Dragon's Breath, Dragon's Ire: Why the Dragon's Breathing Fire!

!!!DR. PRATT RESPONDS TO CONCERNS!!!
www.swartzcreekweek.com/bond.html
It should be noted that more issues have emerged since Dr. Pratt answered the ones presented to him; also, some of the answers given by Dr. Pratt are vague or incomplete (i.e., the tax burden expanation was not fully detailed, there's more to it than he explained...see below, #5).
KEEP BOTH EYES OPEN REGARDING THE NEXT VOTING DATE! While it is tentatively set for May 2008, the board could very well CHANGE THE DATE AGAIN!
Anyone notice how each Swartz Creek School Bond attempt is for MORE money? Don't be fooled by the reported "78.9 million" this time around; it is in reality a minimum of 98.9 million! Anyone notice how the administration seems OBSESSED with passing a bond? Anyone notice that the administration isn't listening to the voters? Also, which lie are we supposed to buy into now? The previous bonds were deemed "critical" because the student population growth projections were astronomical and the administration assured us the data would hold true, more building space needed! But now, as the student population is leveling off and showing signs of declining, we are being told that if it is built, a more expensive project will attract students...so what are we to believe? Is something untoward going on here? If the board is going to make up a reason for a multi-million dollar bond, create something believable and stick to it, jeez!****
Updated November 8, 2007

SAY NO TO EVER INCREASING SCHOOL BOND ATTEMPTS! DO YOU KNOW SOME OF THE REASONS THE "NO" VOTERS HAVE FOR CONSISTENTLY TURNING DOWN THE BONDS?: 1. The Swartz Creek School Administration already owns land (at Morrish and Hill Rds.; according to Genesee County Register of Deeds, at least a portion of the land was acquired in 2001); they admit the land will be too costly to maintain and develop, yet they continue to hold onto this piece of property, and has made little effort to sell it; because this land is unusable, they now have to make another land purchase somewhere else, as they attempted to do with Nemer Realty in the May 2007 bond proposal. The administration admits they BOUGHT the land in the 1970's, but plans for it keep falling through. Maybe it's time to put it up for sale? Lease it to Dow Chemical for biofuel crops?...... 2. There are NO Blueprints/Floor Plans for New High School: therefore, exact amount of money needed to accomplish finish product not known. In essence, in May 2007, they were asking residents to give them carte blanche for a blank check with a minimum amount of $89 million. Although stated they would design within the budget allowed, how can that be assured?...... 3. Administration Admits the Current High School is in State of Disrepair: no guarantees that they can maintain a new building for the next 30+ years...... 4. Dollar Amounts of Bonds Keep Changing: first it was $50 million, then $89 million, latest is now $98.9 million with NO ADDITIONS to the proposal of May 2007(regardless of what the Flint Journal reported: the Journal forgot to include the fact that, if the $79 million passes in February 2008, the board stated they would come back after an additional $20 million in a couple of years...but is that the end? They don't know!!!)...... 5. School Board Unwilling to Disclose Number of Students From Manufactured Housing Communities and Apartments: whose families do not share the tax burden of landowners; also, government subsidized housing is prevalent in the district (Mari-Dan Apartments and Burkeshire Apartments). While it is true landowners of said residential types do pay their share in school taxes every month, the tax is split amongst the units or lots, NOT the residences; therefore, depending on the school tax levied on the complex, an apartment dweller or lot renter pays anywhere from $3 to $8 per month in school taxes with their rent - regardless of how many people live in their apartment or mobile home; this is still an unfair sharing of the tax burden ...... 6. Development and Upgrading Supposedly Based on Projected Student Population Increase Through Birthrate Only: as told to us in April 2007 meeting. However, in a June 2007 edition of the Swartz Creek Sunday supplement, Sharon Fouts alluded to the fact the district is looking to attract more out of district students once the bond(s) are passed...... 7. Claims Made That Current High School Unable to Be Upgraded and Expanded for Current High School Students: but yet they fully intend to upgrade and expand said building for the Junior High School Students...... 8. Claim Students are the Number 1 Priority: however, they are now going to level "consequences" if the bonds keep failing; consequences that will affect the students, basically strong-arming residents into passing bonds for buildings that do not exist; although unclear on the current "consequences", past experience with longtime residents of the district with other bond issues included taking away busing for a short period of time, threats to cut extracurricular programs, increasing class sizes, etc. Swartz Creek has not made clear which consequences they will levy upon the children...... 9. Countless Time and Money Wasted on Bond Studies: money that could well have been put back into the district...... 10. Vacant Land Adjacent to the Current High School, West Side of Property Sits Undeveloped, already owned by school district: When asked why this land cannot be used, the answer was that it would not work; when pressed for a more in-depth explanation, the answer was: "Because it just won't"...... 11. Population Growth Studies Not Performed Before Overcrowding: if the studies would have been performed before the district starting admitting so many outsiders and the city allowed more government subsidized housing, then perhaps the school district could have tailored the system's needs accordingly, rather than waiting until it has become, as in their words, "critical". The district could have also been more judicious in the amount of out of district students they admitted...... 12. Economy: as with other communities throughout the state, Swartz Creek has suffered some setbacks. Businesses have closed, downsized, or moved out of the community, affecting the tax paying base through loss of employment for some residents; also, with the General Motors attrition program that took place last year, Swartz Creek now has more retirees now than they did this time last year, who are now on fixed incomes. Money is tighter amongst many district residents now than it was even a year ago...... 13. Fear: In light of 2 other area school districts who passed bonds in recent years that are now facing economic problems (Lake Fenton recently reported a $1.7 million deficit; Grand Blanc is now consolidating classes and making class sizes bigger to stave off a budget crisis). Perhaps some Swartz Creek students could attend those districts: double bonus: alleviate our "overcrowding", and help the others with their budget problems! What makes the Swartz Creek administration so confident they can outwit the economy, not just locally, but statewide?..... 14. Current High School is Reportedly "Too Old": yet Flint Central (just as an example, for it is over 80 years old) is still in use, having been upgraded and maintained as situations warranted. Min you, the administration has not said this, but the Bondies use this as a tactic. Using this to scare people into thinking the kids will all become stupid if they have to go to that "old" building much longer...... 15. A remark was made by a board member on August 16, 2007 that Third World Countries, specifically "China and India" turn out highly educated students, such as engineers and doctors, why can't we open our pocketbooks and give our students the same oppportunities?: what board member failed realize is that kids in Third World countries don't have fancy schools to go to, and most of them obtain their college degrees out of their own country, using the colleges and universities of the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia as a rule...... 16. "Overcrowding Imminent" claim: This comes back to economic status of the community. As of this point, according to links on real estate websites to the Swartz Creek School District, we are at approximately 22:1 on the pupil:teacher ratio. With houses in the area for sale and empty, some foreclosures right on this street, it may be very well that the scare tactic is a wolf cry..... The school board needs to address the issues as stated above, and better yet, develop Plans B and C!!!...... 17. The beginning of the year head count, September 2007, indicated a drop in enrollment; a few days later, Dr. Pratt stated basically, Oops, we forgot some kids. Really? Or is it an attempt to try to justify the bond? If they can't count kids, can they count money? Or worse yet, if they are juggling the head count, will they do that with the money too? !!!RECENT DEVELOPMENT (September 2,2007)!!! Free Lunch Distributions Within The Swartz Creek Schools Are Now At An All Time High: This problem is affecting all districts in the area; it is a sign of the economic times. Given that this increase in free lunch distribution is not unique to Swartz Creek, it signifies the overall poor economic climate of our area, proving that no one is immune to the recession/depression befalling our state. If parents can't afford lunches for their children, how can they afford an increase in school taxes?..... Those of us who have voted against the bonds will continue to do so, as the board has not developed any other reasonable alternatives to their current plan. They can reword it, slice it into pieces, whatever they think they need to do to make us vote for it; but they need to realize that as long as they keep pushing this plan, no matter how pretty of a package they put it in, we still know what's in said package and we will not vote for it. It is time for change! Be it through different methods of addressing the educational needs of the students or a change in board membership, something has GOT TO GIVE!!!! Guilt, duplicity, and threats only serve to turn people away... Think twice before you go to the polls May 2008! *****Thanks To the Concerned Citizen for Providing This Information...you know who you are...see you at the polls!***** This page will be updated as issues arise or are settled.....!!DISCLAIMER!!Note the information on this page was obtained by personal contacts with district residents who are registered voters and participate in the bond voting process. The issues stated are reasons they have personally chosen not to support the bond issue, and would like all voters to be made aware of them, as the local media and school administration refuse to do so. Remember: Buildings don't make the students successful: parents and teachers do. ****BY THE WAY; THE "SENIOR" ARGUMENT IS GETTING TIRED...ACCORDING TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, THE SENIORS AREN'T THE REASON THE BONDS ARE FAILING!!!! THE MAJORITY OF 'NO' VOTERS ARE COMING FROM THE MIDDLE CLASS HOUSEHOLDS WITH CHILDREN IN SCHOOL...THE REASONS BEING THEY CANNOT AFFORD AN INCREASE IN TAXES PLUS SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES IN THIS CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE; THEY ARE ALSO THE ONES WHO REALIZE QUALITY EDUCATION DOESN'T COME FROM A BUILDING, BUT RATHER AN ADMINISTRATION WHO WILL FOCUS ON THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT'S CHILDREN, NOT PRETENTIOUS APPEARANCES**** THANK YOU DR. PRATT FOR TAKING THE TIME TO EXPLAIN YOUR POSITION....Now we know what the board thinks; but also, the board knows what the voters are thinking, so PLEASE, rather than trying to coerce us into voting for the bond under these circumstances, do more than give us words, give us action. Show us you understand the concerns by not rehashing the bond over and over again! Thanks to AK for taking up the fight with us! With the greatest respect for the overall educational and financial health and well-being of our community, Lucille Inez
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