For the ninth consecutive year, the Oley Valley School District raised school property taxes. Millage in 1998 was 13.59. The board approved the raising the millage to 23.42 at the June 13, 2007 meeting.
What cost a homeowner $1,359 of taxes per $100,000 of assessed value in 1998, will now cost $2,342 of taxes per $100,000 of assessed value in 2007, a 72% increase!
The board needs $598,000 dollars of additional money. They could easily have a no tax increase budget because they have over $5,600,000 of money sitting in surplus funds. However, they refuse to give the homeowner a break claiming it would be fiscally unsound. To them spending $1,600,000 on a non-educational expense such as a track is a frugal use of our tax dollars.
The district had millions sitting is surplus funds in previous years, but they continue to raise taxes.
Well over 80% of school budgets are determined at the local level. Therefore, the often used excuse that state mandates cause tax increases lacks much substance.
The following board members voted to approve the 2007-2008 budget:
Robert A. Heckman
Mary Anne McCarthy
Barbara M. Bieber
Robert J. Cappa
Scarlette Z. Gotwals
Christopher M. Hannum
Kerry Madeira
David M. Maloney, Sr.
Ralph C. Richard was absent from the meeting.
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137 comments:
Greetings to all school district employees:
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PSER'S RETIREMENT MONEY IS?
BETTER CHECK WITH YOUR PSER'S REP TO SEE WHERE YOUR 2005-2006 RETIREMENT STATEMENT IS?
HARRISBURG ISSUE OR OLEY VALLEY ISSUE?
RUMOR HAS IT THAT ALL THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY RECEIVED THEIR 2005-2006 STATEMENTS LAST YEAR. WHY DIDN'T OLEY VALLEY?
Reference the Oley School budget: This unsatiable government monster will never be satisfied until every decent working family and senior is taxed out of their homes. One day, all things will be judged.
It is hard to believe that these school board directors live and pray in Oley. They have no heart at all.
They could live anywhere. It's the praying part that should get everyone's attention. If they're praying hard enough to get the taxpayers to lose sleep from worrying about losing their own homes, it makes me wonder how hard they pray to hold on to their own particular windfalls????
'...Reference the Oley School budget: This unsatiable government monster will never be satisfied until every decent working family and senior is taxed out of their homes. One day, all things will be judged...'
Can you tell me which part (Line item) of the budget you disagree with:
Add substance to your comment.
What teachers, subjects or activities should be eliminated?
$5 million sitting in our district, moving our monies from one fund to another, telling the public that our money would not be used for the track and now it is being used, raising our taxes for the 9th year when all this money is available for a no-tax increase. The whole board is a bunch of nasty crooks. They do not care at all about how we are supposed to keep paying these high taxes and for what? The scores are still below basic. The money should be used for education only. All the children need to be educated.
Now for the track write up in the Boyertown Times today: OH MY GOD!!! You got to be kidding!!! Heckman goes for a walk at Conrad Weisers track during lunch and decides after only an hour of walking we need artifical turf for our infield. The people on this board and Mr. Weidner are living in a fairy tale land. We the people did not OK a $1.4 million track, the board approved this. The community was not involved in the process at all. Get your facts straight.
This is a false representation of what the public deserves. You lie again.
God help you.
Cheese and crackers! How many years in a row do they think they should be able to raise taxes around here? I'm sick of this! We're all sick of this!
We need a meeting like a town hall, not a board meeting. These guys are like a bunch of armed robbers.
Which teachers should go? The ones with students that can't read or do math.
Eliminate all assistant principals.
Eliminate teachers aides
Eliminate everything that the taxpayers MUST eliminate like eating out, special events
Eliminate personnel and hired service providers to eat out on their own money -- not the taxpayers hard earned money,
Eliminate all non-essential seminars, conferences and the Superintendant's personal fun and games budget. Whatever is not mandated must not be paid for by the taxpayers.
Eliminate the Oley Valley Sentinel
Eliminate new construction of any kind
Put a moratorium on all new hires
Decline any program start-up grants that require the District to take over financial responsibility after the start up period of time.
Have graduations inside so we don't have to pay to rent a thousand folding chairs and extra sound systems.
Students pay annual activities fees for everything that IS NOT mandated by the state. Those who can't afford to can be paid by the Lions Club, etc., with qualification being on Govt. paid school lunch program.
Get naming rights funding for the new sports facility to pay for it all. Have concessions manned by participating students and their families with profits toward the cost of the facility.
No special pre and post school activity buses. Let parents transport their kids like mine did for our family, not every taxpayer paying for extras that we "as district taxpayers" cannot afford.
How's that for a start.
Oh yea! and Heckman is such a fine athletic specimen. Pleeaassee, Mr. Heckman, get a life and pay for it yourself! There are expressions for people like this man.
Napolean Complex
Education Nazi
Narcissist
Control Freak
Poor pitiful man
Say what you want about Heckman but election after election he gets more votes than any other candidate. Amazing, isn't it?
11:48 you are wrong!!! If you think 400 votes is a victory when we have over 5,000 families in this district that could vote, you are just as pitiful as Heckman. And for years people were scared not to vote for him as Dale was at the voting polls putting Heckmans name in your face as you tried to walk in and vote. People around here use scare tactics that is it. It is to bad that people fall for this nonsense. And as for this year Heckman did not have the most votes, John Bieber did, not that he is any better, but we will see about him next year. Oh my Lord we need real honest prayer for this district. It is getting way out of hand. The board is out of control!!!!!
Ask parents of M/S students that have had her as a teacher. Cannot make this up!!
Gotwals your time has come to step down. It should be now and not in Nov. Your vote last night and how you tried to justify another tax increase is a disgrace. You know money is available for a no-tax increase. What is wrong with you? Are you scared to speak the truth like BB is? We need some strong people with guts on this board to stand up for the people that pay the bills.
I feel sick!!!!!
This place is unhealthy!!!
How can this be: 9-10 seniors were sent back to juniors and now all of a sudden they graduate? This hurts these students and is part of the shame of education in Oley.
At the meeting on June 13, 2007, there was a comment made by Ms. Gotwals that they did not raise taxes to pay for the track.
She must be confused because they will be paying for the track with tax dollars from the Capital Reserve Fund. The Capital Reserve Fund is from tax dollars transfered from the General Fund.
Therefore, taxes have already been raised to pay for the facility.
The board transfered another $840,000 for some future "big ticket item" the district refuses to reveal, to the Capital Reserve Fund at the meeting.
If the tactic of disinformation holds true to form, we will hear again taxes were not raised to pay for another wish list project.
The number of children going to ninth grade this year is not 200. Can someone please explain how this number is being told by the HS Principal? The number of children that we can figure out is in the 170 range not 200 range. What does the state think we have? Are we getting money from the state for children we do not even have in our district? Please explain? We need an answer on this. 8 homerooms X 21 children = 168.
Like the junior class that has 170 and now has 161, what happen to the 9 children? Are they the ones that went back to being seniors and graduated this year?
I know of a family that sent their children to private school and this district never took them off enrollment. The state continued to pay for the students thinking they were still in our district schools! I asked this question a few years back and the administration confirmed this. The state only asks for enrollment figures every other year. The school district does not give out information freely to the state only when asked.
BB should be asking the same question as her child is not in the district anymore and either is Gotwals.
ALERT, WE JUST COUNTED THE STUDENTS IN 8TH GRADE IN THE YEARBOOK INCLUDING THE 2 THAT DO NOT HAVE THEIR PICTURES IN IT AND GUESS WHAT, WE HAVE 164 8TH GRADERS NOT 200. PLEASE EXPLAIN.
6TH GRADE COMING UP TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS 140. WHY ARE WE BEING TOLD THAT ENROLLMENT IS GOING UP WHEN IT IS NOT??????????
This past school years 9th grade the amount of students were in the low 200 range. Is this group the grade Mr. Markley was talking about last night?
'...How's that for a start...'
10:19 AM Says...
That is a great start. I agree with at least 75% of your suggestions. I was not trying to be a jerk, I was merely trying to spark a debate (antagonize) as to where money could be cut.
I believe that many of the items you list do offer viable cost reductions, leading us towards a spending reduction.
You effort is truly appreciated.
FACTS (more reliable than the OCC):
Enrollment for the past year(ENDING 5/07)
Grade - # of Students
K-146
1-137
2-139
3-126
4-171
5-147
6-147
7-164
8-164
9-213
10-183
11-156
12-153
Total - 2046
3:02 oh please, your HS principal was telling us the numbers last night and they are different than yours. We are right I said 164 for the 8th graders not him. Also the district web site only goes to 03-04 for the amount of children in the district! How did you get the numbers? Did you find them on the web? And I was told by an employee that we had 170 juniors and that now we have 161 as some went from seniors to juniors and than back to seniors!!!!
That is right the numbers are lower than what was told!!! The only big class is 9th grade at 213. What is the HS principal talking about?????
The #'s were provided to/from the school board by the admin (#3).
Ahhhh This blog is starting to make my head hurt Ok First 11:18 your long absurd list would hurt education more than it would help taxpayers!! I would like to see a reduction in school board spending too but what you're suggesting is madness!! Second do you people actually check the facts before you jump to conclusions or do you just assume all the rumors you hear are true?
You say they are rumors when they are the facts that you do not want us to know about or write about. If we have a big class of 200 or more and need to have the graduation indoors, why not ask the local colleges or universities if this district could use their facilities. Why does the little things you need you get excited about, when the important things are getting laughed at and ignored?
That is true and Reading High has the graduation at the Soverign Center and Central Catholic has the graduation at Alvernia College. For one year that is not tooooo much for people if they have to drive a little out of the valley for a nice graduation with plenty of room for all. Does this make sense or are the people here not willing to drive for this big class. I for one would like a nice place for all to see these young people graduating.
Can this be: The school district just transfered more money from one fund to another and why? What is the big secret? Can it be a new HS is in the works or better yet a new Admin. Bldg. Come on folks tell us!!!
Our money being used for another non-educational item?
Lights, camera, action!!!
What is going on with the Boytertown Times reporter? He never comes to the meetings anymore. Is he being spooned fed certain information to be put in the paper and other information left out???????
We always had a reporter from both newspapers at our meetings! Something is up with this!
Hey district employees:
DID YOU FIND YOUR PSER'S MONEY YET?
Has anyone received their statements for 2005-2006?
Inquiring minds want to know!
I would just like to point out that any money sitting in the surplus account CANNOT be used for reoccuring expenses. So, that means that they can pay salaries with that money.
Dear School Board:
So far you have transferred approximately $1,200,000 into the capital reserve fund this year.
This money came from the general fund which came from the taxpayers, which will now be spent on wish list items LIKE THE TRACK!
I thought the track was not going to be paid for by taxpayer dollars.
DO WE HAVE SOME SORT OF MAGICAL MONEY TREE SOMEWHERE?
Hi everyone:
THE BLOG IS DEAD. THE BLOG IS DEAD. THE BLOG IS DEAD.
I heard repeating this phrase three times will take you back to Kansas.
Please each board member repeat this phrase three times.
Kansas is waiting.
Cannot tell the difference between the board members and the dirt!!
Hey Cappa, nice hat and sandals. Is that your retirement outfit. Real cute!! I hope you did not dress like that as a Dr. What a picture in the paper today!!. Nice to laugh at something!!!
WHAT'S UP DOC?
PLEASE ENLIGHTEN US!
Dear Kansas,
No one is making you look at this blog.
It's a free country. Go look at the Communist
Party USA blog where you apparently belong.
This blog doesn't look dead to me!
Highest paid teachers and lowest test scores, thats PA for you!!!!!
No big ticket items the Business Manager says in the paper today. What the heck is the track, a small ticket item!!! Our tax dollar are paying for this big ticket track and you know it and so does everyone else with half a brain. You can say that our money is not being used for this track but again that is a lie. All the monies in the district funds came from us the taxpayers. You Mrs. Business Manager keep moving monies from one fund to the next.
:...Highest paid teachers and lowest test scores, thats PA for you!!!!!..."
Are you saying that the voters and residents of Pennsylvania are stupid? That is what I take from that comment. That we the people (Pennsylvanians) keep electing the same people, primarily at the state level, who keep taking the special interest groups for their campaigns.
Voters in PA may quite possibly be as dumb as you infer.
Hey 10:19 look at the record in PA at the state level and local level. Every clown that runs minus a few keep getting re-elected into office. Look at Oley and Heckman! Oh my 18+ years on the school board and look at his record. He is on the board to help and take care of a select few including his own family member. Years and years of the same things has to come to an end. The children and citizens of this state and district are at risk of loosing everything. We are failing the children of our future.
And exactly where do think the money from the track came from? All the money is this district is from our taxes!! They do not sell anything to make money. They do spend the money like it is water. $250,000 pledges and $70,000 Mike O'Pake and the rest of the $1.4 million and rising is from you and me kiddo!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually O'Pakes money came from the state which is our money also. We pay state taxes. If the state give our district money that tooooooo is our money. This is not hard to figure out. People in this district need to get their heads out of the sand.
It doesn't take a genius to figure out where the district could cut expenses. These are items that must be put in place statewide to get rid of excessive spending.
#1 Go back to the county superintendent system. Why does each district have one. Can anyone remember Newton Geiss?
#2 Let the IU take care of business items--purchasing, school bus contract.
#3 Put a student activity fee in place. Does anyone know what the phrase "Pay to Play" means?
I remember someone at a board meeting asking the question--what is the cost of basic education? Was the question ever answered.
Whenever the possibility of cutting expenses is brought up, immediately we are taking away from the "Children". The money to be spent for the track and appurtances would be better spent toward education.
The only reason I can see why the sports program is being pushed so hard is due to the fact that the academic portion of the education does not prepare the students adequately for college, therefor we (the district) must give them a solid sports background so that they may qualify for a sports scholarship.
A prior posting brought up the PSSA scores. Virtually no comment on the issue. It would be nice if the "Children" would get a well-rounded education instead of the present "Teach for the Test" mentality. Nine out of ten can name the cast menbers of any popular sit-com on television, probably one in ten knows what city is the capital of Kansas.
to 6:26, 7:49, 10.09, 12:36 and anyone else: you are cordially invited to the next board meeting on June 20 at 7 PM to hear the answer. If you are too busy, send someone you can trust.
Eight Board members voted for a 4.09% property tax increase. One was absent. Was there at least one Board member who publicly asked questions about holding the line? The Empire will not tolerate dissent. It must be unanimous to maintain the facade.
Two prospective board members, Mr. Carl Kubitz and Mr. Steve Burns attended the June 13, 2007 meeting but they had no questions or comments about the 2007-2008 budget.
Mr. John Bieber, the other prospective board member did not attend the meeting.
The ninth consecutive increase in school property taxes yet having millions hoarded in surplus funds should gender some interest or response from future board members.
The citizens deserve people who are willing to ask questions.
SAME OLD, SAME OLD, JUST NEW FACES!!! WHAT IS UP WITH BURNS,KUPITZ,BIEBER ANOTHER THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS THAT STAY SILENT!!!! ASK QUESTIONS PEOPLE!!!!!
Rising taxes, again, in Oley...
Maybe the school needs to invest in something with a better return.
ROLAIDS
The type of folks that run our school during the week, and go to church on Sunday........?
HYPOCHRISTIANS
If JB is anything like his wife, we are in for more yes votes! And that is on everything that comes past his seat! Here we go again!!!!!!!!
fyi: discussion and questions about the budget items take place at budget meetings which are open to the public. When it gets to the final formal vote don't expect questions from the people who have already spent hours on it.
In case you haven't noticed, the budget increase is actually in line with the limits set by the state which OCC was touting as so good not that long ago. Despite being "entitled" (according to the marvelous state) to actually raise taxes even more to cover the exception items, the board did not do so. Incidentally the increase in the budget is approximately at or below the real rate of inflation which includes energy,housing, etc, as opposed to the artifically low CPI that the fudgers use. The reasons for raising taxes in the world of Act 1 were explained at the last meeting for the umpteenth time to whose who would listen. Of course, to do that you'd have to be there instead of fantasizing about super insults to lay on the board.
I really appreciated the picture of Dale running from voting place to place and going into the booths to intimidate voters into voting for Heckman. Does even the "witness" to this actually believe himself?
Why do we have to wait for Wednesday for you to explain the track money? Are you trying to figure out what excuse you are going to give us again. The money in this district comes from the taxpayers and the state!!! Thats it! The track money was moved from one taxpaying dollar fund to another taxpaying dollar fund. We are not stupid. When will you ever tell us the truth. You do not know how to tell the truth. There has been to many lies already in this district and the board.
Also what is this lawsuit regarding property? What are you up to now? Are you trying to take land from someone to build something?
Are you trying to take houses from some people for the big track that is being built now?
The people that live on quiet Rose Virginia are not going to put up with loud events at all hours on the district fields.
People need sleep so they can work to pay the taxes and keep a roof over their heads.
Most likely JB knows what is going on as his wife tells him all the district going's on.
And with SB living across the street, he most likely is in on what is going on, that is why they remain quiet when they are attending board meetings.
It also could be that they are so out of the loop of what is going on that they do not know what questions to ask.
HEAR THIS: WE DID NOT NEED ANY INCREASE THIS YEAR TO BALANCE THE BUDGET!!! WE HAVE MONEY AVAILABLE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET WITHOUT ANY INCREASE ABOVE OR BELOW WHAT THE STATE APPROVES THE DISTRICT CAN RAISE WITH VOTER APPROVAL! YOU ARE TWISTED. DALE HAS BEEN IN THE PAST AT POLLS TRYING TO GET PEOPLE INTO VOTING FOR HECKMAN. NO ONE SAID HE ACTUALLY WENT INTO THE BOOTH WITH THE CITIZENS. THAT WOULD BE GROSS AND HE WOULD OF BEEN IN BIG TROUBLE. HE STAYS OUT IN THE PARKING AREA OR IN FRONT ON THE BUILDING NICE AND NEAR THE FRONT DOOR. YOU CANNOT MISS HIM IF YOU WANTED TOOO.
That is without voter approval, not with!
This year Dale was missing because he knew Heckman would get in with 5 openings and 5 running. But when and if he was called to duty, he would come as fast as he can!
Ask anybody especially in Ruscombmanor, they will tell you he has been around in the past and he will come back in the future if called!
You can tell us your version of the budget and the increase but the facts speak for themselves. Look more closely at the numbers and what money is sitting around in surplus funds and you can see if you wanted to but do not choose to the money is available for a no-tax increase.
Just because the state gives you rules on how much you can raise the millage does not mean you must raise the millage.
You cannot justify a tax increase this year or last.
YOU DID USE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY FOR THE TRACK AND IT WAS A BOARD DECISION NOT A COMMUNITY DECISION.
HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO LIE TO THE PUBLIC AND TWIST THE FACTS LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST MANY YEARS?????
Spent hours on it? Are you for real? These has not been hours of open meetings regarding the budget unless you are having meetings without the public's knowledge. Is that what is happening?
Mr. Richards who is the big guy for the budget process was not even at the last meeting when you voted on it.
You are a bunch of fools. We know the truth and you do not like it being written on this blog or talked about in the aisles at Kings or on the radio with WEEU or even in the paper. Toooo bad!!
OK I am wrong about you not having hours of meetings regarding the budget. But one thing I can say that is the truth about these meetings is if we went to them or did not go to them it would not have matter as you will not let us speak more than 3 minutes. Talking about a $26 million budget requires way more than 3 minutes for each citizen that has questions. So thanks but no thanks. Would it have really made any difference if we came and got evil looks at us or stayed away? I choose to live a healthy life and stay away.
Being at board meetings in the past got me nothing but an upset stomach and headache.
I cannot be in the same room with a bunch of nasty people who do not care for the well being of my children, all the children and the citizens that live in this district.
Dear board members:
Wouldn't it be wonderful if non school employees could count on raises to go hand-in-hand with rising taxes? Please note that many local employers do not give regular or scheduled raises to any of their employees. It's as if we should be grateful to have a job at all. Try working 5 or 10 years without a raise. Inflation takes a toll on all of us, but if you're working for a company that does not acknowledge the cost of living combined with your income, good luck. The longer you work for a company, the less you make and the less you have to live on. I doubt you will hear that conversation with any of the school teachers. If so, they're really stretching the truth.
4:08 you should read the blog more so you would know the 3 minute rule only applies to the 1 formal board meeting each month. There is no restriction at committee meetings.
The 3 minute rule should not have been put into policy in the first place. It is against our freedom of speech. America, home of the brave, land of the free.
to 6:25 PM in the early part of the last century working conditions were even worse than now. To get a little bigger piece of the pie, workers organized into unions and fought for fairer wages and working conditions. Of course with power came corruption of the unions to some degree, but they still made a hugh difference in the benefits they obtained for their members. If you don't have a union, maybe you should look into getting/joining one. You shouldn't have to be cheated for 5-10 years while your CEO gets million dollar raises.
There is no need for unions anymore - except for the personal persual of GREED!
You need look no further than the end of your nose to witness local businesses who have no problem asking more and more of their faithful employees, and offering them two big choices:
work here and do as we say
or
you know where the door is
Hickory dickory DOC
You've raised our taxes-big shock
You'll tax us until
we take the black pill
Hickory dickory DOC
The Twilight Zone is on Main Street
Wow! The Doc must be one powerful person, considering all the attention he gets from each of you.
Anyone notice the progress of the track lately? It's looking real good! :)
powerful not, clown and weird yes, a person that raises our taxes for his own benefit yes!
Someone that should not be on the board, "THE DOC"
All able bodied people are exactly where every government entity wants them: hard at work trying to pay their taxes.
Unless the populace gets educated about what is going on with this country and the demise of our free system as we know it, and brings about an upset at the polls, this situation will only get worse. But that would mean people would actually have to do some investigating into the individuals they vote for instead of voting lockstep with their political parties. Fat chance.
The same puppeteers control "most" of the people in and seeking office. An educated voter will do the homework necessary to figure out who stands for the most wonderful system in the world, and has the backbone to vote accordingly and rebuff the special interests.
P.S.
To save our way of life, INDIVIDUALS must ALSO be willing to, within reason, pay the way for themselves and their kids. But everyone has bought into the lie that everyone else owes them something special. Public "education" was meant to be just that: EDUCATION -- not some socialist goodie bag that fullfills every wish anyone has ever had.
Dearest Mr. Heckman,
Mrs. McCarthy,
Mrs. Bieber,
Mr. Cappa,
Mrs. Gotwals,
Mr. Hannum,
Mr. Madiera,
& the absent Mr. Maloney:
A heartfelt "thank-you" to each and every one of these board members is not being sent out from this household. Thanks to your apparent lack of common sense, our family is not getting to go anywhere for a vacation this year. As a matter of fact, the ever increasing tax burdon you've cheerfully graced us with is currently causing the greatest strain our family budget has ever taken. Yet, you feel comfortable having your pictures in the local papers-gleefully flinging miniscule amounts of soil high into the air, as if performing some sort of sacred ritual honoring the Track Gods. One would have to wonder if you'd show up in such great numbers, and with as much enthusiasm, to assist in the packing of the moving vans, as you oust family after family from their own little clumps of soil known as "property in the Oley Vally School District"?
If those pictures were not bad enough, we were graced with the moving comments which led us to believe that the board members not only felt justified to raise the taxes for 9 years straight, they also felt it was their OBLIGATION.
Let's get something straight right now, dearest board members:
Many citizens in this area are doing all they can to bring in the means to keep their homes, families, and lives ....here, in our so-called "own homes". Although we don't really know how hard the members of the board have worked to attain their social status, we DO know how hard we worked to get here, and to stay here.
It's only fair to state that WE - THE REAL CITIZENS OF THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT---ARE NOT GOING TO STAND BACK AND WATCH NEIGHBOR AFTER NEIGHBOR DO WITHOUT MEDICAL ITEMS, DO WITHOUT PROPER FOOD FOR OUR CHILDREN, OR DO WITHOUT A DECENT ROOF OVER OUR HEADS.
WE ALREADY KNOW HOW TO BUDGET-DOWN TO THE PENNY.
IT'S HIGH TIME THE OLEY SCHOOL BOARD LEARNS THIS TIME HONORED TRADITION:
DON'T SPEND WHAT YOU'VE NOT YET EARNED.
John Q. Citizen
Go 12:00 go!!!!! You are 100% correct. Sad but true everything you just written is what is going on in this district.
God Bless you and your family.
You can camp out on Main St. Zackon and Cappa can give you some of their yard for your family tent.
This is a sad district that we live in. It should be a wonderful place to raise a family, but look at what this board has done to it.
We need to get back to the basics!!
History of OVSD Millage:
1998- 13.59
1999- 14.08
2000- 14.93
2001- 16.67
2002- 18.69
2003- 19.68
2004- 20.75
2005- 21.50
2006- 22.50
2007- 23.42
2008 + = ?????????
How long can families and seniors afford to stay in Oley?
At what point do real estate taxes become so high that they depreciate property values?
What income levels will be able to live in Oley?
Sadly, even if people are happy and want to stay in Oley, they still must ask themselves these questions.
We've asked ourselved those questions. And we don't like the answers.
It's time to react to the serious nature of this board. They have magic pens and blank checks. We've got saltines and soup.
We're not happy.
Amazing how much power the board has over some of you. Soup and crackers....no vacation?!? All because of the Oley school board members! Funny....when I have a year without a vacation, I blame it on my lack of money management for that year, or maybe the lack of a decent paying job, but I never tried to blame it on the Oley school board. Utterly ridiculous!!!!!
I wonder why so many of us are able to work hard, save our money, go on vacation, AND pay taxes. Looks like someone needs a new job or a financial advisor. I know of one I can recommend.
Well, 7:26, that was a completely elitist posting.
You cannot seem to comprehend that not everyone has the opportunities that you obviously have. Taxes or necessities are a real part of many lives. You just don't get it. Such snobbery.
JUDGMENTAL:
tending to criticize the conduct of other people.
Well, blogger 7:26, if that shoe fits, wear it.
Many people are self employed and work more hours a day, and more days a week than others. Some people's work goes with the flow of the economy.
Perhaps you've been a bit hasty with your version of how the real economy affects others.
My family is not going away for vacation this year, either. We have a grandparent living with us. She's not up to much travel these days, so we will try to make her summer as enjoyable as possible.
Grandmom could not possibly have made ends meet while living on her own, and the thought of visiting nurses invading her privacy day in and day out was not her cup of tea.
I suppose you'd like to tell our Grandma that she's a poor money manager? Go for it, know-it-all blogger. I'd PAY to see you and Grandma in the ring.
Hey 7:26
Why bother posting as anonymous? It's not like you truly are!
Your "see-through" blogs are only missing one thing....
lurking not lerking
You can't force your good intentions on people that don't want to change. They have to WANT to change, and they have to believe there's something wrong with what they're doing. So far, neither is coming into play.
Isn't it strange that a handful of people that CHOSE to seat themselves at the TABLE OF DOOM, managed to somehow get ELECTED???
That's one for the books, isn't it? Sadly, they don't think the rest of us know that their only true strong point is that hardly anyone ever even shows up to vote, and those that do, cast the same lame votes. You can take the voters out of Berks County, but you can't take the Berks County out of the voters.
God seems to have enough on his plate right now. We should be good enough, smart enough, and strong enough to figure out this mess ourselves!
between '98 and the present, millage went up about 76% according to Al while home values went up 63-70%. That's not too big a difference especially since the value went up 7 times as much as the taxes. If you need help with the math, ask your 5th grader- according to TV they are better at it than we are.
7:42 and 8:08 It's nice to know we have at least 2 angels in the valley. Thanks for telling us how great you are.
"..home values went up 63-70%..."
You better double check your zip code Mr. Trump because you live in Oley, Pennsylvania not Henderson, Nevada or Naples, Florida.
How great we are? Didn't look like anyone stated anything in that blog about being great. You seem kind of paranoid. The blog seemed to state that people in the service industry don't necessarily earn as much as others, although they work pretty darned hard to earn their paycheck.(often, they're stuck trying to please arrogant folks with their noses held high)
Kind of strange how the service industry gets this sort of criticism. Where would we be without them?
We all need to pull together. The clear example here seems to be that most adults in America work 11 1/2 to 12 months a year. Many choose to work through a vacation time because it's the only real choice. You might be surprised how many people cash in their vacation pays to help out with the budget. Ever put braces on two kids at once, without extremely great medical/dental coverage? Makes the trip to Disneyworld look a little less attractive. It's all about level headed decisions. Next winter, consider this:
Ski trip to a really nice resort area OR heat for the season. That's a clear example. Although we're not all on the same income level, we all know the heat comes before the ski bunnies. And just because we're not all on the same income level doesn't mean that we're not all working hard, planning, investing, etc. That blogger was very rude and tacky to state that.
As for pointing out that someone thinks they're GREAT because they have their grandparent living with them???? Perhaps it's not YOUR cup of tea to care for the elderly! God bless you when you require some kindness in the future.
"If you need help with the math, ask your 5th grader- according to TV they are better at it than we are."
This poster must live in la la land. Home values have not increased 70% since 1998. I bet he bought a bridge in Brooklyn,too.
Hello 12:41 am are you for real? Just look on 73 at the Greth Homes new development. I do not see houses being built in a hurry. The lots are empty. People even with money are being cautious about moving into Oley. They must of heard about us on the radio, TV and in the newspaper. It does not show a pretty picture does it? People with half a brain will think twice before moving into a district that does not care about the children, just a handful picked by the board that have parents not asking important questions. Parents that just go with the flow! Look at this district now compared to years ago. I have talked to alot of people that went to this district in the 60's and 70's and they say it was great. Small but caring to all the children. What happened???? Zackon happened, Heckman happened!!
SAT Test Scores:
Year 2001:
Math: 512
Verbal: 520
Year 2006:
Math: 531
Verbal:522
PSSA 2005-2006:
11th Grade:
Math: 51.3% Below Proficient
Reading:26.9% Below Proficient
Source: PDE
In six years, the SAT Math scores increased a paltry 19 points and the Verbal a measly 2 points!
The PSSA scores are even more disappointing.
51% of 11th grade students do not test proficient in Math and 27% do not test proficient in Reading.
Proficient does not mean excellence, but rather a grade level understanding of subject matter.
The board raises taxes 72% yet the educational improvement is barely noticeable.
The parents and students are not getting the return for their constantly rising school property taxes.
The numbers prove more money is not the answer.
The OVSD board approving to spend $1,600,000 on a synthetic track is a classic example of education’s convoluted proprieties that cheat the citizens and raise taxes excessively.
Everyone should read Cal Thomas's editorial column in the "Reading Eagle" today. Very interesting
to 7:47 sorry I got the second blog time wrong. If you read 7:42 and the preceeding 12:00 you will find the usual blogger boasting about how they do wonderful things and protect the weak and innocent. A bunch of Mother Theresas and Robin Hoods strutting and praising themselves.
SAT Scores are an important indicator of the schools performance. They are much more important than the PSSA's.
That belief of mine is because the SAT's have been around for decades and generations, and uniformed throughout the country, as well as in many other countries, unlike the PSSA's which is a recent invention by the PA Dept of Ed.
My question to OCC is concerning his comment relating to the "paltry 19 point increase".
The true evaluation of these scores are in comparison to the total population taking the tests. If you state that Oley is not in the top 80percentile, then I agree we have an issue. However, what were the scores 30 years ago, high or lower, and does that show an increase or decrease in the quality of the education.
The PARTIAL facts that you loosely throw around do not provide enough information to justify anything.
As for the comments regarding tax increases, this is truly a troubling issue. I forsee tax increases being necessary, due to the revenue formula used by the school system, but 72% in 10 years (1998-2007) seems high.
The problem is that the we get roughly 40+% of our revenue from property tax, based on assessed values that never get modified to keep pace with inflation, and we get a similar amount from EIT receipts. Unfortunately, raises are not keeping pace with inflation either. I can state that my family income is less than it was 3, 5, and 7 years ago. The remaining 10 to 20% of the revenue comes from state/federal sources.
8;11 AND 9;00 you didn't get a 5th grader to help! Did you take the PSSA math practice test offered in the last blog?
Of course the Greth homes didn't appreciate, they weren't there. The houses that sold in the last 2-3 years went for approximately 2-3 times their appraised value from around '93(?). That works out to about 7% compound increase a year. Incidentally, Al, did you take the practice PSSA? If you did, did you notice how irrelevent most of the problems were to the needs of most of us in real life? I suspect most of your supporters wouldn't score even basic and that it hasn't made a bit of difference in their lives.Harping on unimpressive results of an unimpressive test is meaningless.
Do you know what the "SAT" in the "SAT test" actually stands for? Initially, it was "student aptitude test". Then it became "student achievement test". Now the company that sells it doesn't know what it really measures so it stands for "SAT", with no meaning attached to the letters. If they don't know what it actually means and measures, how does OCC know? And if OCC doesn't know, why does he pretend that he does?
It's because he doesn't know that he doesn't know, which is the most common and worst kind of ignorance.
Probably because the OCC appears to be made up of people who just want to blame others for the normal struggles of the world. "Wake up and smell the coffee," as some of you have said. Life is tough. We all do the best we can to live in this world filled with hardships.
It's a lot harder to admit that life is tough and we just have to deal with it. It's a lot easier to blame people for our sufferings (like the school board).
The above 2 blogs are terrible. We complain about the daily struggles of life. We want everything to be perfect. Please you can stick your comments on your seat. We did not say life should be a bowl of cherries, but the school board and their out of control spending causes us great concerned for all that live in this district. They continue to hide money in different surplus funds then raise our taxes. Yes that is concerning. If you think they should have blank check spending and the test scores continue to plummet, you need to be tested in the head. You for sure have lost your marbles.
Al continues to hold this board and district accountable for their reckless spending. Go Al Go!!! He has guts, you people are wimps and do not want to cause a stir. Oh, so scared of what, Heckman, Zackon and the other clowns. We pay for Zackons salary and we pay for a good education for our children. All the children need to educated, sports comes later. Education comes first. Oh yea, get a sports scholarship and then what, try to survive in college not knowing anything because you were not taught the basics in HS. MS and ES. Is that really what you want for your child? Not me. Education must come first. Have a good day and remember to actually talk to your children and see what their needs really are. You most likely do not even know what your children are doing half the time. Not me, my children tell me everything that is going on and the concerns they might have. I CARE!!!!!! It is called responsibility. Parents should start being parents.
In response to:
" However, what were the scores 30 years ago, high or lower, and does that show an increase or decrease in the quality of the education."
In the 1960's when an average homes annual taxes were in the hundreds, not thousands, Oley placed within the 98 percentile in the country on the IOWA tests, which are much like the Stanford Achievement Tests. These are the most accurate tests of actual knowledge base by grade.
The PSSA measurements are not tests. They are assessments ... of how well the school districts throughout the state are teaching to "mandated outcomes." It measures how well the schools are teaching to the test. It has nothing to do with actual knowledge base. It is about teaching students "what to think" NOT "how" to think.
In the late 60's some of us Oley graduates actually took College Level Exams and had such good scores that we could skip most of the basic college courses and go right into our concentrations. The generations up to and including the mid-60's probably were no smarter than today's kids. They simply received a real academic education that required discipline, hardwork and not always enjoying school. Give me Mrs. Erb anyday over today's crop the teachers colleges are grinding out.
I cannot imagine most of today's graduates testing out of the first two years of college. In fact, even the Ivy league schools must teach remedial reading, writing and basics in the first year, because the majority of the brightest public school students are so ill prepared for higher "learning."
Formely, public school was not a lot of fun and games and egocentric exercizes. We did have fun, but we also knew the priorities and respect was one of them -- not self esteem. And if you didn't perform in class, you weren't allowed to participate in extra-curricular sports and other programs. Academics came first.
So much to learn from the older generations, and most of the younger ones (and their parents) mock them for their hard work, honesty and fiscal responsibility. Time will tell who was right.
YOU ARE RIGHT LB. I WISH TODAY's EDUCATION WAS LIKE THAT OF PAST MANY YEARS. CHILDREN APPRECIATED THE TEACHERS ALOT MORE BACK THEN AND WANTED TO COME TO SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY KNEW THE TEACHERS REALLY CARED FOR THEM AND WANTED THE BEST FOR THEM. I LOVE THE OLDER TEACHERS AT OLEY AND I AM GLAD MY CHILDREN HAVE HAD SOME OF THEM. THEY DO NOT MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USED TOOOOO!!
Whenever there is a comparison of independent test scores relative to the amount of tax dollars spent on education, there will be the detractors armed with opinions swarming to discredit or silence the message.
Public and factual information strikes a nerve because it challenges the myth of education.
“The children are our future” and other mottos are exposed for being nothing more than a slogan.
What is partially irritating to the status quo crowd is that the data used in the comparison comes from the very same institutions they have to defend.
The hissing, name-calling, and drive-by blogging will not alter the conclusion that public education is an expensive failure.
No amount of money, or the “socializing”, “normalizing”, and gaming of test scores will solve the problem. Nor will dusted off, lip stick coated programs get the job done either.
The educrats craftily promote the idea that appearances are as important as performance. What else can explain why a school board throws $1,600,000 away on a non-educational, non-state mandated expense like a track? Leadership took a hit on this decision.
The defenders of mediocrity assert there is nothing wrong with the system. They appear to be misinformed or uninformed because the federal and state government implemented educational and fiscal controls to remediate the issue.
These new controls come under the heading of accountability. Finally, people may be fired because of their ineptitude. There should be no reason why private sector standards should not apply to the public sector.
In the meantime, the discloser of details will continue to shine the light on those who are responsible for this debacle.
That is write, keep writting the facts Al. You are the only one that spends so much time to keep the citizens alert as to what the board and the district are doing to our children and to all the citizens of this district. I notice a volleyball magnet of one of the board members cars today and I said to myself here we are, the board members that we currently have to deal with are in it for their own benefits. Example:
BB- Volleyball
DM- Track
RR- Track, Field Hockey, GPA and class rank
RH- Math teacher - Daughter
RC- Retirement benefits, salary increase for his wife.
These are just a few benefits that these board members have gotten for their families.
They do not care about the whole district just themselves.
Say I am wrong all you want. I do not care what you think of me at all. I know that this is the truth and facts as this was all voted "YES" on.
Nice harangue, Al, but was there a point. After all the slogans and baseless accusations and opinions presented as fact,what specifically should we all be spending our money on? What will improve education? You don't want money for sports facillities because they don't increase test scores.Yet no test scores seem to show any meaningful improvement in childrens' learning so what is our model to follow? Actually, selected foreign students do better in math and science but some also have higher suicide rates. How do they rank in creative thinking or subjects other than those two in comparison to us? What are their parents' attitude toward the value of education and do they blame the schools and teachers when their kids spend all their time on tv and games instead of trying to learn?
When comparing today's tests with older ones you also have to remember that the tests have changed- I think they've gotten harder judging by when my kids have had certain subjects compared to my own schooling.My evolving bias is to try to teach kids what they can learn and use in their future real world rather than try to force them all to learn specific subjects in which they have no aptitude and cannot succeed.
Life and education aren't as simple as you like to pretend in order to provide fodder for your rabble rousing, nor as simple as most of your sheep with their chants of "We know the Truth, you are stupid".
5:29's You said the last sentence not us. Finally you agree with the facts!!! Time to celebrate.
“Nice harangue, Al, but was there a point.”
Let’s make it simple…we pay too much money for the failure of public education.
“After all the slogans and baseless accusations and opinions presented as fact,what specifically should we all be spending our money on?”
The information comes from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. If you do not consider this as fact, you should provide documented sources to refute the data.
Asking where to spend tax dollars designed to fund public education is an astounding admission. Some would say it underlines the cluelessness associated with school boards.
“What will improve education?”
The conclusion of the post pointed to a solution, accountability. The choice is no longer left to local school board politicians, but now to the federal and state laws.
Get the job done or heads will roll...sounds fair to me.
“You don't want money for sports facillities because they don't increase test scores.Yet no test scores seem to show any meaningful improvement in childrens' learning so what is our model to follow?”
Extra curricula activities are a supplement not a replacement for education. If sports, music, etc. were the answer to improved performance, they would have been an integral part of the process a long time ago.
The board feels they must spend a fortune on activities unrelated to academics. They can meet the basic needs. Anything more than that should be privately financed.
The message to the students should be academics come first. The school board has been sending the wrong message for years.
“Actually, selected foreign students do better in math and science but some also have higher suicide rates.”
The suicide rate contention needs to be documented with an independent source to have any validity.
“How do they rank in creative thinking or subjects other than those two in comparison to us? “
“Creative thinking” is a squishy defense to hard numbers that clearly demonstrate a serious problem.
Testing creative thinking is subject to wide interpretation and it is nothing more than a smokescreen.
Just what other subjects are you talking about? Are they as important to the foundation of education as Reading and Math?
“What are their parents' attitude toward the value of education and do they blame the schools and teachers when their kids spend all their time on tv and games instead of trying to learn? “
They seem to place a higher value on academics. The test scores are an indicator of their commitment.
Foreign students watch TV and play games, yet they do better. There are only two places to look for an answer then, the home or the classroom.
Parents pay the educators a handsome fee to educate. Students spend more time at school than at home in most cases. Then it becomes obvious where the problem and the primary solution reside.
“When comparing today's tests with older ones you also have to remember that the tests have changed- I think they've gotten harder judging by when my kids have had certain subjects compared to my own schooling”
Your conclusion is an opinion not fact. SAT scores have been “socialized”, PSSA scores, according a major study, have been gamed. If anything, they have been lowered to protect the political base of education and to quell the growing chorus of angry parents.
“My evolving bias is to try to teach kids what they can learn and use in their future real world rather than try to force them all to learn specific subjects in which they have no aptitude and cannot succeed.”
Reading and Math are the building blocks of education. If a child cannot read at a proficient level, their future is bleak at best.
To dismiss the basics as not real world, is short sighted because at some point we will be paying for the uneducated child over and above what we pay now.
“Life and education aren't as simple as you like to pretend in order to provide fodder for your rabble rousing, nor as simple as most of your sheep with their chants of "We know the Truth, you are stupid".”
Discussing the cost and problems of education are “rabble rousing” only to those who are afraid of disclosure. Demeaning parents as “sheep” who want a better education is the refuge of someone who cannot defend the undefendable.
Yadda, yadda, yadda! You all provide such entertainment. Ignorance is not bliss, but it sure is hilarious! ;)
Nice harangue...?
Nice new word, Mr. Cappa.
...fodder for your rabble rousing..
???
Nice new words, Mr. Cappa. What do you do, keep a thesaurus next to the John and a cross-word next to your pulpit?
..."you all..."
Wow, now we've crossed the Mason-Dixon line......
You all....Y'all....whatever fits your fancy! Y'all provide a lot of entertainment.
There is nothing entertaining about the facts of this district and board. Nothing is funny and everything is very serious and the truth from the OCC. Oh know I said "the truth". Who is coming to the meeting on Wednesday 6/20/07 in the board room. This might be the meeting when you get some icecream and strawberries after they pass another tax increase. You know that this nice treat is from the taxpayers pocket also.
Speaking of taxpayers paying for school employees meals, ice cream parties, lunches, dinners, etc.
This practice is going to have to stop NOW!
Apparently Dr. Zackon thinks it is OK for the taxpayers to pay for his lunch and his secretaries gift cards for Secretary's Day, etc., but the time has now come for this practice to end. Dr. Zackon obviously thinks that the taxpayers OWE him this and OWE the school employees.
The district again gave out $200 savings bonds for perfect attendance to support staff.
Where did he happen on this EXTRA MONEY to pay for this little item?
Dr. Zackon has no qualms about picking the pockets of the taxpayers for his every little desire.
What else are we paying for that we do not know about.
It's high time that every financial slip of paper that is in the administration building be carefully scrutinized.
I bet we could come up with $1.6 million over the past 10 or so years. Any takers?
Dr. Zackon is better known as the "Millage Man". When Mr. Millage Man asks for a raise in the millage, there is a raise in the millage. The school board nods in approval that super hero, Millage Man, can save the Oley Valley. Go, Millage Man, go, please, somewhere else, anywhere else.
Rewarding support staff for perfect attendance is a great idea and well worth the money. If staff is absent productivity decreases. Many businesses give incentives for attendance for just that reason. Also, a $200 savings bond costs $100, not full face value. This "reward" was established quite a few years ago, as an added benefit for the support staff. Around that time the union was trying to organize the support staff which was ultimately voted down. A few added incentives in exchange for keeping the support staff non-union is a good exchange in my opinion. It would certainly cost the taxpayers alot more than a couple hundred dollars if the support staff were to organize.
We all know there are some serious problems to be addressed in the district but when you nit-pick about ice cream and lunches you just waste time and energy, not to mention credibility.
"Yadda, yadda, yadda! You all provide such entertainment. Ignorance is not bliss, but it sure is hilarious! ;)"
Demeaning "is the refuge of someone who cannot defend the undefendable."
RS: Lunches, gift cards, etc. and savings bonds all add up. When my husband has to give money for his secretary, he hands his own money to her. He does not go and write an expense report for the money. This is not a business that Heckman keeps saying it is. His employment record is not good at all and if this district was really a business, he would of been fired along with Zackon. The auditor finds errors and problems with our books every time they come and do an audit. If you want to buy your secretary a gift, you pay for it out of your own money. The taxpayers are getting sick of this. Zackon's day will come when the state sends him packing for terrible tests scores, bad management of our money and using the taxpayers money for his own personal gratification. How come all the other school districts in this county think we are a bunch of clowns running the circus?
Also todays paper says some schools in the state are merging!!! Thank goodness for that and I hope Berks County schools merge into one school district with one SUPER.
This secretary gift issue is simple. In the private sector, if a company gives gifts to their employees from company funds, the company has chosen to do so at COMPANY expense.
When a public institution, that is funded with public money, does so -- it is not the politicians or schools money to do with as they please. I don't think anyone has a problem with school employees getting gifts. The issue is when money is extorted from people in the form of property tax, it should be used with more respect and frugality.
"Demeaning" can also be the attitude of someone who knows that no matter what he says, the closed-minded will not listen to any point of view other than their own! Some of us who have an open mind read this and shake our heads over the ignorance displayed. Yes, yes, that was probably demeaning, but sadly, it is true!!!!
"Some of us who have an open mind read this and shake our heads over the ignorance displayed. "
Thanks Doc, but your "mind" is about as open as Bush's. Save your elitism demagoguery for Moveon.org.
I'm not the Doc!
nice
You're NOT the DOC, but you played one on TV, right?
Wow at least 4 members of the Kutztown Board had the guts to stand up for what is right: A no tax increase. One even said in the paper that they want the homeowners not to have another tax increase as some might be forced to move because of the rising taxes. Wow are they nice. At least they have 4 members that care about the citizens of their district. God Bless them. Hey Oley why not learn something from them??? Get some guts or get off the board. We have had enough!!!! Knock off the reckless spending NOW!!!!!
"I'm not the Doc!"
OK then, how about a leftist, elitist, demagogue.
EEEEEE-leeeeetist?
Yup, that sure says it all.
Ewwwwww-leeeeetist is even closer.
I know what the Oley school board should do: CALL THE 4 KUTZTOWN BOARD MEMBERS THAT VOTED NO FOR THEIR BUDGET AND ASK THEM FOR SOME POINTERS ON HOW TO BE A BOARD MEMBER FOR ALL THE CITIZENS!!!!! HOW TO GET A HEART AND START CARING FOR THE WELL BEING OF ALL THE CITIZENS YOUNG AND OLD IN THIS DISTRICT. OH THAT IS RIGHT YOU DO NOT HAVE A HEART. IF YOU REALLY CARED AT ALL WE WOULD BE WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE THIS YEAR. THE NEW BUSINESS MANAGER IS FALLING FOR THE SAME OLD STUFF JUST LIKE THE PAST 6 OR SO THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THE DOORS AND HAVE LEFT!
Just wondering...
Does your driver's license say:
Not the DOC
Main Street
Oley, Pa
? ? ?
I thought most doctors practiced medicine until they were really, really old. You know what I mean? It's strange to throw all of that knowledge and experience out the window, so to speak.
When a preacher retires, they still share their knowledge and compassion with interested parties. I know a preacher that is in his 90s and still has a kind word, and a world of interest in helping any way he can. What a great guy!
"Ewwwwww-leeeeetist is even closer."
I'm so glad I don't know you!!
...one of my gratitudes of the day! :)
My drivers license says, "Thank goodness I'm not an OCCer!" :)
We could of used the Nextel money for all the lawsuits the district has been involved in and are currently in instead of using it all on a track. And what is going on with the $250,000 pledge money? Are we ever going to see it? Pledge money is one thing, giving us the money is another. Brag all you want board. With all the reckless spending of OUR money and having another tax increase this year with tons of money sitting in surplus funds, I would not be so happy if I were you. Lawsuits in the past have been coming out of taxpayer dollars, lunches, gift cards etc. come out of taxpayer dollars. Time to stop. You need to go on a diet anyway. Stop eating our money away. Use it on the children NOW and that is ALL the children.
I hear Oley has a lot to smile about! :)
Of course some of the die hard OCCers can't (refuse to) see the good in anything positive that happens in Oley. ...as the last post proves! ...how sad!! I feel badly for you! ...must be an angry life you lead!
MY driver's license says:
OLEY VALLEY TAX DONOR
OLEY IS A PRETTY NICE PLACE, REALLY. BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. WHY NOT START WITH SOME FISCAL IMPROVEMENTS?????????
See the orange sub-title:
"Board Raises Taxes For The Ninth Consecutive Year...."
I think there's a typo there. It should say
"Board Raises blood pressure For The Ninth Consecutive Year..."
so many fools
so much to answer
so not worth the effort.
OCC you twisted and misinterpreted but never answered the question.same old story. What did you think about the board's money for the track announcement? Let me guess: they should have used the money to lower taxes because WE THE PEOPLE of Oley (at least 10 of us) don't want a track and field.Are you going to apologize for calling them liars for saying they wouldn't use tax money for the track? Or do you figure Nextel $ came from the taxpayers so it's sort of tax money anyway?
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