Why The High Property Taxes in PG County (Baltimore, Mayo: daycare, home)

[KLynch10]

The Property Taxes are high because the county has about 1 million people but not the great revenue generators like many Cities have or the NOVA burbs with endless Gov't Contractors. Why are all the businesses in VA?, same problem, high taxes in MD.

Baltimore has the highest property Taxes and that is because Baltimore City is the #2 employer in the state (City Residents are funding these jobs), Hopkins is the #1 employer, and they are non profit so they pay very little taxes, and a lot of people get Tax money not contribute to the base.

Studies have shown that lowering property Taxes can really help an area, but our current Politicians refuse to change.... but everyone against the incumbent in Baltimore is running on a lowering Property Taxes platform.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by meatkins

So you believe the issues with the school system has more to do with the parents than anything? I can see your point, but what do you think about the adminstration? Do you you think they should share a lot of the blame too. I just read today that they are trying to get rid of 700 classroom teachers and what's funny is you never hear about people in the adminstrative office losing their jobs. I wonder what is really the priority of this school system.

I agree with adelphi it really starts and ends with parents and the community as a whole. Education is just not stressed overall in the black community like it should.

There is a 22 year age difference between my brother and I and he is about to go to middle school. He is very smart as per his teacher but since her day is spent with disciplinary problems and dealing with kids who can't do fractions in the 6th grade the circulum is slowed down. Leaving my brother bored and unchallenged.

He's on the waitlist for the local parachoial school because things only get worse in PG as you move up.

I'm really shocked that B-more is ranked higher than PG in the ranking you linked up. I read the methodology and couldn't find anything incorrect.

What a sad indictment on PG, no excuse.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by KLynch10

The Property Taxes are high because the county has about 1 million people but not the great revenue generators like many Cities have or the NOVA burbs with endless Gov't Contractors. Why are all the businesses in VA?, same problem, high taxes in MD.

Baltimore has the highest property Taxes and that is because Baltimore City is the #2 employer in the state (City Residents are funding these jobs), Hopkins is the #1 employer, and they are non profit so they pay very little taxes, and a lot of people get Tax money not contribute to the base.

Studies have shown that lowering property Taxes can really help an area, but our current Politicians refuse to change.... but everyone against the incumbent in Baltimore is running on a lowering Property Taxes platform.

I work in Hopkins and brought this up during lunch with my manager evidently Hopkins does make payments to the city in leiu of taxes. Not to mention the economic stimulation it provides.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by meatkins

So you believe the issues with the school system has more to do with the parents than anything? I can see your point, but what do you think about the adminstration? Do you you think they should share a lot of the blame too. I just read today that they are trying to get rid of 700 classroom teachers and what's funny is you never hear about people in the adminstrative office losing their jobs. I wonder what is really the priority of this school system.

Unfortunately, parents can't be forced to participate in the education of their child. There are only truancy laws. Put yourself in the shoes of an administrator in a low performing school where there are social pressures affecting the learning abilities of your students. What can you do? I mean we know schools reach out to parents. Schools offer free lunches and after-school programs. There are quarterly parent-teacher conferences. Nothing stops a parent from evaluating a teacher while they teach. What else can you do? You just can't throw more money at the problem because most of it comes from outside the school.

Are there teachers who may need to be let go due to their lack of motivation or concern for the education of the kids in their care? Sure. But then you have unions. those unions have lawyers. It is cheaper for a school to keep a low-performing teacher than to spend thousands in litigation. The board is currently meeting now on new teacher evaluation processes.

Plain and simple parents need to get involved. And for some reason, parents are more involved in other jurisdictions. Like you said, there are low performing schools in white collar neighborhoods. Why is that? It's hard to believe that the entire staff in the school isn't qualified to teach. I'm sure every kid doesn't have a learning disability.

That's when we take a look and see what's going on in the home. What are the kids doing when they get home. Are they alone? Do they throw their books down and lay on the couch playing video games or watching tv? Even if they do their homework, is the parent there making sure the kid understands? Have they invested in a tutor?

I think we place too much emphasis on the administration. We don't place accountability where it belongs. When it comes down to it, each parent is responsible for their own child. If your child is getting bad grades, are you doing more than just taking the TV away? The TV is gone, but are you sitting down with your child and making sure they are studying?

Unfortunately education is the first thing that gets cut. They look at class sizes and say, "Well, this teacher has 28 kids. 4 more is not THAT bad." And they assume that parents will step up. But they don't. Believe me. I'd rather the money be cut elsewhere. Perhaps we can talk to our council members and senators and have them pass a law that forbids them to cut education first. Or at least place a cap on the student/teacher ratios. it's up to us as parents to force the changes that are needed.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by biafra4life

You know it's so sad...down here in Texas, in grappling with the problem of minority schools being low performing, the biggest reason offered up is that in Dallas, the minorities tend to be working class/on welfare, thus their kids tend to perform badly...yet here in the DC area yhou have white collar areas with the same low performance...I dont even know what to think now...

I've read studies which focused on middle and upper middle class black kids and their performance was worse than poorer white and Asian students. It really is a troubling phenomonen.

Here's a pretty good article that touches on the issue. It's long but a good read.

Rich, Black, Flunking | Feature | Oakland, Berkeley & Bay Area News & Arts Coverage

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

I've read studies which focused on middle and upper middle class black kids and their performance was worse than poorer white and Asian students. It really is a troubling phenomonen.

Here's a pretty good article that touches on the issue. It's long but a good read.

Rich, Black, Flunking | Feature | Oakland, Berkeley & Bay Area News & Arts Coverage

Thanks for the article! This is a good discussion.

[KLynch10]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

I work in Hopkins and brought this up during lunch with my manager evidently Hopkins does make payments to the city in leiu of taxes. Not to mention the economic stimulation it provides.

What about all the property they own that they aren't paying property Taxes on? They own Acres and Acres of Prime Real Estate in this City, I think they have a pretty good deal going on. Plus their College costs 57k and their Doctors are well paid, so I know they are generating a ton of money.

I'm glad Hopkins is in Baltimore, but they have a pretty sweet deal.

[adelphi_sky]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

I've read studies which focused on middle and upper middle class black kids and their performance was worse than poorer white and Asian students. It really is a troubling phenomonen.

Here's a pretty good article that touches on the issue. It's long but a good read.

Rich, Black, Flunking | Feature | Oakland, Berkeley & Bay Area News & Arts Coverage

I have to agree with Ogbu. I experienced the same thing with my own eyes. I was teased for sounding white because I speak well. I was also called a geek and a nerd. And I graduated with a 3.1 GPA!

[biafra4life]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

I have to agree with Ogbu. I experienced the same thing with my own eyes. I was teased for sounding white because I speak well. I was also called a geek and a nerd. And I graduated with a 3.1 GPA!

Disclaimer: The guy in that article, John Ogbu is my uncle (although distant) so I might be a little biased, but I agree with his comments 100%. I would say at least 50% of the blame for poor performance in school has to be on the child and his/her parents. And you are right adelphi, there is a bias against high performance in school...and dont get mad, but for them to call you a nerd with a 3.1 GPA...that makes me shudder to imagine what their GPAs were!!!

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by adelphi_sky

I have to agree with Ogbu. I experienced the same thing with my own eyes. I was teased for sounding white because I speak well. I was also called a geek and a nerd. And I graduated with a 3.1 GPA!

I'm surprised and sadden he got so much blow back. I think his studies could have been a starting point of discussion to turn things around.

I too experienced something similar. I transferred from a white private school in 7th grade to a school where Blacks were the largest group in a plurality and I got eviscerated for talking white.