Archive: Opinions

EditorialI wasn't sure how I was going to vote on the school budget until I got into the voting booth.  I felt badly about that, because I am supportive of the schools.  But over the past several years the schools haven't been supportive of the community, at least as far as their attitude toward taxes has been concerned.

On the vote yes side, this is our new superintendent's first year, and he did a stand-up job of involving everybody in the district in a budget that finally makes substantive cuts, over $1 million cut from the 'rollover budget' (what it would cost next year if we keep everything we had this year).  The budget itself is 3.37% more in dollars than last year (including 1.5% that makes up for overspending this year), which sounds reasonable.  And we do have an excellent school system that attracts new residents and is well respected as achieving remarkable results for a small school system.

On the vote no side, this budget is $744,579 (3/4 of a million) more than last year.  And the tax levy (the real money we pay) is 4.53 more than last year.  That's high.  The Consumer Price Index is only 2.8%.  And for a third of us (me included) our assessments have gone up -- this is above and beyond the 15% that brings assessments from 85% of fair market value to 100%.  My assessment notice estimates that I will pay a whopping 13.52% more this year than I did last year.  That's if the levies for school, town, county, library, and the fire district all stay the same, which of course they are not -- they're all going up.  And I thought I paid a LOT last year.

So the question that has tormented me during the budget process is this: am I feeling well disposed about the district's handling of my money because they are cutting so much from the rollover budget figure?  Are they cutting enough?  Or does it just seem that way because they are (finally) cutting as much as they did cut?

I have to admit I don't think they cut enough.  I want to be encouraging, because I think the process used in determining how much and what to cut was excellent.  Tom Helmer, Dave Klemm, and Steve Grimm deserve high marks for their inclusive, straight talking approach to a miserable situation.  I thought nobody would be happy.  It seems as if everybody was happy.  Despite my outward sunny disposition I aspire to curmudgeondom, so I am uncomfortable with happiness.  But even I was happy!

Except for one thing: where am I going to get the money to pay those extra taxes?  And when does it stop?  School officials say that for whatever reason money has not been well managed.  Budgeting has be poorly conceived, and there has been no apparent monitoring of actual spending for at least a couple of years.  Does the district have an obligation to make that up to the taxpayers?

It is very un-PC to talk about the schools in anything but supportive terms.  I have two kids in the system at the moment, and I want the best for them.  For all Lansing children.  Really.  I struggle with the constant tug between best and the expense of providing it.  And I can't help but feel that part of that best is a healthy community with people who can afford to stay, and who want to stay and participate.  So despite all the good intentions and good will, I think the budget that passed Tuesday is still too high.

However, I do think that the process that was started this year was outstanding.  And it is just that: a process.  I am hoping that we can see more cuts in the tax levy, perhaps even a few years of 0% -- or even... do I dare to dream? a drop in the levy -- to make up for the tax hemorrhaging in the recent past.  With an administration that stays and plans for the long haul, that might even be possible.  If so, we will actually have the best for less.

How did I vote?  I'm not telling!  But I still struggle with which is best, even now that the budget has passed.  And I hope for a time soon when I don't have to.

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