Do you think the Great Falls Public Schools District is bloated? Do you think there are too many highly paid administrators? If you answered yes to these two questions you are probably asking why, how did we get there, and why are they always crying that they need more money? A recent article by U.S….
Many Great Falls property owners received their ballots today for the upcoming City Park District and the Great Falls Public School District levies. Following right behind Federal Tax Day and a little more than a month away from Montana Property Tax Day, it seems like every level of government wants more of our money. Sometimes…
MONEY “Why is it that the further away you get from kids, the more money you make?” Spencer Campbell spends much of his days walking the halls of Elk Ridge Middle School, checking breezeways for kids playing hooky, redirecting foot traffic between classes and checking on substitute teachers. Campbell is one of two assistant principals…
Are we getting the whole truth about the $13.9 million in new levies that the Great Falls Public School District ($1.348 million) and the City of Great Falls ($12.6 million) wants us to approve? And if we, the taxpayers, don’t approve them will that cause the dire consequences listed in their distributed promotional materials? Okay…
As most folks know, spring in Montana is unpredictable and we are now officially into spring by a couple of weeks. One aspect of spring in Great Falls that is almost always predictable is the annual Great Falls Public School District levy. The District rarely misses the opportunity come springtime to bemoan the shortage of…
In the midst of a conflicts of interest plague, Great Falls seems relegated to loser out status in the tournament of economic development in our state. Why has Great Falls lost population, manufacturing jobs and a brighter outlook for the future? Certainly, Great Falls Development Authority chief Brett Doney’s stated solution to the problem: “we…
A meeting yesterday between the City’s Planning staff and GFPS representatives about the District’s plan to buy the Campfire property located at 1925 2nd Avenue South, demolish the historic building and build a pocket parking lot, produced some disappointing news. It could also be viewed as some good news if you feel the District’s plan…
In our previous posts addressing solutions for solving the parking shortage for GFHS, we have outlined the school district’s plan and our plan. Another Bad Decision What About The Zoning? Solutions Anyone? 7-0 Currently, GFHS has approximately 380 on-campus parking spots, which is by conservative measure about 300 short. In order to address the parking…
There exists an emergent trend in the local discourse these days, and it goes something like this: if you oppose something, but didn’t say so on the record at the meeting where it was discussed, then your ideas are not credible, and you need to shut up. It’s an amusing fallacy that, while rhetorically effective…
Sadly, we have to report that the Great Falls Public School District, with a vote of 7 to 0, effectively decided to demolish the historic Hi School Store (Campfire building) at 1925 2nd Avenue South to make room for a small surface parking lot. With unanimous support of your elected school board trustees, the…