Another poster here on the blog made the statement that PISD has had a low tax rate for years, so I decided to check some of my property tax statements and make some phone calls.
Mt. Vernon ISD appears to be 99 cents ( I don't have a rate on my statement, but a total amount owed, so I did some math)
Winnsboro ISD = $1.04
PISD = $1.11
These rates were for 2007. I still have calls out to MPISD, DISD, and Gilmer ISD. I will let readers draw their own conclusions.
I have been seeing all the signs supporting the election, wonder if a campaign finance report has been completed?
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Interesting letters to the editor this week
Three years in Camp County I guess I am still considered a new comer (non-native)..............
I read the letters this week with interest. Two of the letters pleaded for new space not a new high school. I found this interesting! I am still a bit confused about the bond election. I was visiting with a neighbor and I was questioning him about the naysayers (STOP group) to which one of the writers referred. My neighbor told me that he visited with a gentleman two years ago and this individual helped him with his property valuation. He said this gentleman could probably answer questions about the group. I called the gentleman on the phone. I asked if he was related to the individual who wrote the letter to the editor. He informed me that he had not picked up a copy of the paper yet so he did not know who wrote the letter. I stated that he had the same last name. He informed me that he was not related. I asked if I could ask some questions about STOP. Sure, was his reply.
The first question I asked is what is STOP. He informed me that the informal group started about four years ago in response to excessive property valuations. "The state had came in and informed the local CAD that the PVS showed that some commercial and residential property in Camp County was extremely undervalued. A meeting was held at the local winery to help educate property owners as to what they could and could not do in regards to protesting their property valuations." He said the group was a little radical in the beginning in order to get officials attention. He referred to the Boston Tea Party being radical and leading to change. The group started in similar fashion, but over the past three years had mainly worked on educating property owners on how to protest their valuations. "The group brought State Rep. Bryan Hughes in for a town hall meeting to give property owners a chance to share their opinions with their state rep." I got the impression the group has made presentations in several locations across the state.
He went on to say that the group had joined with several other similar groups across the state in regards to property appraisal reform efforts. He said several members of the group had spent a lot of their personal time, money, energy, effort, etc. appearing before committee hearings in Austin in regards to appraisal reform and school finance issues. He said he worked as a grassroots coordinator for the governor appointed task force on appraisal reforms two years ago. He said the group had worked with Americans for Prosperity on issues in regards to appraisal reform and school finance issues. He mentioned that after Susan Combs was elected as Comptroller the group met in Austin with her Property Tax Division staff and her chief of staff on issues regarding property valuations and the property value study. He went on to say that he and others had worked with property owners in Camp, Titus, Franklin, Bowie, Lamar, Red River, Comal, Morris, Upshur, Ellis and Wood counties in regards to educating on the information needed to protest and the procedures on how to protest and what to expect from CAD staff and appraisal review boards.
He said that the group is still active with other groups across the state on appraisal reforms. He expressed disappointment with the last legislative session in that they got so close, but Rep. Fred Hill blocked all appraisal reform proposals. He was more positive on the upcoming legislative session since Rep. Hill had chosen to retire from the legislature.
The group offered testimony during the special session on school finance. "The group along with others across the state worked to get the property tax lowered, and we did. The school property tax was lowered from $1.50 to $1.33 the first year and then this last year is was lowered to $1.00. Each local district had the option to add an additional 4 cents without the consent of voters. He said the PISD elected to adopted the additional 4 cents to give PISD a tax rate of $1.04 last year. What we were unhappy about was the shift in the local property taxes to businesses. This year any incorporated, LLC, LLP, etc. will be paying more in franchise tax. The group along with the other groups we work with will be back in Austin in 2009 to work on the franchise tax." Sounds like the STOP group has been active in a good way for taxpayers.
He went on to say that he remembers the meeting at the winery, and that several of those there that night could be supporters of the bond issue today. He said he saw nothing wrong with this in that most are educated individuals and they are entitled to what they want and do not want to support. I asked him if STOP was endorsing a NO vote on the bond issue. He responded, "To his knowledge STOP had never endorsed a candidate, position, etc. We are more concerned with revamping the system statewide; however, we have to remain active on the local level in order to be heard in Austin. As to the issue on the school bond - individuals associated with the group are entitled to their own opinions and will do their own homework." He said a few of the members had talked about some of the differences in data and information, but each would draw his/her own conclusions. I asked him how he sided on the issue and he responded that at this time he had not made up his mind. He understands there are some needs, and he has kids in the school system, but he had not come to a conclusion. He said he was a little disappointed in the anonymous letters being sent. He understands that some can become emotional about such an issue, but the name calling, etc. was not a good thing for such a small community.
I informed him that the writer of the letter felt that the group was unthankful that just a few years ago the tax rate went down. His response, "the STOP group and other groups across the state worked to get the tax rate lowered and we did accomplish this two years ago. No one on the local level had anything to do with the lowering of the tax rates. This was part of the new school finance reform package that came out of the special session. So, I don't think we are unthankful for working to get the tax rate lowered for all property owners of this state. This goes back to the individuals spending their own time and money to attend these hearings and provide testimony to the legislative committees. We never asked for any thanks, and we never expected any thanks."
I asked him about the history of the tax rates for the PISD. I informed him that the writer of the letter stated "when the bond election passes, the tax rate will only increase to what it was a few years back." His response, "evidently they don't know what the PISD tax rates have been the past few years. The rate three years ago was $1.44 with 7 cents being a payoff for a previous bond debt. The rate two years ago I believe was a $1.40, but I would have to confirm that. I know the state dropped the rate to $1.33 and I am not sure if the PISD dropped the rate to a $1.26 and then added the 7 cents for bond debt are not. In 2007 the PISD tax rate was $1.04 plus .07 for bond debt for a total rate of $1.11. If you add the new bond debt rate of 43 cents to the current rate then the rate for 2008 will be $1.54. This is 10 cents higher than it was before the state lowered the rate. The writer of the letter must be confused on the numbers." Based upon the coffee shop roundtables I have been attending there appears to be a lot of confused numbers floating around!
The gentleman was extremely polite and seemed very knowledgeable on the property valuation process, central appraisal districts, appraisal district boards, property value studies, and the property tax division of the comptroller's office. I got lost on the property value study and how it applies to school funding. Each will have to draw their own conclusions and how they cast their vote in the coming PISD bond election.
I read the letters this week with interest. Two of the letters pleaded for new space not a new high school. I found this interesting! I am still a bit confused about the bond election. I was visiting with a neighbor and I was questioning him about the naysayers (STOP group) to which one of the writers referred. My neighbor told me that he visited with a gentleman two years ago and this individual helped him with his property valuation. He said this gentleman could probably answer questions about the group. I called the gentleman on the phone. I asked if he was related to the individual who wrote the letter to the editor. He informed me that he had not picked up a copy of the paper yet so he did not know who wrote the letter. I stated that he had the same last name. He informed me that he was not related. I asked if I could ask some questions about STOP. Sure, was his reply.
The first question I asked is what is STOP. He informed me that the informal group started about four years ago in response to excessive property valuations. "The state had came in and informed the local CAD that the PVS showed that some commercial and residential property in Camp County was extremely undervalued. A meeting was held at the local winery to help educate property owners as to what they could and could not do in regards to protesting their property valuations." He said the group was a little radical in the beginning in order to get officials attention. He referred to the Boston Tea Party being radical and leading to change. The group started in similar fashion, but over the past three years had mainly worked on educating property owners on how to protest their valuations. "The group brought State Rep. Bryan Hughes in for a town hall meeting to give property owners a chance to share their opinions with their state rep." I got the impression the group has made presentations in several locations across the state.
He went on to say that the group had joined with several other similar groups across the state in regards to property appraisal reform efforts. He said several members of the group had spent a lot of their personal time, money, energy, effort, etc. appearing before committee hearings in Austin in regards to appraisal reform and school finance issues. He said he worked as a grassroots coordinator for the governor appointed task force on appraisal reforms two years ago. He said the group had worked with Americans for Prosperity on issues in regards to appraisal reform and school finance issues. He mentioned that after Susan Combs was elected as Comptroller the group met in Austin with her Property Tax Division staff and her chief of staff on issues regarding property valuations and the property value study. He went on to say that he and others had worked with property owners in Camp, Titus, Franklin, Bowie, Lamar, Red River, Comal, Morris, Upshur, Ellis and Wood counties in regards to educating on the information needed to protest and the procedures on how to protest and what to expect from CAD staff and appraisal review boards.
He said that the group is still active with other groups across the state on appraisal reforms. He expressed disappointment with the last legislative session in that they got so close, but Rep. Fred Hill blocked all appraisal reform proposals. He was more positive on the upcoming legislative session since Rep. Hill had chosen to retire from the legislature.
The group offered testimony during the special session on school finance. "The group along with others across the state worked to get the property tax lowered, and we did. The school property tax was lowered from $1.50 to $1.33 the first year and then this last year is was lowered to $1.00. Each local district had the option to add an additional 4 cents without the consent of voters. He said the PISD elected to adopted the additional 4 cents to give PISD a tax rate of $1.04 last year. What we were unhappy about was the shift in the local property taxes to businesses. This year any incorporated, LLC, LLP, etc. will be paying more in franchise tax. The group along with the other groups we work with will be back in Austin in 2009 to work on the franchise tax." Sounds like the STOP group has been active in a good way for taxpayers.
He went on to say that he remembers the meeting at the winery, and that several of those there that night could be supporters of the bond issue today. He said he saw nothing wrong with this in that most are educated individuals and they are entitled to what they want and do not want to support. I asked him if STOP was endorsing a NO vote on the bond issue. He responded, "To his knowledge STOP had never endorsed a candidate, position, etc. We are more concerned with revamping the system statewide; however, we have to remain active on the local level in order to be heard in Austin. As to the issue on the school bond - individuals associated with the group are entitled to their own opinions and will do their own homework." He said a few of the members had talked about some of the differences in data and information, but each would draw his/her own conclusions. I asked him how he sided on the issue and he responded that at this time he had not made up his mind. He understands there are some needs, and he has kids in the school system, but he had not come to a conclusion. He said he was a little disappointed in the anonymous letters being sent. He understands that some can become emotional about such an issue, but the name calling, etc. was not a good thing for such a small community.
I informed him that the writer of the letter felt that the group was unthankful that just a few years ago the tax rate went down. His response, "the STOP group and other groups across the state worked to get the tax rate lowered and we did accomplish this two years ago. No one on the local level had anything to do with the lowering of the tax rates. This was part of the new school finance reform package that came out of the special session. So, I don't think we are unthankful for working to get the tax rate lowered for all property owners of this state. This goes back to the individuals spending their own time and money to attend these hearings and provide testimony to the legislative committees. We never asked for any thanks, and we never expected any thanks."
I asked him about the history of the tax rates for the PISD. I informed him that the writer of the letter stated "when the bond election passes, the tax rate will only increase to what it was a few years back." His response, "evidently they don't know what the PISD tax rates have been the past few years. The rate three years ago was $1.44 with 7 cents being a payoff for a previous bond debt. The rate two years ago I believe was a $1.40, but I would have to confirm that. I know the state dropped the rate to $1.33 and I am not sure if the PISD dropped the rate to a $1.26 and then added the 7 cents for bond debt are not. In 2007 the PISD tax rate was $1.04 plus .07 for bond debt for a total rate of $1.11. If you add the new bond debt rate of 43 cents to the current rate then the rate for 2008 will be $1.54. This is 10 cents higher than it was before the state lowered the rate. The writer of the letter must be confused on the numbers." Based upon the coffee shop roundtables I have been attending there appears to be a lot of confused numbers floating around!
The gentleman was extremely polite and seemed very knowledgeable on the property valuation process, central appraisal districts, appraisal district boards, property value studies, and the property tax division of the comptroller's office. I got lost on the property value study and how it applies to school funding. Each will have to draw their own conclusions and how they cast their vote in the coming PISD bond election.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Consider challenging property tax increase
"Camp County has always had lower taxes than the surrounding area" something to that effect was from a previous poster on this site. I decided to do a little homework on school tax rates and what I found was PISD tax rates have always been higher than the surrounding area. If this bond passes we will have the highest school tax rate in the area.
You owe it to your pocket book to vote "NO" in the upcoming bond election.
If the PISD is serious about facilities improvements then let them appoint an unbiased committee of non-school personnel (and related spouses) to take a serious look at the facility issues. No doubt there are some facility needs; however, building a new high school does not solve the problem. Read the list of needs on the handout sent home by the Primary School on Wednesday. Very little on the handout addresses issues at the high school. According to that handout the Intermediate and Jr. High are the campuses with the most needs, but you are being led to believe that a new high school with a new gym and auditorium will solve all the problems. $15 million would solve most if not all the problems associated with the PISD projected (questionable) growth numbers.
Whatever amount of money you provide to bureaucrats it will never be enough. In the last few years the PISD has received additional tax money with the addition of a new HQ and Distribution Facility for Pilgrim's, Fred's, Family Dollar, Pizza Inn, etc. What did the PISD spend the additional money on? New athletic field house and a rug for the football field! And we are suppose to provide them an additional $36 million. It would be a bad business decision to provide an additional $36 million to an irresponsible operation.
It is your money and your pocketbook.
You owe it to your pocket book to vote "NO" in the upcoming bond election.
If the PISD is serious about facilities improvements then let them appoint an unbiased committee of non-school personnel (and related spouses) to take a serious look at the facility issues. No doubt there are some facility needs; however, building a new high school does not solve the problem. Read the list of needs on the handout sent home by the Primary School on Wednesday. Very little on the handout addresses issues at the high school. According to that handout the Intermediate and Jr. High are the campuses with the most needs, but you are being led to believe that a new high school with a new gym and auditorium will solve all the problems. $15 million would solve most if not all the problems associated with the PISD projected (questionable) growth numbers.
Whatever amount of money you provide to bureaucrats it will never be enough. In the last few years the PISD has received additional tax money with the addition of a new HQ and Distribution Facility for Pilgrim's, Fred's, Family Dollar, Pizza Inn, etc. What did the PISD spend the additional money on? New athletic field house and a rug for the football field! And we are suppose to provide them an additional $36 million. It would be a bad business decision to provide an additional $36 million to an irresponsible operation.
It is your money and your pocketbook.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Impulsive and impatience
"We are impulsive, we are impatient and, most important of all, we fund our impulsiveness and impatience with lots and lots of spending."
You know who else knows this? Stores. There's a very good and profitable reason why tabloids and candy bars are at the checkout aisles. Anywhere you go, you'll also likely see small items by the register like trinkets or votive candles or whatever.
Frugal spending is an art that requires practice.
Governmental entities have access to a piggy bank that is filled by the taxpayers. It gets filled anytime they feel it is necessary to raise additional money in the form of a tax rate increase. This takes money out of your piggy bank and puts it into their piggy bank. The taxpayer will go without before a taxing entity goes without. How is this practicing frugal spending? Living within one's means is a difficult task when one has a bottomless piggy bank.
Don't let this new high school complex become the replacement for the tabloids and candy bars at the checkout aisle!
You know who else knows this? Stores. There's a very good and profitable reason why tabloids and candy bars are at the checkout aisles. Anywhere you go, you'll also likely see small items by the register like trinkets or votive candles or whatever.
Frugal spending is an art that requires practice.
Governmental entities have access to a piggy bank that is filled by the taxpayers. It gets filled anytime they feel it is necessary to raise additional money in the form of a tax rate increase. This takes money out of your piggy bank and puts it into their piggy bank. The taxpayer will go without before a taxing entity goes without. How is this practicing frugal spending? Living within one's means is a difficult task when one has a bottomless piggy bank.
Don't let this new high school complex become the replacement for the tabloids and candy bars at the checkout aisle!
Advertisers scare you
Advertisers scare you by showing a burglar breaking into a home and then flashing a telephone number for a security-system company. They show you beer and snack commercials during football season, and pizza-delivery commercials late in the evening. They know they can take advantage of your need for instant gratification and bypass your normal decision-making patterns.
They're smart, but you're smarter. Make sure you know all the facts before you vote on a bond that will end up being a tax lien on your private property for the next 30 years. Regardless of who's numbers you believe, don't let them scare you into something that could be of great cost to your pocket book. Truth be told neither side probably has the right numbers. Don't let instant gratification bypass your normal decision-making abilities.
They're smart, but you're smarter. Make sure you know all the facts before you vote on a bond that will end up being a tax lien on your private property for the next 30 years. Regardless of who's numbers you believe, don't let them scare you into something that could be of great cost to your pocket book. Truth be told neither side probably has the right numbers. Don't let instant gratification bypass your normal decision-making abilities.
More is better mentality
becoming 'knowledgeable and sophisticated' does mean learning enough so that you can free yourself from the fear and confusion (or pride and prejudice) that pervade the realm of personal involvement
The biggest unknown is the future
"Waste not, want not" used to be mainstays of early-childhood education, but now days we teach how to waste, we teach convience, we teach that there will always be a safety blanket, we teach it is alright not to do without, we teach there will always be someone to pay your bills if you can't, we teach the government will always be there to get you through your mishaps,
I had rather go back to the one room school house for kids sure seemed to want less, behave better, respect authority more than they do these days, displayed better manners, etc. Kids (and many adults) don't even know how to respect the country in which they live by the removing of the hat while the playing of the national anthem, become still and quiet and face the flag, etc. However, these will be some of the students you will find in the city courtroom for not respecting authority and not respecting the freedoms given to them by the fathers who founded the country. Don't give me this crap the kids deserve it, the kids don't deserve anything. They earn privilidges and it is a privilidge to go to school no matter what the conditions. Individuals are responsible for making it on their own and children are accountable to their parents. Call out to the college and see if you can find out how many of PISD students are in remedial classes before they can attend the real thing. The blame is not with the teachers at the PISD school system. The blame rests solely on the shoulders of the students and their parents for not taking advantage of the freedoms afforded to them by the taxpayers to have the opportunity to learn! Hardships have a way of helping one appreciate what one has and not what one does not have.
Once, we were well-to-do if we didn't have to borrow our neighbor's push mover; now we feel poor if we don't have a riding mower. John Stuart Mill's once said "we don't want to be rich, just richer than others." By building a new high school campus who are we trying to be richer than? Atlanta, Pleasant Grove, Gilmer, Mt. Pleasant, all of these have a larger tax base than the PISD.
Our desire for more is due to unconscious and automatic habits as well as to our chosen life-style. Separate the habit from the real need and I think you will find that a new high school campus is not the real answer to the space problem. A new high school campus represents a choice not a necessity.
You want to do the kids a favor then help them by letting them experience hardship not favored status. This is a "new" world and these kids are going to have to compete in a global economy for jobs. Tech jobs of today are being done by 13 year olds in Indonesia that live in a two room shack (most likely a dirt floor) with a family of six plus. Are perhaps they live in the dorm living quarters provided by the employer where they sleep on the floor and are charged for the space they occupy. They work 13 hour days seven days a week for a wage up to $5.00 a day (most are lucky to earn a $1.00 per day). They take their money home and combine it with what the other members of the household and they manage to get by. They respect the fact they have the job and the opportunity to learn and work. Don't pamper these kids today, help them to learn the art of appreciation through hardship and tough love. The student and the country will be better off in the long-run. We have already tried "I want my children to have it better than I did when I grew up" and it failed! No respect, no manners, no appreciation, and medocrie learning.
The biggest unknown is the future
"Waste not, want not" used to be mainstays of early-childhood education, but now days we teach how to waste, we teach convience, we teach that there will always be a safety blanket, we teach it is alright not to do without, we teach there will always be someone to pay your bills if you can't, we teach the government will always be there to get you through your mishaps,
I had rather go back to the one room school house for kids sure seemed to want less, behave better, respect authority more than they do these days, displayed better manners, etc. Kids (and many adults) don't even know how to respect the country in which they live by the removing of the hat while the playing of the national anthem, become still and quiet and face the flag, etc. However, these will be some of the students you will find in the city courtroom for not respecting authority and not respecting the freedoms given to them by the fathers who founded the country. Don't give me this crap the kids deserve it, the kids don't deserve anything. They earn privilidges and it is a privilidge to go to school no matter what the conditions. Individuals are responsible for making it on their own and children are accountable to their parents. Call out to the college and see if you can find out how many of PISD students are in remedial classes before they can attend the real thing. The blame is not with the teachers at the PISD school system. The blame rests solely on the shoulders of the students and their parents for not taking advantage of the freedoms afforded to them by the taxpayers to have the opportunity to learn! Hardships have a way of helping one appreciate what one has and not what one does not have.
Once, we were well-to-do if we didn't have to borrow our neighbor's push mover; now we feel poor if we don't have a riding mower. John Stuart Mill's once said "we don't want to be rich, just richer than others." By building a new high school campus who are we trying to be richer than? Atlanta, Pleasant Grove, Gilmer, Mt. Pleasant, all of these have a larger tax base than the PISD.
Our desire for more is due to unconscious and automatic habits as well as to our chosen life-style. Separate the habit from the real need and I think you will find that a new high school campus is not the real answer to the space problem. A new high school campus represents a choice not a necessity.
You want to do the kids a favor then help them by letting them experience hardship not favored status. This is a "new" world and these kids are going to have to compete in a global economy for jobs. Tech jobs of today are being done by 13 year olds in Indonesia that live in a two room shack (most likely a dirt floor) with a family of six plus. Are perhaps they live in the dorm living quarters provided by the employer where they sleep on the floor and are charged for the space they occupy. They work 13 hour days seven days a week for a wage up to $5.00 a day (most are lucky to earn a $1.00 per day). They take their money home and combine it with what the other members of the household and they manage to get by. They respect the fact they have the job and the opportunity to learn and work. Don't pamper these kids today, help them to learn the art of appreciation through hardship and tough love. The student and the country will be better off in the long-run. We have already tried "I want my children to have it better than I did when I grew up" and it failed! No respect, no manners, no appreciation, and medocrie learning.
Double Wide trailers
Those buildings behind the Intermediate school are not double wide trailers, nor portable buildings. They are manufactured institutional buildings by http://www.comarkbuilding.com
Check out the site to help educate on different types of institutional construction. If you are open minded you will check it out.
Check out the site to help educate on different types of institutional construction. If you are open minded you will check it out.
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