Comments for Marketing the Mark-Up at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 28 out of 20 comments http://www.theind.com Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:07 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-23545 I'm with you Pedro. I think we see the handwriting on the future walls. Employee raises & benefits. I too believe there is no language to prevent waste & corruption. Funds are already being robbed & redirected. LPSB hired a PR firm to spin a tall tale of maintenance money not being enough. I hate to think of the money that's going to be skimmed off top, $18 mil that we know of, plus all of the percentage for that firm & the architects & the construction companies. 3 1/2 % of a billion bucks is a lot of change that should be spent in the classroom or refunded to the property owners! LPSB WANTS TO CONTINUE TO ROB THE TAXPAYERS & BUSINESSES IN THIS COMMUNITY WITHOUT ANY CONCERN FOR ANYONE BUT THEMSELVES. (I need to learn if any of these leeches have businesses so I can be sure to never give them any of my hard earned dollars.) - Morrow Sun, 16 Oct 2011 07:07:59 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21575 I read the proposition several times and I do not see "ironclad" language that eases my doubts. 4 million dollars was just recently diverted from maintenance to fund the new tech school....that once was a brand new facility with water intrusion, ignored by the LPSS. The Citizens Oversight Committee has no real power to direct tax money collected by the LPSS. Call it whatever you want Angie, as with the last tax proposal, the truth is, funds can be diverted from the original intent. It is easy and the LPSS/LPSB has been practicing this for over 30 years. Just say NO. - Pedro Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:28:07 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21574 How much longer do the children of Lafayette Parish public schools have to pay the price for current and past board members, superintendents, and every one else that has messed things up?!? Without a doubt, I am voting yes! It is dedicated, has an oversight committee, and best of all......won't be managed by LPSS!! I would much rather it in the hands of a firm that has done this time, and time again with a proven track record!! Thank goodness for that!! - iittssmmee64 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:26:43 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21503 Dear Inept, You don't need to pay more cash, so you can vote NO if you want to. First, your neice will probably be outta college before Laf High is replaced. Second, if the school system really wanted to keep up, maintain, Laf High, it has had plenty of money, more than enought to do so. - BoFred Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:39:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21501 I have one question, has anyone reading this article or responding by commenting, have you ever had your property value lowered? Have you ever had your tax burden lowered? Mine goes up every year. Have you ever heard of a year, in recent memory, say 20 yrs, when the sales tax collections were down? Have you ever heard of an agency collecting taxes in Laf Parish saying "Oh, we can live on what we took in last year. We'd like to give some back."? I would like for Ms. Simoneaux to go back to her bosses and advise them its time for the LPSB to cut their budget. Cut some programs. Go to the legislature & admit the extra school days haven't made for better education, so start cutting expenses & start school in Sept. Cut out the extras, like specialty curriculums. I know a Senior right now who goes to school less than 3 hrs a day. All of that costs money, money, money... DROP THE DROP PROGRAM !!! Ms. Simoneaux, tell the administrators & the school board members the public is NOT willing to incur more expense until they quit running the education system like a "Cash Cow". Education has had a lot of power in this state, in this parish, but the voters have had enough! - Morrow Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:35:31 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21492 I am furious about the "statistic" re Laf. being 46 out of 69 in millage rates. HOW ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY??? Dog & Pony show! only $200 more on a $150 thou house... More like $400 more on a $200 thous house AND NOTHING THAT FORCES THE SCHOOL BOARD TO SPEND IT ONLY ON BUILDINGS & MAINTENANCE ! That dept can't spend money fast enough and I'm not giving them more to spend! Period. I'm agreeing with BoFred, NO MORE PROPERTY TAXES FOR ANYONE, NOT EVEN IF A SCHOOL FALLS DOWN THIS AFTERNOON. It took 20 or 30 yrs of neglect to get to this point & I agree the LPSB wants to build not maintain (not enough $$$ in back door deals in maintaining). NO NEW TAXES OF ANY KIND. - Morrow Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:14:53 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21454 I will not support a tax increase of any kind. I will not support a property tax or a sales tax. The school board has had millions upon millions in increases in the past 10 yrs and had burned it up. DO AWAY WITH THE DROP SYSTEM ESP FOR BUS DRIVERS. Start school later in the year. Close specialty schools - they are unnecessary. There are universities, community colleges & trade schools. Taxpayers already do not get much from Education in Lafayette parish for the money spent. If taxpayers knew some of the made-up positions in the schools system, they wouldn't be so quick to even consider giving that wasteful system more money. Of course, new schools would line the pockets of some companies - oooh, like the company that built that one elem school that is falling apart! Who's friend works for those architects?... NO NO NO no new taxes. If I have to become a tea whacko I will.... - Hope Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:07:14 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21449 "INDY, do a report on just how much land the LPSB ownes and whats the true market value of the properties." ??? What's this all about? Yeah, IND. Tell us what Southsider's talking about. - ragin_cajun Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:06:51 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21441 Why not pass a sales tax to pay for it? Some say it can't be done. Of course it can be done! Why have only property owners foot the bill. Why should i pay for the rest of my life for schools when my kids will only be attending them for another 5 years? I am already property taxed to death thanks to an non necessary increase 3 years ago, along with rising insurance rates. Lets have everyone foot the bill for once. Make the sales tax higher. Oh, and have LPSB sell most of their property. INDY, do a report on just how much land the LPSB ownes and whats the true market value of the properties. Oh, and fire all the rehires, especially the central office staff that are WAY OVERPAID. - Southsider Sun, 28 Aug 2011 18:02:21 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21440 inept rustic, I guess you can read all of the rebuttals to your pathetic pandering. I believe YOU should vote for the tax increase so that we are witness to the democratic process as it takes place. Your vote will not be wasted, for you vote for that which you believe. But your foolish notion that a school system, that has proven it cannot be trusted with with hundreds of millions of dollars down through the decades, is to be trusted with a massive tax jump that will total in the millions of dollars very quickly if passed is noted as well. This tax increase is slap in the face to taxpayers and property owners throughout the parish. If it were not so sad, it would be hilarious. - Lets talk about... Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:44:19 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21433 " I'm willing to pay for a new school if it improves the situation. " That's one way of looking at it. Here's another way of lookt at it, though. A vote FOR this tax increase is a vote to hand over a HALF a BILLION dollars to an organization that has a long track record of inept and incompetent money management. The reason WHY Lafayette High looks the way you describe is BECAUSE of LPSS and LPSB. They have, for years, taken money dedicated to maintaining these schools and spent it on fun and trendy educational experiments that they've picked up "from the literature" and from "conferences" and "retreats" all over the country. All the while, the schools got worse, the facilities got worse, and more and more parents sent their kids to private schools. Know what I've noticed? While all these public schools deteriorate, and everyone complains about low graduation rates in public schools, private schools are growing. How many new private schools have gone up in Lafayette Parish in the last 5 years? My kids go to school in a building that is 100 years old! Looks beautiful, it's clean, it IS a little small, but that's OK. My kid's school spends 30% less per year per child than LPSS spends per child. - ragin_cajun Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:54:09 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21431 Oh & 1 more thing about Laf High, moved the da**ed Gifted school outta there. Poof, I've just lowered the # of students at that location! Now CLOSE DOWN SPECIALTY SCHOOLS & OPEN TRADE SCHOOLS, insead of community colleges! POOF! I've just lowered the # of students again! POOF! POOF! POOF! I'm working my magic cutting what isn't absolutely necessary - just as I have in my own life! Now, Laf High is down to 1500 students! I am really at the point that I cannot stomach the dog-and-pony show of the Laf parish school system. I don't buy into the Advertiser's "poll" cause I voted 3 times. The results were fabricated! I am NOT supporting more property taxes! - BoFred Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:26:56 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21429 So sorry about Laf High, but the whole intent is to LET IT FALL TO PIECES FROM YEARS, AND YEARS AND YEARS OF NEGLECT! That didn't happen in the past 4 yrs! The school system wants to REPLACE NOT REPAIR schools. Not enuf kickbacks in repair and upkeep! THERE IS NOTHING that will make me support a property tax increase for LPSB, NOT EVEN IF A WHOLE SCHOOL FALLS DOWN THIS AFTERNOON!!! I will NOT be responsible for the uncaring irresponsible school system of the past 20 + years! I AM NOT responsible for that. Until I see a school system fiscally responsible, making cuts in other areas, I will NOT make further cuts in my own budget for schools. I already support financially & I support my time by volunteering. I SAY START SCHOOL IN SEPTEMBER! - BoFred Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:21:37 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21427 NO NO NO I CAN'T AFFORD IT! With insurance & the prop tax I already pay, I cannot afford it. The school system for decades was concerned only with personnel pay & building new schools (many of which are closed now..) I'm waiting for the assessor to lower the value of my house, as it is. I'm sorry the LPSB cannot learn to live within its means, & I'm sorry for parents of students who have to shell out for supplies LPSB should provide ea school. I have a GREAT WAY TO SAVE MONEY LPSB: Start school in September! How much money would be save in utilities, food prep, transportation expenses! No need to cut a single salary! More days have not equalled more learning, so scrap it! I will die from lack of oxygen yelling against more taxes for an irresponsbile pig headed school board! - BoFred Sun, 28 Aug 2011 09:14:55 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21418 I don't know what to say "Let's Talk About..." but... thanks?!?!? I really enjoy dancing around the bush and sounding pompous and arrogant. I came on this board yesterday to ask the folks who are strongly opposed to a tax increase what it would take to get a yes vote from them and I get called names. Not sure what you want to hear from me about the good old boy system at LPSS or redundancy or whatever. Am I going to vote yes on the tax increase? probably. Laf. High is in atrocious shape and coming apart at the seams. My niece tells me that the wall is literally coming apart from the floor in a second floor classroom she sits in. She claims that it is possible to look through the crack in the floor and see the classroom below. Some 2,500 students attend a school built for 1500... I'm willing to pay for a new school if it improves the situation. - Inept Rustic Sat, 27 Aug 2011 14:26:33 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21407 I was crystal clear when I said "cut anything". I say cut 20% off of every program at ALL levels of gov't, not just federal. If they just cut the 5% you mention in discretionary spending at the federal level I'd be shocked. That's where we're at in this country. No politician anywhere is really serious about cutting anything. The school board fully expects to get this tax hike passed, and they'll be pussed at the voters when it fails, too. Durel is STILL moaning about HIS tax hike getting voted down 5 years ago. Think about that. - ragin_cajun Sat, 27 Aug 2011 07:30:55 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21404 What inept rustic put forth. Yes, inept, we are all concerned "for the state of our school system." So at the risk of being redundant, "getting rid of the dead weight at the school board" has been expounded on many times over in various postings to this article. All you did was come off as psuedo intellectual with your off focus, dance around the facts but not reach a decisive conclusion and/or decision concerning the outrageous property tax increase proposal. Oh, and you do come off well as a redundant pseudo intellectual as well as pompous. - Lets talk about... Sat, 27 Aug 2011 04:34:04 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21395 Ragin, thank you for the quick response to my questions. I'm not sure if I've been labeled a liberal or not in your question however, were I in a position of authority to vote in favor of cutting government spending, I would do so. Looking at the federal spending budget- where would you make cuts? For me, I would include cuts in international affairs, natural resources, transportation and technology progams. That MAY be 5%. It is tough to do but I'd have to make cuts in social security, military defense, and income security categories to reach your 20% requirement. Perhaps I should heed Washington's advice here and, "utter not base and frivilous things amongst grave and learned men." Maybe I should just keep my big mouth shut. As a person who has concern for the state of our school system- I am an adovcate for getting rid of the dead weight at the school board and, with that being taken care of, putting the tax initiative before the people to decide upon. - Inept Rustic Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:30:49 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21394 Throwing money at it has not helped before so there's no need to think it will be different now. Board needs to work leaner which would require competent management and careful budgeting. - realitycheck Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:21:53 +0100 http://www.theind.com/news/9-indnews/8881-marketing-the-mark-up#comment-21377 "What could the LPSS do to get you to vote YES to a new tax?" Nothing. "your beliefs are NO taxes PERIOD". No, my beliefs are no NEW taxes period. The existing property tax millages go up every few years when the assessor re-assesses/rolls forward/whatever the euphemism is for raising my property taxes without my vote. So go and do whatever it is LPSS does with whatever it is they make, will continue to make, will continue to go up already, and will increase as the parish grows in population and property value. I've answered your question, so now answer mine. This question is directed to "Inept", and my elected officials at all levels of government, and to all the "forward thinking" leftist journalists and commentators out there -- what would it take to get a YES from YOU on a spending cut in a government program? cut anything. Any government spending program at all, I don't care what it is. Cut it 20% right now. This year. Cut it. Not gonna happen, is it? - ragin_cajun Fri, 26 Aug 2011 13:07:14 +0100