Way To Go, GFPS
Say what you will about the School Trustees, but a majority of them seem to be very tuned in to public sentiment.
Last night, the School Board rejected a $1.2 million elementary levy by a 4-2 vote, with only Bob Moretti and big government liberal Don Ryan dissenting. Ryan is currently up for re-election.
As the tide seemed to turn against a $1 million technology levy, Cyndi Baker (you read that right) urged the Board to still float a tech levy, but to halve the amount. That’s exactly what happened, and the motion passed unanimously.
From KRTV:
Baker said, ‘I think a million dollar ask was going to be a lot, but I think half a million people could relate to. I think people understand the need for technology, and feel lost without it, so we need to have our students prepared properly and we need to give them the tools.’
It’s heartening to see Baker and the trustees work together on a comprise, one that invests in our kids’ future while at the same time respects taxpayers. This technology levy would “increase the taxation on a $150,000 home in Great Falls by $13.97 a year – or about $1.16 a month,” according to the Tribune.
This levy is an easy one to support.
Hats off to Baker and the School Board!
Commendable effort by Cindy Baker and board members to still support technology and more prudence on both levies. Public engagement, discussion and debate in the press/blogs all part of being active citizens, and as I’ve said often, “Citizenship is not a spectator sport.” We ask our fellow Americans to active defend us in uniform – in the military, law-enforcement and first responders – so all Americans shouldn’t hesitate being engaged citizens, from the school board to the Senate.
I don’t necessarily follow this logic. Just because it was cut in half, it is now the right number? Without being able to break apart the $1M figure, I think it would be difficult to make a reasonable judgement about what spending is needed to ensure that our students get access to the technology they need.