$60 million dollar high school stadium

[mikestrong]

My wife drives our Camaro SS, and we switched to from premium to regular, and so far no issues.
Stinking car gets about 17 miles to the gallon. We always by low mileage cars at the wrong time.

[busterkeaton]

I pay $65 a month for my DART pass and usually around $60-$70 for my tires(New Balances usually) rotating them once every year and fill the tank up at Buster's Sav-Mart(better known as my domicile) for approx.$200 give or take a month. As for the bonds I say YES! These kids need good paying jobs in order to support my ever aging body, as one day, sooner than later, i'll be asking for a little government help(SSS, Medicare) to help this poor boy out...while I wait for "the man upstairs" to call my number.

[skids929]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

I work from home 4 days/week. So I fill up about once a month, so I honestly cannot even remember what it costs to fill up. We're hoping in the next 2-3 years, Ford will have it's plug-in hybrid Escape on the market. If it's got a 30-mile all electric range before it switches to regular hybrid mode, my wife will drive that to work the days I am working from home, ditching 80% or more of our gasoline consumption.

Brian

Nice! This is great, my wife and I have 2 days a week each from home and it save us significantly in times like this. If we were to move to Dallas she could be 100% remote, so there is another big incentive for us to get there. Right now we budget $360 a month for gas and use just about every bit of it these days. It's absurd.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

I always vote yes. I believe the $1 Billion DISD package raised my annual tax bill by less than $50. I'm not so cheap to refuse nicer / newer/ bigger neighborhood schools over the cost of a tank of gas!!

Then using that logic, you should not be opposed to any new taxes to raise teacher's salaries that would only cost you $50 as well.

If not explain.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by cBach

Then using that logic, you should not be opposed to any new taxes to raise teacher's salaries that would only cost you $50 as well.

If not explain.

There is a big difference between a district's operating budget and a special bond election. I believe that school districts should be able to operate within their means, just like your family does and my family does. If the budget is cut, the distict needs to operate within its means, even if that is drastically less than last year. If the budget grows due to additional tax revenue and that money can support raises, then yes I would be happy to pay it. Bonds are to pay for larger capital expenses outside the operating budget.

That being said, I have a HUGE issue with how teachers are paid and the manner in which they are laid off- all by seniority. Seniority is complete crap and I think a lot of the teachers who do get larger raises each year don't deserve them because they haven't earned them (other than putting in one more year in the classroom) and some of the younger, dynamic, engaged teachers who are more effective arent getting the raises they deserve because they're so low on the totem pole. Not saying all old teachers are bad and all young teachers are good, just making the point that a seniority system doesn't get the best results out of everyone's potential.

[biafra4life]

Now I'm not completely sure how the bond system works, but even if the money for the stadium was already approved, isn't discretion the better part of valour here? Is it really a good PR move for Allen ISD to be spending $60 million on a football stadium right now when they might have to lay off teachers this fall? I would just postpone this stadium boondoggle till next year, I know the money cannot be used for anything else so just leave it in the account.

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by biafra4life

Now I'm not completely sure how the bond system works, but even if the money for the stadium was already approved, isn't discretion the better part of valour here? Is it really a good PR move for Allen ISD to be spending $60 million on a football stadium right now when they might have to lay off teachers this fall? I would just postpone this stadium boondoggle till next year, I know the money cannot be used for anything else so just leave it in the account.

I am certainly not an expert on school district financing, but I believe there are certain laws about when & how bond funds can be spent - definitely about how, but I'm pretty sure about when, too. If you have the patience to read the Texas law codes online, you can answer your own question.

[loves2read]

Bond funds are for capital expenditures only--
construction/computer equipment/school buses
not personnel costs which are not capital expenditures

I think most of the people commenting on this football stadium and school financing really don't understand how financing happens in TX--
Because of the Robin Hood plan a district can't raise taxes beyond a certain point and it is possible that IF a district has done that--raised taxes to subsidize growth and improve programs like adding a new foreign language or taking on a program like IB--that part of that money can be sucked away from their students/programs and into the maw of Robin Hood money-- when that happens it goes to the Region for expenditure or to schools that the STATE deems under-funded...
so districts that tax themselves thinking they can keep that money to improve their schools and services often times find they are now a "rich" district--
why raise your taxes only to see it siphoned off by the state to other schools you have no control over

[MaryS80]

There are many wonderful traditions in Texas, but the high school football thing has blown out or proportion. Football is good for the players to learn sportsmanship and athleticism. It also provides a great way for many young men to go to college, and gives kids something to do on a Friday night.

This is not the first time a staggering amount has been spent on a game to played in a place that is only used a few hours a week.

I would much rather see the money spent to make sure students are actually receiving a proper education. The US is falling behind the rest of the world. That doesn't even touch on social issues like drop out rates and teen pregnancy.

[RedJacket]

A 60 million dollar high school stadium is helping to put things in order of priority for the kids: Athletics come first, and academics are a distant second. Usually, that kind of mixed up priority isn't evident to kids until they go off to college.

Note to Texans: Preschools don't require the building of a 60 million dollar stadium, either.