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| Post Number: 11
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sumpdump 
Group: Members
Posts: 559
Joined: Mar. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,9:25 am |
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Ya its ok for the people who live in an annual income of 90,000+. I'm sure the Harms and Harves have a disposable income. With statments like she made, well the rest of us would be better with out them in our poor community. Again, the elite have harvested what the poor cant provide. Good job TEAM. Keep up the good work!
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The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.
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| Post Number: 12
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Spidey
Group: Members
Posts: 1775
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,10:07 am |
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No answers from LEARN or TEAM ... hmmm. I guess I didn't expect anything from TEAM, but I did from LEARN. It would be nice to know what the plan is from here on out. No answer makes me glad that the ref passed.
Someone mentioned televising the school board meetings (sorry, I don't remember who posted it). I think that is an excellent idea. If nothing else it will keep all home owners, not just the ones that have children, aware of what is going on. We all have a stake in this.
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| Post Number: 13
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Whiskero
Group: Members
Posts: 1195
Joined: Mar. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,10:09 am |
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LLEARN has been answering questions on the original referendum site.
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| Post Number: 14
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jimhanson
Group: Moderator
Posts: 8491
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,10:15 am |
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The question has been asked "What Now?"
The good news is--even with a "win", the administration will be FORCED to become more accountable in how they spend the money. You can be assured that they will be under scrutiny from here on out.
The administration's performance in meeting state and federal standards will also be under scrutiny.
With the passage of both provisions, your school taxes just doubled. You are already paying for the school referendum and the courthouse (but they will be paid off in only a couple more decades) Your local taxes (depending on where you live) have gone up substantially in the last few years. Scorenix is correct--there will be more tax increases in the works. All of these taxes do not bode well for the local area, when you can simply put a border between yourself and high taxes--15 miles away.
Remember when the old "good news/bad news" jokes were going around? The BAD news is that some people will be leaving the area because of high taxes. The other bad news is that housing values will continue to decline. The GOOD news? With declining housing values, your taxes will go down. 
We did it to ourselves. And people wonder why there is no new industry? 
What to do?
1. Continue to monitor school spending and performance. Not too exciting except in election years, and I HOPE there are no ADDITIONAL referendums for 7 years.
2. Minnesota has "reverse referendum" provisions for local government. I don't know if that applies to schools--but if schools don't improve, there is a very real possibility of state/federal mandated change. Even without that, a "reverse referendum" can be called.
3. With declining property values, we should all pay more attention to valuations on our property. It's easy to go along with it when property values are going UP--after all, we feel we are becoming "richer". When property values FALL, challenge them--you'll save some of that high tax money.
4. If you don't like what is happening in local schools, consider open enrolling to others, private schools, or if able, home schools.
5. Consider starting a Charter School. Charter schools are PUBLIC schools, but have more narrowly defined purposes and curriculae. The public school funding follows the STUDENTS--one of the reasons they are so disliked by public school administrations. Charter schools DO have to meet the same standards as regular schools--but they are free to place emphasis on the academics of their choice.
6. I'm sure that people on this Forum will monitor the administrations promises in this election--and constantly remind them of their progress--or lack thereof.
Let's face it--very few people are going to be like Alec Baldwin and vow to "leave the area" over this issue. We like it here, and just have to make the best of some bad decisions. I'm old enough that I probably won't be around when the courthouse, the new school, or perhaps even this levy finally gets paid off--but some of the kiddies that were terrorized into helping flack for it will be--and THEY will continue to pay! 
In the meantime--TEAM will be around to pick up their signs. I have a feeling they will be using them again. 
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"If you want to anger a Conservative, tell him a lie. If you want to anger a LIBERAL, tell him the TRUTH!"
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| Post Number: 15
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Whiskero
Group: Members
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Joined: Mar. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,10:24 am |
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The voting is done and the yes votes have it. Good for them.
We were told before the vote that if there was a no vote, there would be consequences to pay; that also goes the same for a yes vote.
Take us for example: We USED to donate to many organizations, sports, etc. in regards to the school system. Fortunately for us, a yes or no vote made no difference in our daily living. Yes, we are forced to pay more taxes; but now we have to make some cuts in our charitable contributions to the school systems that we had a say as to where the money went.
That being said, Good Luck.
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| Post Number: 16
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whatthe
Group: Members
Posts: 80
Joined: Jun. 2007
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,10:27 am |
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Jim Hanson,
Another class act!
Good job on continuing your quest to downgrade and bad mouth your area.
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little devil
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| Post Number: 17
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Botto 82
Group: Members
Posts: 6293
Joined: Jan. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,12:08 pm |
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Yet another shimmering example of why Freeborn County looks so damn good...
in my rearview mirror.
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Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.
- Kurt Vonnegut
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| Post Number: 18
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TameThaTane
Group: Members
Posts: 6300
Joined: May 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,12:19 pm |
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Jim wasn't bad mouthing at all. He was being pragmatic and realistic and you just didn't want to hear it.
School taxes have doubled. Does anyone really think we'll get our moneys worth? I don't. In fact you won't see any changes in test scores unless the teachers fudge the results.
All that happened is we taxed ourselves to pay high dollar administrators even more money. If you think that's a good deal so be it.
They'll be back in well under 7 years with more sob stories, just watch.
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My choice is what I choose to do,
And if I'm causing no harm, it shouldn't bother you.
Your choice is who you choose to be,
And if you're causin' no harm, then you're alright with me.
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| Post Number: 19
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Botto 82
Group: Members
Posts: 6293
Joined: Jan. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,12:21 pm |
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Boy, what was I thinking when I was attending Mr McMahon's broadcasting classes?
I should have been paying attention to what was going on in the administration offices. There's where the real dough (D'oh!) is.
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Dear future generations: Please accept our apologies. We were rolling drunk on petroleum.
- Kurt Vonnegut
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| Post Number: 20
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Replicant
Group: Members
Posts: 1570
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Nov. 07 2007,12:31 pm |
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(ICU812 @ Nov. 07 2007,9:12 am)
QUOTE ...but this comment makes me wish it would have failed, it really is a slap on the communities(fog horn) face. I really really hope the rest of the citizens of our area do not have this mentality. Here is the quote straight from the front page of the Tribune. QUOTE Harms said she was one of the families that would have left Albert Lea if the levy did not pass. She said she was glad it passed because her kids did not want to leave and neither did she.
I agree - if this Harms family has such a mercenary attitude they can pack up and leave now as far as I'm concerned. Kind of like the Vikings or Twins saying build me a stadium or I'll leave. See ya then.
In the end, I was not willing to risk the consequences, but I am here to stay. It may have been a road bump but not to the point where I would feel like we needed to pack up and move somewhere else. No, I would stay here and fight to make the best of it. Not throw in the towel and look for greener pastures.
I voted yes, but not to keep self-centered whiners like this around. I know that sounds harsh, but that's the way it comes off, even to one who also voted yes, because pass or fail, we still are in a great place to live.
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Some drink deeply from the river of knowledge. Others only gargle. - Woody Allen
The problem is not that we have too many fools, it's that the lightning isn't distributed right. - Mark Twain.
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