Increasing the sales tax is just another sleazy way to pass more financial burden for running government programs onto the backs of the middle class and poor through consumerism.
With this extra sales tax cash on hand, other tax funds become available to the wealthy-friendly politicians, who use it to subsidize more tax breaks and deals for 5 percent of the population.
The 5 percent use the bulk of all our natural and labor resources to enrich only themselves, and they don’t care what falls apart or who suffers. They pay a lower percentage tax rate or no taxes at all thanks to the many deductions greedy, power-hungry politicians have legislated for them — deductions the average hardworking American cannot take advantage of.
The 5 percent already have our tax dollars paying for their children’s private (charter) schools.
Again and again, more for them, and yet they are never satisfied!
Jude Smallwood, The Acreage
Charter Schools are considered Public Schools. They offer parents/children alternatives to their assigned neighborhood schools. If you lived in a school assignment area that had your child going to a school that has behavior problems interrupting instruction, or a school that has low parent participation, or does not have a principal who is on top of instruction and hiring, then Charter Schools are a wonderful alternative. There is no charge to parents to have their children attend Charter Schools. Private Schools on the other hand, cost parents big buck$ and usually have a wealthier ‘clientele’. There has been an outcry from some that Charter Schools suck money from the Public Schools, but sorry, Public School have not changed or solved the problems in one too many public schools.
The School District has done a POOR job of managing their funding. One must remember that many of the people working in the bloated district office on Forest Hill are former teachers who do not have an extensive background in financial matters, construction, contracts, etc.
Many times a former teacher overrules the professionals they have hired.
In addition, it’s the same old schools are having the same old problems with learning and management.
As for the Tax Referendum, neither the School District, nor the County has told the Western Communities what they will get from the passage of this Referendum. BTW, the Sheriff, who takes more than Half of the current County’s budget is scheduled to get One Hundred Seventy Million Dollars for more cars and other items. And One Hundred Fifty Million is going to Homeless housing…taking old buildings, motels, along Broadway, Downtown West Palm Streets and South Dixie Hwy to House the Homeless. Those nearby neighborhoods will have to deal with the homeless in already rundown areas.
Palm Beach County is too Vague with their Spending ideas and the School District has yet to tell everyone where their money will be going…except for millions to rebuild Transportation Buildings while ignoring educational facilities that are in poor condition or schools that do not have the Equity of facilities as other new/rebuilt schools have.
The Western Communities get screwed, once again, with money going to the urban tier! Time for better leadership out West. There is No unified Voice from out West. Other communities have banded together and have Say, Power and are Listened to.