Property Taxes in Upper St Clair are an ass kicker

[Love2Golf09]

Originally Posted by hornet67

I have lived in USC for 25 years, and yes, we have an oustanding school district, along with great municipal services. However, IMHO, the school board has acted as a rubber stamp for the teachers union's demands, instead of performing their fiduciary duty. There are many good school districts without high teacher salaries; to me, highly paid teachers don't necessarily equate to a highly rated school district. That mantra has unfortunately been repeated ad nauseum by the teachers unions in a selfish, self-serving manner for many years.

I don't doubt that USC is an excellent school district, but wasn't it in the news a lot recently for having a principal at the HS use a rape victim as "bait" to lure the attacker, but lost her and she got raped again??? Let's not pretend like USC is perfect because all that glitters is not gold. Plus, how do these rubber-stamping school board members get their jobs? This has been going on for decades, so voters in USC must be ok with the millage increases. I'm not trying to trash USC, but some of the cheapest taxes in the entire Pittsburgh area, aside from Fayette County, can be found in Adams and Cranberry Twps. Can you honestly say that USC school district and township is worth potentially paying $5k more in taxes than a similar home in Cranberry? From what I hear, Seneca Valley and Mars are pretty good too. They just don't have the USC "attitude" to brag about it. IMO, USC = overrated. There are much better bargains out there to be found.

[FrannyBear]

Originally Posted by chielgirl

You're paying for your school system.
It's one of the best.

For those bashing teachers and salaries:
Do you think you could do their job? If so, why don't you?
I couldn't do it and found another career.

Teaching is not an easy job and what they're paid is not exhorbitant.
Upper St Clair has some of the best schools in the system and that's why most people move there.

No one is "bashing" teachers -- that's another ploy used by the teachers union and their followers to garner sympathy. What I am doing is calling attention to the FACT that teachers -- especially in PA -- have a very very generous retirement and lifetime health care that is financed to the detriment of the rest of the PA population. This is not a rich area -- teachers and public employees get paid better and have a much better retirement than the vast majority of the population. It is simply not fair and it is not sustainable.

And yes -- I could do their job. When I was in college -- the folks who went into the teaching program were NOT the best and the brightest. In my own lifetime I have had more bad teachers than good. In all of my children's school experience -- most teachers were average -- many were poor -- and a few were excellent. When I had a good teacher they made a fantastic difference -- most are not that good. And money spent on the school system does not directly correlate to a superior education for the students -- usually you have nicer buildings and much higher teacher salaries.

And finally, teachers are protesting and lobbying for THEMSELVES -- not the students. In Wisconsin they are angry about their paycheck -- you don't see teachers staying out of work to protest poor conditions for the students, do you?? They are angry -- they want their retirement and benefits, damn it!!!

The veil has been lifted.

[gg]

Originally Posted by FrannyBear

No one is "bashing" teachers -- that's another ploy used by the teachers union and their followers to garner sympathy. What I am doing is calling attention to the FACT that teachers -- especially in PA -- have a very very generous retirement and lifetime health care that is financed to the detriment of the rest of the PA population. This is not a rich area -- teachers and public employees get paid better and have a much better retirement than the vast majority of the population. It is simply not fair and it is not sustainable.

And yes -- I could do their job. When I was in college -- the folks who went into the teaching program were NOT the best and the brightest. In my own lifetime I have had more bad teachers than good. In all of my children's school experience -- most teachers were average -- many were poor -- and a few were excellent. When I had a good teacher they made a fantastic difference -- most are not that good. And money spent on the school system does not directly correlate to a superior education for the students -- usually you have nicer buildings and much higher teacher salaries.

And finally, teachers are protesting and lobbying for THEMSELVES -- not the students. In Wisconsin they are angry about their paycheck -- you don't see teachers staying out of work to protest poor conditions for the students, do you?? They are angry -- they want their retirement and benefits, damn it!!!

The veil has been lifted.

Great post and VERY true.

[hornet67]

Originally Posted by Love2Golf09

I don't doubt that USC is an excellent school district, but wasn't it in the news a lot recently for having a principal at the HS use a rape victim as "bait" to lure the attacker, but lost her and she got raped again??? Let's not pretend like USC is perfect because all that glitters is not gold. Plus, how do these rubber-stamping school board members get their jobs? This has been going on for decades, so voters in USC must be ok with the millage increases. I'm not trying to trash USC, but some of the cheapest taxes in the entire Pittsburgh area, aside from Fayette County, can be found in Adams and Cranberry Twps. Can you honestly say that USC school district and township is worth potentially paying $5k more in taxes than a similar home in Cranberry? From what I hear, Seneca Valley and Mars are pretty good too. They just don't have the USC "attitude" to brag about it. IMO, USC = overrated. There are much better bargains out there to be found.

From what little has been divulged from the rapes at the high school, it doesn't sound like the situation was handled very well by the administration, to say the least. I'm not saying that the USC School District is the be all and end all of all local districts, but it's consistently rated at or near the top in ratings.
My main complaint, again, is our roll over & play dead, fiscally irresponsible school board, who, when the teachers union says "jump", they ask, " how high?" Most of the sitting members need to be replaced, but I'm not optimistic. The incumbents have obviously bought into the union propaganda and/or are just intellectually lazy and arrogant.

[Retiredcoach]

Originally Posted by Love2Golf09

I don't doubt that USC is an excellent school district, but wasn't it in the news a lot recently for having a principal at the HS use a rape victim as "bait" to lure the attacker, but lost her and she got raped again??? Let's not pretend like USC is perfect because all that glitters is not gold. Plus, how do these rubber-stamping school board members get their jobs? This has been going on for decades, so voters in USC must be ok with the millage increases. I'm not trying to trash USC, but some of the cheapest taxes in the entire Pittsburgh area, aside from Fayette County, can be found in Adams and Cranberry Twps. Can you honestly say that USC school district and township is worth potentially paying $5k more in taxes than a similar home in Cranberry? From what I hear, Seneca Valley and Mars are pretty good too. They just don't have the USC "attitude" to brag about it. IMO, USC = overrated. There are much better bargains out there to be found.

All I can say is that I have had three children graduate after each concluded their 12 years in the North Allegheny School District. They received superior educations with bountiful extracurricular activities that enhanced their educational experiences. Their preparation for the college curricula was very rigorous, demanding, and forthright.... they succeeded where many college peers struggled. The best gift a parent can give their child(ren) is an opportunity to learn, and the modestly higher taxes that we spent were worth every penny. Admittedly, my taxes are lower than the OP's projected levels (less than $7000 annually), but if he/she has 4 kids receiving a USC education at less than $3000 (tax deductible, no less) each per year, I would call that a deal!!!