Hey, Auburn school board members! Do you get it now?
If there was any doubt that city school district voters were unhappy with the budget you put forward this year, the people have spoken - again.
They put an exclamation point on their “no” votes from a month ago and came out to trounce the budget you were so arrogant to put in front of them a second time without cutting one penny in spending.
You failed to hear them the first time they said “no.” You convinced yourselves that they must have been mistaken. They must not have understood what they had voted for. Maybe, you decided, if we speak very clearly and slowly this time, they'll get it.
This isn't a vote on artificial turf, you explained, just the money we need to provide a quality education.
It turns out that they understood you the first time, and the answer was “no.”
Did you notice what the boards of the other two local districts with rejected budgets did?
They acknowledged that they work for the people - not the other way around.
They sharpened their pencils and went back to work and found some expenses to cut.
Southern Cayuga found almost $75,000 in cuts; Jordan-Elbridge found $189,000 it could live without.
Not you, though, you decided - in a 7-1 vote - that you would ask the voters to twice vote on the same thing: a $66 million spending plan that carries a 4.91 percent increase in spending from last year.
Have you noticed the price of gasoline? Have you looked at your heating bill? Your grocery bill?
The people have spoken - twice. And they've said that they've had enough.
Now you've painted yourselves into a corner. Now you've got to figure out how to run the district on a contingency budget that requires you to spend nearly $600,000 less than what you wanted.
This could have been avoided, you know.
You could have simply listened to the people who voted you into office. They said “no,” and they meant it.
They put an exclamation point on their “no” votes from a month ago and came out to trounce the budget you were so arrogant to put in front of them a second time without cutting one penny in spending.
You failed to hear them the first time they said “no.” You convinced yourselves that they must have been mistaken. They must not have understood what they had voted for. Maybe, you decided, if we speak very clearly and slowly this time, they'll get it.
This isn't a vote on artificial turf, you explained, just the money we need to provide a quality education.
It turns out that they understood you the first time, and the answer was “no.”
Did you notice what the boards of the other two local districts with rejected budgets did?
They acknowledged that they work for the people - not the other way around.
They sharpened their pencils and went back to work and found some expenses to cut.
Southern Cayuga found almost $75,000 in cuts; Jordan-Elbridge found $189,000 it could live without.
Not you, though, you decided - in a 7-1 vote - that you would ask the voters to twice vote on the same thing: a $66 million spending plan that carries a 4.91 percent increase in spending from last year.
Have you noticed the price of gasoline? Have you looked at your heating bill? Your grocery bill?
The people have spoken - twice. And they've said that they've had enough.
Now you've painted yourselves into a corner. Now you've got to figure out how to run the district on a contingency budget that requires you to spend nearly $600,000 less than what you wanted.
This could have been avoided, you know.
You could have simply listened to the people who voted you into office. They said “no,” and they meant it.
Citizen
Hot Jobs
New! Off the Menu
The Citizens' Say
Post your comment - click hereThere are 13 comment(s)
jmw53 wrote on Jun 19, 2008 11:02 AM:
Jim wrote on Jun 19, 2008 9:17 AM:
bill balyszak wrote on Jun 18, 2008 8:19 PM:
As for some of the comments, you would think that the doors were going to be closed in every school building. Are these 'educators' spoiled or what? "
Unknown... wrote on Jun 18, 2008 4:25 PM:
GoodbyeCNY wrote on Jun 18, 2008 4:25 PM:
horseradish wrote on Jun 18, 2008 3:57 PM:
GoodbyeCNY wrote on Jun 18, 2008 3:37 PM:
BOE. They will be voted out. They were a mistake. "
horseradish wrote on Jun 18, 2008 2:11 PM:
i'm sold! "
horseradish wrote on Jun 18, 2008 2:08 PM:
justventing wrote on Jun 18, 2008 1:08 PM:
yetanotherpinhead wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:58 PM:
Praise for So. Cayuga, and yet their "new" passed budget featured a 4.47% tax levy increase, compared to Auburn's twice failed 3.28%? Makes sense.
Auburn's budget was not re-submitted out of "arrogance"; it was re-submitted because it was fiscally sound and responsible, and actually featured less of a levy increase than many districts in the area, as well as the NYS district average. Have not Auburn's tax levies decreased every year since 2005? Is that the sign of an arrogant and spend-crazy school board?
Lansford's comments are exactly right. "
horseradish wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:35 PM:
random wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:19 PM:
I love it when the community speaks out and stands by what they say - good for all of you to have the courage and tenacity to vote it down again.
Always vote 'no' on the first budget you are offered whenever you vote. You know they can tighten up their spending offer more than the first proposal.
ACSD chief administration and board just put the students second - how pompus and arrogant of them. Enjoy the year with your contingency budget. No turf but i'm betting there's no team, either - not now.
I'm proud of those voters in Auburn. "