We must do the pruning. We are not anti-parks or anti-GOCO we are pro children and in a time of recession children come before parks.Lastly I spoke to a community member the other day who told me that there was no direct value to them in public education as they had no children in school and felt that their money should go towards things that affect them directly. I explained the value of good schools in terms of increased home values, but the message was not hitting home. So I made the point in a more colorful way, “The community paid to teach you. If you do not want to pay to teach someone else, fine, just return all the money the community spent educating you and we will let you off the hook”, the argument was over. Do not be afraid to spread the word in different and sometime very direct ways. The coming months will be difficult. We are talking about changing Colorado’s constitution which will not be easy. But if each of you will please reach out to a friend, coworker or family member and tell them from your heart why this is so crucial and why they should be involved we will grow and growing is how we will win. Good night to some, good morning to others. With sincere thanks, Dave and Brad......
WHERE SHOULD THE MONEY GO???
Dear Colorado Citizens,
The Link below is to the 7 News survey about where Lotto proceeds should go, Education or our Parks. Remember GOCO has Millions in Trust Funds, how big is your schools Trust Fund? GOCO’s budget is only affected by Lotto sales (which are only down 1.5% during the recession). Our cut is far more than 1%. Parks should suffer before children and their teachers! Please fill out the survey and speak for the Children of Colorado. If you have not joined us on "Wickerdale Walkers" on Facebook check us out!! We are speaking for the largest group that cannot speak for themselves the Children! Brad and I got off the Couch to represent our Children we are asking you to do the same. Have you sent in you Red Crayon yet? Follow the link, fill in the survey under the comments let them know you want Lotto to Fund Education through hard economic times. We are asking the Capital to place a Trigger on the Lotto profits, when we hit 5% unemployment Lotto Funds would be diverted to the Colorado Education General Funds for a minimum of 24 months or until unemployment drops below 5% for 2 consecutive business quarters. Our research indicated that once Lotto is linked in a (meaningful way) to education sales increase, the average is 20% over a 24 month period! I wish my business could grow at that rate. A successful link to education could grow the Lotto to the point where short falls like this one could be absorbed. Please vote in favor of our children; make your Comment in favor of Education...
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/9269524/detail.html
The Link below is to the 7 News survey about where Lotto proceeds should go, Education or our Parks. Remember GOCO has Millions in Trust Funds, how big is your schools Trust Fund? GOCO’s budget is only affected by Lotto sales (which are only down 1.5% during the recession). Our cut is far more than 1%. Parks should suffer before children and their teachers! Please fill out the survey and speak for the Children of Colorado. If you have not joined us on "Wickerdale Walkers" on Facebook check us out!! We are speaking for the largest group that cannot speak for themselves the Children! Brad and I got off the Couch to represent our Children we are asking you to do the same. Have you sent in you Red Crayon yet? Follow the link, fill in the survey under the comments let them know you want Lotto to Fund Education through hard economic times. We are asking the Capital to place a Trigger on the Lotto profits, when we hit 5% unemployment Lotto Funds would be diverted to the Colorado Education General Funds for a minimum of 24 months or until unemployment drops below 5% for 2 consecutive business quarters. Our research indicated that once Lotto is linked in a (meaningful way) to education sales increase, the average is 20% over a 24 month period! I wish my business could grow at that rate. A successful link to education could grow the Lotto to the point where short falls like this one could be absorbed. Please vote in favor of our children; make your Comment in favor of Education...
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/9269524/detail.html
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Wickerdale Walkers meeting on Feb 19th
This just in:
State Representative Frank McNulty District 43 (which is a big part of Douglas County) will be attending the meeting on the 19th. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet Frank and to learn from each other. The Wickerdale Walkers are an organization that deeply believes that learning is a two way street, we all succeed when we all work together.
Get your friends and neighbors involved, the couch is not place to learn and grow :)
Thanks to all,
dd
State Representative Frank McNulty District 43 (which is a big part of Douglas County) will be attending the meeting on the 19th. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet Frank and to learn from each other. The Wickerdale Walkers are an organization that deeply believes that learning is a two way street, we all succeed when we all work together.
Get your friends and neighbors involved, the couch is not place to learn and grow :)
Thanks to all,
dd
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Wickerdale Walkers meeting
The date had changed for the below post, from the 22nd to the 19th, as there will be a school board meeting on the 22nd. All other information is the same.
Thanks,
dd
Thanks,
dd
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wickrdale Walkers Meeting Feb. 19th @ Dewey's
Friday February 19th 7pm the Wickerdale Walkers are meeting at Dewey’s in Highlands Ranch @ 52 West Springer Drive Highlands Ranch, CO 80126 Dewey's #720.348.0101. We will have guest speakers including Douglas County School board member Cliff Stahl as well as other who I will announce as so as they confirm. Appetizers are being graciously provided by the Douglas County Federation. This will be ...a very worthwhile event and will no doubt provide a lot of information that cannot be attained in the more formal settings. It is also designed to be interactive, mingling is greatly encouraged, get to know each other and the speakers in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. Please let us know if you would like to attend. Email, "wickerdalewalkers@yahoo.com"
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Where to cut?
What opinions are out there as to where cuts should be focused? If you are a parent are you willing to pay for transportation? I am!!!!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
"Crayons 4 Education"
As promised below is a sample letter for use in the "Crayons 4 Education" campaign.
Mail with your Red Crayon to:
Governor Bill Ritter and Joint Budget Committee Members
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO. 80203-1792
Dear Governor Bill Ritter and Budget Committee members,
You are in receipt of 1 red crayon; courtesy of "Crayons 4 Education".
Please take note it is red; this is to symbolize the debt in which the state is passing onto our children. The cuts purposed in regards to education this fiscal year and next are completely out of line. The Crayon itself symbolizes Education. We must ensure that this generation is better equipped to meet the challenges of the wider world that they live in. We cannot accomplish this by crippling education year after year. We are demanding that this body review the purposed cuts and find alternate methods of funding. Our wish is that you look at the Colorado State Lotto, which currently provides money for Colorado States Parks and helps farmers on the Western slope from selling their land to developers. We appreciate the nice parks but in time of recession and extreme cut backs we are asking you what is necessary?...The luxury of parks or The education in the lives of our Children NOW! If you would like to be better educated about our plan for redirection of the Colorado State Lotto funds please visit the following web site:
wickerdalewalkers.blogspot.com
The education of children is serious business and we can ill afford to jeopardize their (and our own future) with a culture of cuts and fiscal irresponsibility!
Sincerely,
"Wickerdale Walkers"
A group of concerned parents....
See us on Facebook as Wickerdale Walkers
wickerdalewalkers@yahoo.com
Call 303-906-2269 for Brad Wann
Call 602-363-6368 for David DiCarlo
Mail with your Red Crayon to:
Governor Bill Ritter and Joint Budget Committee Members
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO. 80203-1792
Dear Governor Bill Ritter and Budget Committee members,
You are in receipt of 1 red crayon; courtesy of "Crayons 4 Education".
Please take note it is red; this is to symbolize the debt in which the state is passing onto our children. The cuts purposed in regards to education this fiscal year and next are completely out of line. The Crayon itself symbolizes Education. We must ensure that this generation is better equipped to meet the challenges of the wider world that they live in. We cannot accomplish this by crippling education year after year. We are demanding that this body review the purposed cuts and find alternate methods of funding. Our wish is that you look at the Colorado State Lotto, which currently provides money for Colorado States Parks and helps farmers on the Western slope from selling their land to developers. We appreciate the nice parks but in time of recession and extreme cut backs we are asking you what is necessary?...The luxury of parks or The education in the lives of our Children NOW! If you would like to be better educated about our plan for redirection of the Colorado State Lotto funds please visit the following web site:
wickerdalewalkers.blogspot.com
The education of children is serious business and we can ill afford to jeopardize their (and our own future) with a culture of cuts and fiscal irresponsibility!
Sincerely,
"Wickerdale Walkers"
A group of concerned parents....
See us on Facebook as Wickerdale Walkers
wickerdalewalkers@yahoo.com
Call 303-906-2269 for Brad Wann
Call 602-363-6368 for David DiCarlo
Monday, January 18, 2010
Douglas County Survey
Make sure your opinions are counted take the Community Survey on Douglas County Schools. Your feelings need to be known!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Be Heard!!!! Douglas County School Board Meeting
On Tuesday January 19th there will be a Douglas County School Board Meeting. This meeting is a far more relaxed forum than traditional school board meetings. Interaction between the board and community is not only encouraged but expected. This is your chance to have your voicxe make a difference. I will be presenting on behalf of the Wickerdale Walkers and would love feedback prior to the 19th for incorporation into my thoughts. Please feel free to give us your thoughts.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Colorado Lotto
Does anyone out there know where the Colorado State Lottery profits are spent? (Yes this is a rhetorical queston, but please feel free to answer lol).
Thursday, January 7, 2010
School Funding Crisis
School funding is as nebulous as it is boring, with that said, it is one of the most important topics facing our community. As a group we are seeking to fix this issue. The way we want to achieve this is to build broad nonpartisan support for agendas and actions. There are six groups that are involved in this ordeal, parents, community members, teachers, teachers unions, school boards and lastly the children. The children have the most riding on this issue and yet have next to no voice. The five other groups need to get past political rhetoric and opinion and realize that we are all here for these kids. The problem is not the teachers or the school board it is the financial mess the state of Colorado has created. The state has greatly over spent and the shortages will be coming out of K-12 education. It is our job to stop pointing at one another and galvanize as one, pointing the combined finger at the state. The message is that the luxury of over spending and moving the zero line in the checkbook forever lower is at an end. There is a constitutional obligation to fund education, the state will already be passing along huge debts to our children the least we can do is make sure they are properly educated and prepared for the challenges that the mess they inherit will require. A bond or Mill Levy is a temporary solution, we do need to raise this capital, but also need to focus on real, tangible and long term solutions. Schools should have to go with hat in hand and on knees begging for the money they need to carry out not only daily operations such as meeting pay role, but to comply with the multitude of state and federal mandates whose yoke they endure. A mandate means that the school districts must comply, but often that ordered compliance comes with no funding. Federal one size fits all programs erode the ability of the school districts to be creative and personalized in their approach to meeting challenges. Our children and the people we rely on to educated them deserve better. It is up to us to make it happen.
Our group has gone to state legislatures to ask for a referred measure (this is legislation that the representatives introduce on behalf of the people) that would redirect lotto profits from land investment to our schools. The proposal we made was for a trigger to the current formula. When unemployment reaches 5% the trigger activates and diverts funds from lotto to education for a period of not less than 24 months. This measure would keep secure the current funding and would be additional money. The idea is that when unemployment surpasses 5% property values begin to dwindle, in turn decreasing the amount of taxes collected. When tax revenue falls a Mill Levy becomes necessary to cover the gaps in the general fund (the coffers that pay for teachers). The Mill Levy is usually accompanied by a bond, which in turn hurts the general fund more. How is this you ask? It is simple; let’s take an average yearly property tax assessment of $3000of this amount 50% goes towards education ($1500) of that amount 20% is paying off the old bonds. Bonds do not benefit the general fund; they are used for capital purchases, buses and buildings, etc. But they are paid for out of the general fund, thus decreasing that money by $300. These are current figures from my own tax bill. Remember the $300 is paying old bonds instead of going to work in the classroom. Now I may be wrong, but it seems to me that if government is going to issue mandates, it had best to find a way to pay for them. Citizens and school districts do not have the luxury of a bottomless checkbook, teachers expect and deserve to be compensated and mortgage companies are not interested in IOUs. The power to change this is ours, but we must flex combined muscle and tell the state that we foreclose on them. If they cannot properly manage the money they collect then we won’t send it. I fully realize that this is strong and possible arrogant language, but this is a strong and offensive problem that we as combined groups have chose to ignore. The finger has been pointed at one another and as we slave away on Animal Farm covering the states short comings with more bonds and as levies the storm gathered on the horizon. To sit and do what you have always done, will get you what you have always gotten. This time around it may be even less.
Our group has gone to state legislatures to ask for a referred measure (this is legislation that the representatives introduce on behalf of the people) that would redirect lotto profits from land investment to our schools. The proposal we made was for a trigger to the current formula. When unemployment reaches 5% the trigger activates and diverts funds from lotto to education for a period of not less than 24 months. This measure would keep secure the current funding and would be additional money. The idea is that when unemployment surpasses 5% property values begin to dwindle, in turn decreasing the amount of taxes collected. When tax revenue falls a Mill Levy becomes necessary to cover the gaps in the general fund (the coffers that pay for teachers). The Mill Levy is usually accompanied by a bond, which in turn hurts the general fund more. How is this you ask? It is simple; let’s take an average yearly property tax assessment of $3000of this amount 50% goes towards education ($1500) of that amount 20% is paying off the old bonds. Bonds do not benefit the general fund; they are used for capital purchases, buses and buildings, etc. But they are paid for out of the general fund, thus decreasing that money by $300. These are current figures from my own tax bill. Remember the $300 is paying old bonds instead of going to work in the classroom. Now I may be wrong, but it seems to me that if government is going to issue mandates, it had best to find a way to pay for them. Citizens and school districts do not have the luxury of a bottomless checkbook, teachers expect and deserve to be compensated and mortgage companies are not interested in IOUs. The power to change this is ours, but we must flex combined muscle and tell the state that we foreclose on them. If they cannot properly manage the money they collect then we won’t send it. I fully realize that this is strong and possible arrogant language, but this is a strong and offensive problem that we as combined groups have chose to ignore. The finger has been pointed at one another and as we slave away on Animal Farm covering the states short comings with more bonds and as levies the storm gathered on the horizon. To sit and do what you have always done, will get you what you have always gotten. This time around it may be even less.
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