The Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition board unanimously approved the membership of the Oley Concerned Citizens into their organization. They heard of our efforts on behalf of the Oley taxpayers and apparently felt we would make a good addition to their already strong, state-wide coalition of taxpayers.
The PTCC have the following goals:
“The PTCC and the statewide umbrella group, the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations (PCTA), are dedicated, through legislative reform, to eliminating school property taxes for all Pennsylvanians and to the equitable funding of all Pennsylvania schools from a broad-based, statewide funding source. Such a source would equalize disparities between wealthy and poorer school districts, ensuring a quality education for all Pennsylvania schoolchildren. The PTCC is a proponent for the immediate repeal of Act 1, the fraudulent school property tax “relief” bill that was signed into law in June 2006. The PTCC is a supporter of The School Property Tax Elimination Act of 2007, otherwise known as the Plan for Pennsylvania's Future, a pending House bill that will eliminate all school property and nuisance taxes and provide equitable funding for all Pennsylvania schools.”
The Act 1 referendum turned out to be a farce. The hope was that it had a meaningful control on spending it does not. The inflation index to manage school board extravagance is too generous and the exemptions to the index make the legislation a cruel hoax.
The hybrid version of Act 1, House Bill 1600 is even worse; it has no spending controls at all just promises.
The cost of public education is too expensive to be funded primarily by local property taxes. The school boards and the teachers’ unions ran up such a tab, that only a state wide funding solution would solve this crisis.
The remedy for the malady rests in the The School Property Tax Elimination Act of 2007. It is fair and equitable for all because it spreads the burden over a wider base of citizens.
The Oley Concerned Citizens joins the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition in their effort to effect true tax reform in the state.
We will continue to hold the Oley Valley School Board accountable for fiscal and educational results, but now we have more resources in that effort.
Posts
40 comments:
Well, you all asked for it, and now it has happened.
All the crucifying words that the OCC were ineffectual and nothing, and you asked why we were not aligned with all the other taxpayer groups, so now we are.
I guess the next words out of your mouth is that this taxpayer coalition is a nothing also.
The taxpayers in this state are angry and the school district and school boards and the PSBA will be held ACCOUNTABLE for everything they do and continue to do.
PSBA complains about having open records.
IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE, THEN THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE PUBLIC VIEWING ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS - THE SECRECY WILL END!
Does that mean that this organization will become a real organization, with meetings, etc., like the other organizations, or does that mean AL joined the cyber taxpayers coalitiion?
Looks like the anti-taxpayers will be busy eating more CROW!
Can someone explain what an 'anti-taxpayer' is?
If I pay taxes, and I do pay a lot of taxes, but I generally am supportive of the public school (except the idiotic purchase of a track and fake grass), do I qualify as a pro-boarder or an anti-taxpayer? I don't think someone who pays taxes can be an 'anti-taxpayer'.
After reading the posting above this ne, I thought it be enjoyable to post something equally stupid.
Also, does CROW taste anything like chicken? Maybe it will save me a trip to Kings for lunch.
Will the OCC have a booth at the fair to mustar up support for the organization, and will it be holding monthly meetings open to the public?
"Also, does CROW taste anything like chicken? Maybe it will save me a trip to Kings for lunch."
It takes like a shoe, after you pull it out of your mouth...you will know the anti-taxpayers, pro-tax and spenders,occ attackers, they will be walking around with wet shoes, sheepish grins, and tails between their legs!
'...It takes like a shoe...'???
Maybe we could discuss the matter like grown ups at the Oley fair. I hope the OCC has a both right next to the school district's booth. That would be a hoot and a great finger pointing contest. The only thing that would be better is if Kessler's booth was between the two. That would be web cast worthy!
While at the fair this week end, I will be on the look out for those individuals that have the characteristics that you have identified, and will report back next week if I saw any. However, if it rains, everybody will have wet shoes, making it much more difficult.
PS: I must also point out that you jump to way too many conclusions:
I support the efforts of the OCC and I made NO attackes towards the OCC. I respectfully request that you do not use a creative license in analyzing and replying to my posts.
Best Regards
One of the perks of being a member of a state wide organization is that you hear about issues not usually published at the local level.
Below is a url to a radio broadcast in Pittsburgh, Pa. concerning the publication of a public record, teacher salaries, on a blog.
Broadcast
Very interesting listening.
To those readers that doubt what can be changed by a "small" group, try checking out what happened to the proposed medical waste treatment plant that was planning on making Ruscombmanor their home. A handful of those residents formed Ruscombmanor Concerned Citizens. Their research and dedication showed the entire community that when things need to be changed, they CAN be changed. RCC won, EOG had to look elsewhere.
"Maybe we could discuss the matter like grown ups at the Oley fair."
This sounds like a threat.
A threat? maybe what consider to be appropriate 'grown up; conduct and what the rest of us consider 'grown up' are different.
The one constant that hold our democracy together is our ability to disagree, w/ passion, and resort to violence amongst us.
Lets strive to keep it that way and not show our children the wrong way to debate.
The OCC's membership in the Pennsylvania Coalition of Taxpayer Associations is a bonus for both groups. As one poster said, it gives the OCC access to the resources of a much larger group and helps the PCTA by adding a large and vocal group of taxpayer advocates.
Al is correct in his post when he says that the problem of school funding cannot be solved at the local level. The system is irreparably broken and must be rebuilt from the ground up if equity is achieved.
To fully understand what this move by the OCC can mean for us in the Oley SD, visit the PTCC website at http://www.ptcc.us to read about the coalition's work and goals.
The right or wrong way to debate? It's not the "right or wrong" way, it's the fact that we still can. Any questions?
Dial:
1-800-AskAnyMemberOfOurMilitary
past or present...
There's a reason they did what they did and still do what they do.
The OCC comments are over the edge as usual. Since when is talking like a grownup a threat?
I like the idea of an OCC booth. I think many of the citizens would like to meet some of you face to face! I suppose that will be misconstrued as a threat, too.
Here's the best part:
At least we only have one face.
Oley School Board is giving serious consideration to getting more citizens at its meetings by changing its name to the OLEY CIRCUS. Clown suits are optional because making them mandatory would require another tax increase. All clowns out of costume will nevertheless SMILE as they raise taxes.
And they could sell cute little boxes of "Board Member Cookies". The kind with the little cloth handle and the drawings of a different board member in each panel, looking through the bars on the old circus wagons.
AThe following question was asked (politely) and never responded too:
'...Does that mean that this organization will become a real organization, with meetings, etc., like the other organizations, or does that mean AL joined the cyber taxpayers coalitiion?...'
The cyber coalition has groups such as the Brandywine heights and Daniel Boone taxpayer groups, but they have a membership and actual meetings.
OVSD Board Meeting: 9/19/07
Non-Tenured Teacher Evaluation:
The administration is working on a plan to more throughly train non-tenured teachers before they become tenured.
They will grade these teachers in Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities. The grades will be classified as unsatisfactory, basic, proficient, or distinguished.
The goal is to have better teachers. This is a good idea. Better teachers, better student academic performance.
Board members had questions regarding the process, but perhaps the best was from Ralph Richard.
He accurately reflected how the standards of evaluation are subjective and there were no objective or measurable guidelines in the analysis.
The administration did not have any definitive response other than it was a work in progress project.
Big Ticket Items:
Towards the end of the meeting the board began to discuss budget issues.
The conversation began with money for a food science Lab, then to comments about replacing a boiler and a roof.
Again Mr. Richards thoughtfully commented that any budget expenses should be prioritized.
Big ticket items are expensive that is why spending $1,600,000 on a track was foolish.
BUSINESS MANAGER CONFUSED BY CAPITAL RESERVE FUND . . .
At the school board meeting last evening, the Business Manager(well paid business manager)replied to questions asked of her regarding the two types of Capital Reserve Funds.
It appears that on the Oley 2028, the General Fund Budget that is sent to the Department of Education, our Capital Reserve money is coded in the wrong Capital Reserve Fund.
According to the Manual of Accounts, there are two possible capital reserve funds that are allowed for school districts.
One fund (Section 690 of the PA School Code) accounts for moneys resulting from the levy of a "special tax" by a school district. This type of capital reserve fund may be used for a period not to exceed five years from the date when the first payment was made into the fund. This fund also must be established for a specific purpose and requires a board-adopted resolution.
The moneys in this fund may be used for constructing a school building project or projects under a long-term project program approved by the Department of Education. It includes the cost of acquiring sites for school buildings, constructing new school buildings, and providing needed additions or alterations to existing buildings. Receipts of this type of capital reserve fund come from a special tax assessment which is levied by the school board in accordance with this section of the school code. The section details millage limits (cannot exceed 3 mil in one year) and time frames.
If the project for which the capital reserve fund was established, fails to materialize, the accumulated money in the fund must be transferred to the General Fund in equal amounts over a period of five years.
This Capital Reserve Fund is reported on the Annual Financial Report and the General Fund budget (2028).
The other type of Capital Reserve Fund may be created per Section 1432 of the Municipal Code. This information is also reported on the Annual Financial Report and the General Fund Budget (2028).
The money in this capital reserve fund may be spent ONLY on capital improvements, replacement of, addition to and improvement to public works, deferred maintenance and for the replacement of school buses.
Receipts of this type of capital reserve fund come from TRANSFERS DURING THE FISAL YEAR FROM APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT HAVE SURPLUS MONEY. Receipts may also come from surplus money in the General Fund at the end of the fisal year. (This my friends is property tax money)
When asked about the two types of CR Funds, the Business Manager had them opposite what they were and did not fully describe where the money came from for the 690 CR Fund. She fleetingly stated that the money in this fund came from millage, which to someone unfamiliar with this topic, one would assume that it is property tax money, when in fact it is a special assessment.
The Business Manager upon further questioning said that these two funds accountings were not reported separately on the Annual Financial Report, contrary to what the School Code says.
At that point, the board decided to not answer any further questions on this topic, beacuse they felt it could better be addressed in private with the Business Manager, as opposed to a public forum.
The General Fund Budget is presented to the public to show how our money will be used for the following fiscal year and from where the revenues will be coming. The taxpayers trust that our Business Manager and board are correctly coding our funding, revenues, etc., and rely on the information put out by the district to be correct.
The state then accepts an incorrect GF Budget, and all is well.
How many other items are miscoded and money hidden? How much will this Department of Education let our school districts get away with.
Why does this kind of mistake happen, and why is it allowed to happen.
Three potential new board members were at the meeting tonight, and there is never a question from one of them.
One even sat there seemingly disinterested in what was going on, and this person is to be our new taxpayer representative on the board. I have yet to hear one question from any of these candidates, and perhaps they should have some kind of forum in wihch questions can be asked of them and exactly what platforms they plan to run on.
The election is basically over, but VOTER BEWARE!
Too many facts send the liberals running for cover.
Everyone must be at the Oley Fair. There must be a new stand there this year!
WOW! What innovation they have shown this year! A "dunk tank" for local elected folks! This will raise a fotune!!!
I better head back to class I guess. I never heard of a fotune.
...WOW! What innovation they have shown this year! A "dunk tank" for local elected folks! This will raise a fotune!!!...
Make even more if they dunk angry people and bad comedians!
Hey Cappy, is your sign up????
Still no responses to the comments of 12:56am? Whatsamatter, cat got your tongue? You can choose to hide your head in the sand but sooner or later you will have to come to grips with the fact that there is something seriously wrong with the administration of this school district.
...Whatsamatter, cat got your tongue? You can choose to hide your head...
Whom are your referring to? I believe it would be inappropriate if the administration, business manager, PDE or board members replied with an official answer to possible accounting screw ups on a blog. I believe it would be completely irresponsible.
Not to say that not answering such questions in the meeting would not or is not equally inappropriate.
However, you bring up a good point. Sitting on a church council, we have our accounting records audited, which as previously pointed out on this blog, so does the school district. What committee is charged with reviewing and correcting the deficiencies, if any? Is it the finance committee, or is there an actual audit committee, which is how our church is structured?
wow
Not answering the questions at an open meeting is not only inappropriate but gives the impression that the board or administration has something to hide (unless they honestly don't know the answer and then they should state that).
The Business Manager reports to the Superintendent who, in turn, reports to the board and the Finance Committee of the board. The board doesn't have an Audit Committee. Internal audits are done by a local auditing firm contracted by the board and every two or three years, I believe, the state audits the district. The state audits are extensive and very thorough. Any "findings" or deficiencies are usually corrected by the business office and, in most cases, before the audit report even gets to the board. I don't recall any instances where the board had to take action to correct a finding from an audit. The actions had already been taken by the administrators.
Dear 10:05:
"Not to say that not answering such questions in the meeting would not or is not equally inappropriate"
You could not be more wrong. The taxpayers fund this school district, and all financial documents of the school district are public records, and any one person in the public has the right to question any document.
Your church does not mandate you to pay taxes to the church to fund the church, and your church obtains its money from donations, not from taxes that must be paid.
There is a big difference.
In what arena do you think these questions should be answered?
The public has a RIGHT TO KNOW HOW ITS MONEY IS BEING SPENT, and we pay a good salary to those who are playing BOSS in this district, and if they cannot do the job, then they need to GO!
Would you let these folks manage your checkbook?
10:05am agrees with 10:05pm. I think that the comment states that I believe it to be inappropriate that the requested question was not answered, and that the appropriate person for the administration was unprepared, or unwilling to excuse themselves to obtain the answer.
Sorry for the misread 10:05 am. Please accept my apology. I seemed to have missed the key word, not.
Again, please accept my apology.
We came back to Oley to attend the beloved Oley Fair. Should have saved the gas. Very unusual crowd...
Please explain.
Homeowners get stiffed $40MM by an Oley resident, now the paper reports a weird Alsace man is caught selling a large amount of drugs. Is it any wonder why people think the “Valley” is full of nuts.
I read that in todays paper. Stupid nutting guy is yelling in his backyard. Police come to his home and what do they find, a bunch of pot plants. Yes that is right, in Alace Township. Right up the road from our schools. Now say our children cannot locate drugs if they want to get them!! It is right at their fingertips.
Parents and school officials better get together to stop drugs from entering our school buildings.
When are the dogs coming to sniff out the lockers????
Weapons and drugs go hand in hand!!!
Under age smoking was noticed at the fair this weekend.
Also noticed a police officer searching a young man right by the rides and took some kind of bag out of the mans pocket.
4 drunk driving arrests also were made in Ruscombmanor Township on Pricetown Road Friday night.
Good work to the police force that was visible at the fair and on the roads.
God Bless all who try to protect us.
It was at least 2 miles away from the nearest school. I'm sure drugs are available much closer than that. It's 2007!
6:28 so that is ok??? Yea the drugs are closer, they used to be given out or sold right behind Main St. on Jefferson in the parking lot behind the used to be resturant that is now apartments. Is that close for you now????
How stupid of a comment for you to say oh it is 2007.
I do not give a rats --- what year it is. When you see overdoses do not come crying to me.
Using the year as an excuse is pitiful.
We need drug free school zones at all the schools in this district.
If you are caught with drugs or weapons, you should be expelled right away along with the police getting involved.
And once you are expelled there is no coming back to our schools.
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