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Paperboy
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 3:41:04 AM
THANK YOU, fellow citizens for voting NO!, on the Byron school referendum but it’s still too close for comfort. Next Nov. the wolf will be back at the door.
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 6:25:57 AM
Very disappointing news for the students of Byron. Nice to see that the opposition could use inaccurate and misguided arguments to push their cause.
Time to try getting more blood from that turnip.
1966
rochester, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 6:57:51 AM
It is time for the Byron school to learn to cut back. The state will only be cutting more to the schools and the tax payers cannot keep bailing the school out. Learn to budget a little more like every household has had to do. Byron school has always thought that they come first.
raceing91
byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 7:06:35 AM
Thanks to community of Byron not voting yes. Now the school district is going to get ride of a a lot of busing in town. the school district is going to get ride of a lot of special education. the school district is going to increase class sizes. test results are no going to drop. the school district is going have no sports for 7th and 8th graders. the School district is going also going have NO field trips for Elementary, Middle, and high school students. the community is not going to like what going to be cut for next year.
rb102175
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 7:52:30 AM
I asked this before, but never found out....Does open enrollment hurt the the tax situation in Byron? Meaning...my neighbor drives her son there, but is a resident of Rochester and pays taxes in Rochester. I know the school would get more federal money for open enrollment, but does it put a strain anyway on the city because of the families living in Roch and the like? I don’t know how it works.
biohazard
42
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:00:43 AM
you know what raceing91...the kids are still going to go to school and they are going to get to go to class and they are going to learn. When money is short, what do people do....they prioritize, now our school must prioritize too. You can’t come back to the well everytime you need money, when money is short sacrificies must be made. Well done Byron!
Trainman
around, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:14:05 AM
raceing91
And the sky will shurley fall.
Bolts
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:15:04 AM
I’m disappointed but not surprised one bit. The voters have no faith in the school board after how they went for an “over and above” needed high school the first time around for voters. It’s the same deal here. The school board will come back next year with a scaled down version of what is REALLY needed. I also don’t see why more people don’t just move to the edge of Rochester and open enroll to Byron. That way they don’t pay the high Byron taxes and they get a great school district.
levelhead
ed
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:17:42 AM
Below are the operating levies and per pupil spending amounts that would be in place if the levy referendums in each of the school districts listed were passed.
Byron 504 6669 Failed
BP 900 7311 Passed
ZM 940 7426 Passed
RP 950 7607 Passed
Questions:
Why did the voters in 3 districts pass referendums resulting in larger levies than Byron asked for while Byron voters did not?
Why would Byron voters reject a referendum that would still have Byron’s per pupil spending at $642 to $938 less than these other three districts?
The only answer that makes sense to me is that many Byron voters were swayed by the organized campaign of misinformation put out by a group of people who’s most vocal spokespersons either do not have children in the Byron school district or won’t after the next school year.
I find this troubling.
theblueca
t
Roch, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:23:07 AM
There are some really good schools in Rochester. Ask around. Also some really great house deals in those neighborhoods.
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:26:03 AM
Open Enrollment from the state follows the students. Its a net gain.
I am interested in what cuts should now be made. This school distict trimmed “fat” already. Now it gets to the meat. This wasteful spending that so many allude to were activities that virtually all of us grew up taking for granted if we went to public schools.
Sure, most children will be alright, but less attention in the classroom will have a major effect on dozens of struggling kids.
When money is short, most people aren’t held up to the responsibility of educating over a thousand students. Other people’s kids! When money is tight, the school can’t exactly go supplement their income by greeting people at Wal Mart. The only way they raise money is through taxes. We all pay state taxes, most of which get consumed by larger metropolitan areas for schooling. There is no comparison to this in the private sector save what one finds in one of the finer points in Directive 10-289 of Atlas Shrugged (OK, well before the days of auto and bank bailouts). You earn revenue and we’ll give it to your competitor in the interest of “fairness”.
I’m no tax and spend liberal...check out any other threads that I have been on whether its government takeover of businesses. healthcare, climate...whatever - I am against them. There is a time to compromise and this was it.
levelhead
ed
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:37:00 AM
Well spoken Bill.
I am also very fiscally conservative and do not want my tax money wasted.
I am biased by the fact that I have children that attend school in Byron, but looking at the comparative spending between districts reassures me that the Byron school district’s request for additional operating funds was far from unreasonable.
Too few voters in the district took this sort of levelheaded approach to their decision making.
Unfortunate.
Bolts
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:55:21 AM
Someone needs to explain this per pupil dollars to me. It makes no sense. In the set of charts that give other neighboring schools number it has PI at $500 per pupil, Triton at $800, Hayfield at $600, etc. How were these numbers in 2007 or 2008? How did Byron get so low? It seems we’ve been cruising right along with few cuts until now.
xbw10
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:58:29 AM
The “No” voters in Byron should be ashamed of themselves. We can’t even pass for half the operating costs of other districts. Great messege about our community, “We don’t care about education!” I don’t know why I am writng this, people that voted no probably can’t read anyway because they definately don’t have any logic.
300shoes
rochester, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 9:06:43 AM
Well, well, well. Byron is beginning to sound like Rochester! So many flocked to the great Byron schools and that has now become their undoing. The District needs more money to serve the increasing population and the community isn’t going to support it. Sound familiar? It amazes me how little these communities support education. I want the best for my Grandchildren and I am educated enough to realize that Districts will always need public support. It never ends. That’s life.
anonymous
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 9:09:22 AM
Where’s the outrage at your legislators? Byron is a well functioning district and the 5th LEAST funded in the state. At around 6500, they are less than half of what many twin cities schools get! Yet you all seem to be fighting each other.
I hate to make this in to a partisan issue, but the dfl and teacher unions make sure the money goes to the districts they deem “need” it. Instead of yelling at each other, try welti, liebling, lynch, and nelson. They are the reason you are fighting each other. If Byron got the state average in $, that would be 3000 per student more. And they have you all fighting over pennies.
How many of you are angry at your neighbors today? Thank you welti, liebling, nelson and lynch.
BryonMom
Byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 9:11:13 AM
I must say I’m disappointed in the fellow Byron residents.
One of the things that upsets me the most is when people vote no on an education project because they are mad over a city project. Yes, we have a fancy new city hall that may have been over-built. HOWEVER, the school board had no control over what the city did with that. Don’t vote no to education just because you’re mad at the city. How lame!
As for the people who vote no because they don’t have children in the district anymore, the jokes on you. THESE are the people who will be taking care of YOU when you’re old.
And for the people who are so worried about the bottom line - do you realize that having a great education system will raise your home value? Do you realize that investing a little bit of money into our schools is really a GREAT thing for your community?
And finally I have to laugh at the people who are so against education that they, themselves, can not even put together a complete sentence without spelling errors. Wow!
The teachers and administration in Byron are dedicated to their students. I am amazed at how much they really care.
C_Douglas
Byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 9:30:29 AM
Before this gets too out of hand, I’d like to express my wishes to everyone that the rancor and ill will calm down. It’s November 4, and the voters have made their decision. There’s no more reason for debate or incrimination.
Now it’s time to focus on educating the students of the Byron school district. Direction by the voters has been made, and the board, administration, and staff will act accordingly.
Will the current funding problems remain? Yes.
Will there be drastic changes that will affect every student in the district? Absolutely.
My only comment regarding these looming drastic changes is that whatever happens was the VOTER’S decision. The VOTERS gave their direction. The VOTERS hold ultimate responsibility for future changes that result from this outcome.
To those on both sides of the question that want to learn more about how the district runs, how it comes to its budget numbers, how open enrollment works, why teacher’s contracts are the way they are, how the per pupil funding formula is generated and why Byron gets less money than other districts, how it comes to any decisions that are made, please come to some school board meetings. Ask questions. Contact your board members or administrators. Phone numbers and email addresses are all posted on the district website.
Thank you to everyone that turned out. The VOTERS have spoken, and the VOTERS will get what they’ve demanded.
Chris Douglas
Byron School Board
artista
rochester, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 9:35:35 AM
In Roch, the online community seems off limits for any of our #535 board members. Good to see that school board members actually post online.
irishman
Rochester, Mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 9:39:13 AM
Byron: Your tax hike didn’t pass but that is not the end. Instead of agonizing over cuts look to increasing your rvenue stream.
Open Enrollment provides you with the opportunity to market your educational product to a significant number of students to fill that beautiful new high school.
With the Rochester problems of the super, the school board and increase in violence and police cruisers at Century there are many parents and students who have simply had enough. The kids now refer to Century as “the ghetto school”.
Market yourselves as the big city education without the inner city problems and I would say you may draw enough of those $6,500.00 bodies to require a bus route.
bench rid
er
byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 9:39:39 AM
Agreed Mr. Douglas. The taxpayers have spoken. I respect the results of the election. My only disappointment is in the state funding formulas that put Byron on the bottom of the funding chain. I am more upset that schools across the state aren’t funded more equitibly. I will make sure that my next vote for representation in St. Paul will do something for all students in Minnesota and find a way to equalize the funding for every student in the state.
summersgo
ne
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 10:05:30 AM
I am a mother of children in the Byron School District, and I voted NO. Now is not the time to be asking for a 300+% increase. We can barely afford what we have right now, we have cut everything we possibly can and with taxes going up we’d be screwed. You and I can both count on not only the school taxes going up but the state, city, and county taxes rising as well.
When I was in school we never had the things they had/have now. Cut some things out and come back with a REASONABLE referendum!
whybyron
Byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 10:52:29 AM
to those who are saying not so nice things about the voters in Byron who voted no, your negative comments just prove what shallow people you are, I can read very well thank you! I think that the referendum not passing, the voters sent a message that maybe the school district needs to come back with a more reasonable request in these tough times, and I promise you, they will ask for more tax dollars again!
I think it is shameful for someone to make negative comments for voters voicing their opinion on a matter! Just becasue someone didn’t vote your way doesn’t mean they are stupid, they just have a difference of opinion! I am glad my taxes aren’t going up this year, but I am sure that will change next year and I am glad I live where I can go out and vote and let my voice be heard!
levelhead
ed
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 10:55:18 AM
summersgone: Clearly this was a reasonable referendum when comparing Byron’s per pupil spending numbers with state averages and with school districts that did pass operating levy referendums.
That is what is so puzzling about the results.
MommaBear
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:06:52 AM
Mr. Douglas You are right, the voters spoke last night and they also spoke when they trusted you to your position on the board. Make the responsible choices on your cuts and learn to budget the way many families in this recession are already doing. That is what I would like to see before you come back with your next referendum.
I think people in elected positions need to start realizing that they need to act responsibly with tax dollars and that they are going to be held accountable otherwise they can and will be replaced.
levelhead
ed
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:17:54 AM
“Now is not the time to be asking for a 300+% increase.”
It’s statements like this that make my levelhead ache.
The referendum was for a $384 increase to the existing $6291 per pupil spending amout that is a 6% increase. Not a 300% increase.
It seems like the people that have a fuzzy grasp of the accurate information involved in this referendum are individuals that are most likely to blindly follow those that make statements in yard signs like “wrong time” and “wrong $$$” when it clearly was the right time and reasonable $$$.
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:23:17 AM
I’m still wondering what programs should be cut? Which administrators or “nail filing” or “email reading” teachers should be laid off? This should be easy, right?
We trusted the voters last year and they gave us “Hope” and “Change” and 3/8 % state sales tax rate hikes. I wasn’t impressed then either.
1966
rochester, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:38:48 AM
Bryon mom- Why would you say the joke is on you voters that voted no-“these kids are the ones that will be taking care of you when you get old.”
Are we now teaching the kids that if they don’t get what they want, they will get even?
1966
rochester, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:38:58 AM
Bryon mom- Why would you say the joke is on you voters that voted no-“these kids are the ones that will be taking care of you when you get old.”
Are we now teaching the kids that if they don’t get what they want, they will get even?
len9807
mantorville, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:40:27 AM
I’m still wondering what programs should be cut? Which administrators or “nail filing” or “email reading” teachers should be laid off? This should be easy, right?
We trusted the voters last year and they gave us “Hope” and “Change” and 3/8 % state sales tax rate hikes. I wasn’t impressed then either.
--
Which non-incumbent president didn’t run on a change campaign? And what does that have to do with the Byron referendum?
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:45:49 AM
It shouldn’t require an explanation, but in both cases emotion ruled the day.
len9807
mantorville, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:54:37 AM
It shouldn’t require an explanation, but in both cases emotion ruled the day.
--
It was pretty emotional when the other guys says he doesn’t know anything about the economy while the economy is spiraling downward.
len9807
mantorville, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:55:51 AM
I think this vote was more about the cities poor use of taxpayer funds than it was about the school district. That’s unfortunate, but the reality of the situation the city has created.
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 11:58:37 AM
len - I won’t disagree with either of your posts, but want to comment to your first response that at least that guy was honest. Fact is - neither one of them did.
len9807
mantorville, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 12:01:35 PM
len - I won’t disagree with either of your posts, but want to comment to your first response that at least that guy was honest. Fact is - neither one of them did.
--
I don’t think anyone really did- especially the “experts”. Honest and politician don’t work together in a sentence well.
AverageJo
e
Anywhere, US
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 12:06:57 PM
Once again, more manipulation of the comments section. Same story, same link last night with almost a dozen comments. Today, start over with the same story and new comment thread and bury the “most commented” stories. The PB needs an ombudsman.
AverageJo
e
Anywhere, US
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 12:07:48 PM
From last night—gone but not forgotten…
Ah yes. The old, “you must be ignorant to vote NO to a referendum” shtick.
To those of you who voted YES tonight to your local school referendums, you have given the addicts in the St. Paul capitol another shot of dope that will sustain them for another session. Kinda like the GM leadership that thought if they just kept pumping money into their hugely successful 1950’s business model it’ll fix itself.
Shannon runs a tight district in Byron, but maybe even 1 superintendent is too many. Why do we have 4 six-figure superintendents within 15 miles of each other doing the exact same jobs? I’m talking about Pine Island, Byron, KM, and Triton?
Public education is going to fail unless the legislature ditches the current antiquated autonomous district stagecoach model and designs a new education admin/management paradigm around what business has done with centralization and the elimination of redundancies. Now that we have phones do we really need a full education admin staff in every burg?
Rather, focus tax dollars on employees who interact daily with children in the classrooms.
That’s the big picture. That why people voted NO. That’s why enough is enough
xbw10
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 12:19:15 PM
Ha! for the comments about “we are just barely surving!!”, Give me a break. The average home price increase would of 16 dollars a month? Currently under 200 per pupil, asking for 500 per pupil. Other districts passing over 900 a pupil. Maybe just, just maybe our district has been doing an excellent job with what it had already compared to other districts. Still the schools were asking for about half of what other schools get and they are criminals. Wake up!!!!
SirWinsto
n
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 1:05:11 PM
How much is enough? For all who say that this is a bad thing, think of the next time they would come back and take more of YOUR money, and the next! Before you know it your tax rate will be 60% and they will still be asking for more! Wake up and tell them to live within their means!!!
MommaBear
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 1:06:17 PM
I don’t expect any one of my daughters school work ethic to change and I don’t see it hurting her chances of getting into a college that she wishes to attend from this vote.
Byron is being used as an example in other districts of how false hopes mixed with dollar figures can go awry. This district needs to be held accountable, they need to wake up.
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 1:13:27 PM
Tell me what they should cut? The school board may be watching.
Avg Joe came up with a county wide concept of a superintendent although that doesn’t seem realistic IMOHO.
Who else should we ask them to fire?
Ripper
SE, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 1:39:59 PM
rb102175:
To a certain extent it does help, but the down side is if you let in alot, just because of the money, you may run into another problem, in that your school is too small, and then you will be building a new one. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Open enrollment was the worst thing that could of happened.
MommaBear
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 2:03:00 PM
I don’t want to go down that road with you BillChristopher. I have my own ideas on what they could and should cut and I am planning on attending future school board meetings to see what Dr. Shannon’s administrative team comes up with, hopefully you will be there too.
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 2:13:43 PM
“I don’t want to go down that road with you BillChristopher.”
I don’t see why not. You are anonymous so you can’t be held to it if you had a change of heart. I’m just wondering what is on people’s minds since they are certain there are easy cuts to be made. I’m not able to see them. Obviously, I could use enlightenment.
anonymous
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 3:14:26 PM
Why are you angry with each other? Our DFL legislature set up that Byron gets nothing while Minneapolis’ failing schools get 13,000 per student.
Stop fighting each other and vote for someone who won’t give power and money to the failing schools in the cities!
whybyron
Byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 3:23:38 PM
xbw10,
Why are you commenting on this? You have nothing postive to say to anyone and your comments are rude. If you are truly from Rochester what stake do you have in this? I am all for voicing an opinion but do it with some class and respect please!
whybyron
Byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 3:28:59 PM
xbw10,
one more thing, “only $16.00 a month” IS a big deal to a lot of folks in this economy! If you think it isn’t a big deal to have that increase per month why don’t you open up your wallet and make a donation for what the district needs? Pur your money where your mouth is! I, along with the rest of the folks who voted no will be more then happy to have you foot the bill!
Paperboy
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 3:59:55 PM
“Happy days are here again,
the sky is blue, there’s cheer again...”
jtej9598
b-town, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 4:02:14 PM
The referendum was for a $384 increase to the existing $6291 per pupil spending amout that is a 6% increase. Not a 300% increase.
This can’t be said enough! GET THE FACTS PEOPLE!
VA172
Southeast, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 4:41:55 PM
There was a comment that went something like ‘why take it out on the school district for other things that happened in Byron.’
I too once lived in Byron. Yes it is a great town to live in and raise a family. But on the other hand there has been a number of instances where large amounts of money was spent on some not so needed items. One example being the City Hall. Another I seem to remember was an $80,000+ street sweeper that was used maybe 2 times a year. The city of Byron tried to be a little Rochester and lived like a Cadillac on a Volkswagon budget. The city has long thought that they could keep spending and just raise fees and taxes to keep up with their habits. It is an expensive town to live in and is not going to get any cheaper. There is no industrial growth to help keep taxes in line. If there was more tax base from business, the city would no doubt find a lavish way to spend that.
End result is that the numbers presented by both sides here had less to do with the outcome then the thought of the taxes again going up. The voters have just had enough of being asked to keep tightening their belts so someone else didn’t have to.
schmittts
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 6:12:26 PM
To the people above who feel that Byron schools need more money, take the matter into your own hands and donate.
schmittts
Rochester, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 6:15:01 PM
I guess the direct link redirects. Click and then go to Community, and then Byron Booster Club.
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 6:53:35 PM
VA172 - I can appreciate that point of view. Seems we’re taking this out on the Byron students and rural folks that aren’t within the city.
schmitts - you can’t, by state law, donate directly to the school, but thanks for the link for those who want to go that way. My concerns are with academics and student-teacher ratios which are becoming unreasonable by even collegiate standards. I am not concerned so much with the athletics at the high school level. They will be fine. (whybyron can take a lesson on this as well)
Its been asked and you can’t donate in that fashion.
2old2kid
byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 7:35:19 PM
If I read the ballot right in Byron last night, the vote was for a revocation of the existing levy and passing a new one. As I watched the 10 o’clock, news later on it seems that most of the other districts were voting to replace expired levees.
The way I see it is if the school board is asking to revoke the existing levy for a new one they have been spending beyond their means and want a bigger allowance. And what’s to stop them from having their hands out again in two years?
If the Super in Byron is making more than 60K per year, I feel he is grossly overpaid! The school district has then gone the way of corporate America...Overpaid CEOs.
2old2kid
byron, mn
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 7:44:21 PM
Bill Christopher: If I remember correctly you said in a post a few days ago you that the increase in taxes for a 100k house would be so much and a 120K house would be so much.
My question is this: What would a 160 acre farm be based on? 5 or 10 acres and the house or the 160 acres and the dwelling?
BillChris
topher
Olmsted County, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 8:20:45 PM
I think C_Douglas quoted some numbers about how much it would be.
The levy was to apply to the value of the house plus 1 acre according to the material I saw. It would not apply to all 160 acres.
Hope this is useful.
levelhead
ed
Byron, MN
Posted on 11/4/2009 at 10:44:45 PM
“What would a 160 acre farm be based on? 5 or 10 acres and the house or the 160 acres and the dwelling?”
2old2kid, these are the kind of questions you want to get answers to prior to the election, not the day after.
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