School Board Elections: Odd Year Changed to Even Year

Saving taxpayer dollars and bringing more aware voters to the polls to elect school board members. It’s a win-win! The full report and take from Speed Gibson:

At Monday’s School Board meeting, by a vote of 5-1 with one abstention, District 281 will move to even year election cycles.  This will be done by extending the current terms by 1 year.  There will therefore be no Board elections in 2011 and it will be even years after that. It is legal per a MInnesota 1994 statue:

CHAPTER 646-S.F.No. 1512 An act relating to elections; providing uniform local election procedures; requiring regular city elections to be held in the fall; permitting certain town elections to be held in November; making uniform certain local government procedures; changing school district election requirements; …

Sec. 26. [TRANSITION SCHEDULE FOR EVEN-YEAR ELECTIONS.]

Subdivision 1. [APPLICATION.] The transition schedule in this section applies to political subdivisions that choose, before January 1, 1995, to conduct their primary and general elections in the even-numbered years. A political subdivision that later determines to change from an odd-numbered year election to an even-numbered year election may do so by adoption of a new resolution or ordinance that contains an orderly plan for the transition.

And it seems practical as the resolution details.  I like the idea of odd year elections isolating local elections but judging by turnout, not many agree with me.  So be it, there being no perfect way to do it.  At least they followed the law, unlike Mike Opat.

Despite having one more year with Sherry Tyrrell and Barb VanHeel, this gives new candidates more time to prepare to defeat them in 2012. Mark Bomchill was an early supporter of this change, and we thank him.

Obama Plays Politics With Education Funding

Well the hoopla from the so-called “race to the top money” is over for now.  This is the “big” $ 4.5 billion education sweepstakes of the Obama administration and the supposedly “progressive thinking” Education Secretary Arnie Duncan.  Forty states applied for the grant but only two were chosen, Tennessee and Delaware.  The question is why?  Supposedly these states are putting in data systems in place to evaluate teachers and they have strong commitments for turning around bad schools in rural areas.  That all sounds good but other states that were finalists like Louisiana and Florida had similar plans.  What was the difference?  Simple; Tennessee and Delaware got the support of the unions.  The other states did not.  I don’t know about you but to us union support should be a negative!  If you want bold reforms, you have to allow states to cross the unions because the union are the ones preventing bold reforms.  Is it fair for the federal government to “punish” states who have agendas that are so reform-minded that the unions don’t support them?  Tennessee and Delaware also have some of the weakest legislation in regards to charter schools.  Wow, Mr. President that is change we can believe in!  I thought education was all about the children!    There is a new round of money coming in October, but a state can only get it if they do what the president and the education secretary have done; sell out to the education mafia.  How pathetic!

Tom Dooher Wins; Taxpayers Lose

The Sun Post newspaper had a front page headline on the April 1, 2010 edition about the unopposed re-election of Tom Dooher as the President of Education Minnesota for three more years.  If you thumb back to pages 16-17, you’ll find that Dooher wastes little time whining that education needs more of your money.  Check out some of these “highlights;”

First, Dooher claims that educators have made “historic sacrifices” and “accepted low or minimal salary increases” because of the state’s budget.

Oh really Mr. Dooher?  That sounds like what everyone has had to do the past two or three years.  What are educators (who are being paid for nine months of work) any different?   What exactly are they entitled to?  Might I remind you that the unemployment rate among government workers is 3%!  Keeping your job and getting “minimal increases” while other sectors of the economy are being decimated doesn’t sound like a “historic sacrifice.”  Here’s another one;

Dooher said that if “we really want to attract and keep the best educators, we need salaries and benefits to keep people there.”

No Mr. Dooher you are 1000% wrong.  We need to pay GOOD EDUCATORS competitive salaries and benefits.  The BAD EDUCATORS can go collect garbage for a living.  This is exactly what is wrong with this union system.  You can’t reward good work.  Just think Mr. Dooher, the easiest, simplest, and most practical solution is the one you are opposed to doing.  Here’s the kicker;

Dooher claims we need a new system that is sustainable and predictable, and have a revenue stream from the state to make sure programs go on.

I’m sorry, what exactly is “sustainable and predictable?”  It sounds like Dooher wants to isolate education from any and all economic forces.  Exactly how is that even possible?  What is predictable revenue (meaning taxes)?  What source should that come from exactly?

People like Tom Dooher are exactly why we need to support charter schools, vouchers, and tuition tax credits.  These things would take the power out of the hands of Dooher and his union cronies and put power into your hands.  You decide where and by whom your kids will be educated.  It won’t happen any other way.  We don’t see how the system can be tweaked or fine tuned without still leaving the union in charge.  SUPPORT SCHOOL CHOICE!

Discussing ISD 281 and School Choice

Check out the Andrew Richter Show on Thursday April 8, channel 19 at 6 pm.  Vicki Lechelt is the guest  host with special guests 2009 school board candidate Andrew Richter and author Jerry Lindberg.  The three of them will discuss the board’s plan to back-door a referendum to fix up Northport and Lakeview, give the latest details on the employee contracts, and let you in on what is going on at the state capitol, namely HF 3699 and HF 3063.  They will also explain the benefits of school vouchers, tax credits, and more competition as opposed to Big Education’s MORE MONEY mantra.  The show will be replayed on Friday April 9 at 2 am and 10 am.  It will also air again the following week on April 15 at 6 pm and April 16 at 2 am and 10 am.  All shows will be on Comcast  channel 19.