Comments on: Prop. R failed, so what is next? http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/ Ramona's Community Paper Since 1886 Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: big bird http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-578683 big bird Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:32:54 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-578683 there are only 10,000 households in ramona and the country estates, not 20,000, but let's say they all contributed $3 per month, or $36 per year. that's enough to pay dr graeff's salary with enough left over to provide coffee service for the staff. i think dr graeff et al are asking the teachers union to accept the reality that the district's income barely meets the payroll expenditures. also, who can tell which teachers are the best? the ones that have been here the longest? according to the union, all teachers are the same and there is no merit system. i would consider the ones who accept a cut and stay to be the best. there are only 10,000 households in ramona and the country estates, not 20,000, but let's say they all contributed $3 per month, or $36 per year. that's enough to pay dr graeff's salary with enough left over to provide coffee service for the staff. i think dr graeff et al are asking the teachers union to accept the reality that the district's income barely meets the payroll expenditures.

also, who can tell which teachers are the best? the ones that have been here the longest? according to the union, all teachers are the same and there is no merit system. i would consider the ones who accept a cut and stay to be the best.

]]> By: Jane Tanaka MD http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-577173 Jane Tanaka MD Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:41:54 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-577173 Part 3: Yes, the school district idealily should live within its harvest... like the rest of us.. The school administrators have their tails between their legs, and they've taken a 10%or more cut in benefits..they dont want to lose their jobs, so they may take more of a cut. The school board years ago did not have crystal ball and made some serious mistakes.. They do admit that. They've tried to sell 3 peices of property, but fairy shrimp, zoning, and nill demand prevents this... and no the State will not buy back the property. The administration and school board members all do need to listen to the people of Ramona. They are more likely to do so than a school czar from the State. . Yes, the czar is likely to make the changes you suggest..... and MORE ( for example ,closing Montecito HS, Ramona Community School, Ramona Elementary, shutting down the libraries, athletic, music/drama programs,, the school buses,, tear down buildings and not replace them, etc) Respectfully, Jane Tanaka MD Part 3:
Yes, the school district idealily should live within its harvest… like the rest of us..
The school administrators have their tails between their legs, and they've taken a 10%or more cut in benefits..they dont want to lose their jobs, so they may take more of a cut. The school board years ago did not have crystal ball and made some serious mistakes.. They do admit that. They've tried to sell 3 peices of property, but fairy shrimp, zoning, and nill demand prevents this… and no the State will not buy back the property. The administration and school board members all do need to listen to the people of Ramona. They are more likely to do so than a school czar from the State. .
Yes, the czar is likely to make the changes you suggest….. and MORE ( for example ,closing Montecito HS, Ramona Community School, Ramona Elementary, shutting down the libraries, athletic, music/drama programs,, the school buses,, tear down buildings and not replace them, etc)

Respectfully,
Jane Tanaka MD

]]> By: Jane Tanaka MD http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-577169 Jane Tanaka MD Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:40:10 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-577169 Part 2: I have dealt with many of the school districts in this County, and the teachers in Ramona are by far the most dedicated .Our Ramona teachers truly bend over backwards for our kids, especially the ones that are falling behind or have special needs. Its hard to put a dollar value on that, . but it saves the District a lot of money that would have to be spent on funding a Nonpublic School placement costing over a $100K per student per year! Insolvency would lead to the State of Californnia LENDING our school district this money that we, the people, dont give our district..... and the State will still want it back! Part 2:
I have dealt with many of the school districts in this County, and the teachers in Ramona are by far the most dedicated .Our Ramona teachers truly bend over backwards for our kids, especially the ones that are falling behind or have special needs. Its hard to put a dollar value on that, . but it saves the District a lot of money that would have to be spent on funding a Nonpublic School placement costing over a $100K per student per year!

Insolvency would lead to the State of Californnia LENDING our school district this money that we, the people, dont give our district….. and the State will still want it back!

]]> By: Jane Tanaka MD http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-577156 Jane Tanaka MD Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:34:43 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-577156 Thank you, Big Bird. You are right . $150 a month would be a lot for a family of 5 whose budget is already tight. Or say, there are 20,000 tax paying HOUSEHOLDS in Ramona, that would be 1.50 a month PER HOUSEHOLD for 5.5 years or 37.5 cents per day for 24-25 years. Yes, Dr Graeff et al are counting on the teacher's union to cave in to pressure and accept a cut in pay.; and some of the best teachers would retire or leave instead. New young teachers would cost less... but they still need the experienced ones to mentor them. Thank you, Big Bird. You are right . $150 a month would be a lot for a family of 5 whose budget is already tight. Or say, there are 20,000 tax paying HOUSEHOLDS in Ramona, that would be 1.50 a month PER HOUSEHOLD for 5.5 years or 37.5 cents per day for 24-25 years.
Yes, Dr Graeff et al are counting on the teacher's union to cave in to pressure and accept a cut in pay.; and some of the best teachers would retire or leave instead. New young teachers would cost less… but they still need the experienced ones to mentor them.

]]> By: big bird http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-576239 big bird Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:41:20 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-576239 $1 a day per person is $150 per month for a family of 5. we just rejected $15 per month, so how would ten times that ever fly? if there were no other option, it might be a good investment, but that's not the case. when i have less income, i spend less -- how about the district trying that for a while? the teachers union won't let us hire any of those young ramona teachers at $30k per year because they're protecting the senior ones at $90k per year. lower that $90k to $60k and if a few leave, maybe we can backfill them with some young talent. cut 50% from the administration and we might have some money for books, too. tell me again what is wrong with the state taking over? oh yeah, they might make changes like the ones i've suggested. $1 a day per person is $150 per month for a family of 5. we just rejected $15 per month, so how would ten times that ever fly? if there were no other option, it might be a good investment, but that's not the case. when i have less income, i spend less — how about the district trying that for a while? the teachers union won't let us hire any of those young ramona teachers at $30k per year because they're protecting the senior ones at $90k per year. lower that $90k to $60k and if a few leave, maybe we can backfill them with some young talent. cut 50% from the administration and we might have some money for books, too.

tell me again what is wrong with the state taking over? oh yeah, they might make changes like the ones i've suggested.

]]> By: Jane Tanaka MD http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-576102 Jane Tanaka MD Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:56:35 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-576102 Approximately $1 a day, per person, for a population of 30,000 people in Ramona, for 5.5 years sounds like a good investment to me , for our School District and our children, and will keep the State of California from taking over. . (66 million dollars that was proposed for the Bond ... not just to repair roofs , keep buildings from collapsing from termites, and pay off the debt for the new elementary schools but to get new books for the students... which they have not had in years... and to get computers/IT out of the dark ages... and yes to keep our good teachers, and hire some of our younger Ramona HS alumni who now have teaching credentials. . ) Or if that's too much per day, how about 50 cents a day per person for 12 years, or 25 cents a day per person for 24 years? , Respectfully, Jane Tanaka MD Approximately $1 a day, per person, for a population of 30,000 people in Ramona, for 5.5 years sounds like a good investment to me , for our School District and our children, and will keep the State of California from taking over. . (66 million dollars that was proposed for the Bond … not just to repair roofs , keep buildings from collapsing from termites, and pay off the debt for the new elementary schools but to get new books for the students… which they have not had in years… and to get computers/IT out of the dark ages… and yes to keep our good teachers, and hire some of our younger Ramona HS alumni who now have teaching credentials. . )
Or if that's too much per day, how about 50 cents a day per person for 12 years, or 25 cents a day per person for 24 years? ,
Respectfully,
Jane Tanaka MD

]]> By: Barney http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-574284 Barney Sun, 16 Dec 2012 17:08:49 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-574284 Donna, you've been insisting the district is hiding money for years. If that's true why would the taxpayers agree to a tax increase over 25 years? Nobody deserves a pay cut but here we are. The voters said no. Time for compromise and leadership. Donna, you've been insisting the district is hiding money for years. If that's true why would the taxpayers agree to a tax increase over 25 years? Nobody deserves a pay cut but here we are. The voters said no. Time for compromise and leadership.

]]> By: Pundit http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-572722 Pundit Sat, 15 Dec 2012 23:46:34 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-572722 Really? I've lived here for 60 years. Never once has any of the new schools or upgrades done one thing to increase my property values. Not the new high school when it was built, not OPMS, not Hanson Elementary, not Ramona Community School at Hanson & Ramona. I live in close proximity to all of them. In fact, property values went down AFTER they were built and have owned property here for over 40 years. Nothing against the education of our kids. I'm an RHS graduate myself. But I'm not into throwing away good money after bad only to see nothing get done or change. There needs to be a shake up from top to bottom, administrators right on down to some of the custodians. There are plenty of good people working there, but there are also a lot of sluggards just collecting a paycheck and not doing their jobs. Really? I've lived here for 60 years. Never once has any of the new schools or upgrades done one thing to increase my property values. Not the new high school when it was built, not OPMS, not Hanson Elementary, not Ramona Community School at Hanson & Ramona. I live in close proximity to all of them. In fact, property values went down AFTER they were built and have owned property here for over 40 years. Nothing against the education of our kids. I'm an RHS graduate myself. But I'm not into throwing away good money after bad only to see nothing get done or change. There needs to be a shake up from top to bottom, administrators right on down to some of the custodians. There are plenty of good people working there, but there are also a lot of sluggards just collecting a paycheck and not doing their jobs.

]]> By: big bird http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-572435 big bird Sat, 15 Dec 2012 20:48:04 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-572435 i support our schools and our children, but i voted against the bond, and no one should be too surprised that it didn't pass. i don't believe it will have any direct impact on my property value, and even if it did, i'd just as soon have my value low. i guess if someone was planning to leave the area, they might be better off if their value somehow went up so they could cash out, leaving the new owner to pay increased taxes for the next 25 years (or forever, whichever comes first). in this economy, lower values might attract more families here, increasing enrollment and bringing more funding to the schools. i support our schools and our children, but i voted against the bond, and no one should be too surprised that it didn't pass. i don't believe it will have any direct impact on my property value, and even if it did, i'd just as soon have my value low. i guess if someone was planning to leave the area, they might be better off if their value somehow went up so they could cash out, leaving the new owner to pay increased taxes for the next 25 years (or forever, whichever comes first). in this economy, lower values might attract more families here, increasing enrollment and bringing more funding to the schools.

]]> By: Jim http://www.ramonasentinel.com/2012/12/14/prop-r-failed-so-what-is-next/#comment-571893 Jim Sat, 15 Dec 2012 16:15:13 +0000 http://www.ramonasentinel.com/?p=19846#comment-571893 We need to support our schools and our children! It is hard to believe that the community of Ramona was unable to pass this bond. Even if you don't care about education, you should realized what a good school district does for property values. We need to support our schools and our children! It is hard to believe that the community of Ramona was unable to pass this bond. Even if you don't care about education, you should realized what a good school district does for property values.

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