Can the tax base in Caledonia support its own school district? That is the question for many as the debate over Caledonia seceding from RUSD continues. Without knowing what kind of start-up costs Caledonia would be responsible for, it is difficult to project. It’s not as if information like this is available on the DPI website. However, I think we could start by looking at Caledonia’s current school taxes and seeing what sort of projected revenue a new district could expect to receive.
In the last tax year (2005), Caledonia paid RUSD $13,180,483.70 which was collected via property taxes. As you are probably aware, local property tax revenue is 1/3 of the school funding formula and state aid covers the other 2/3. This formula is adjusted for many different variables (poverty, special education, busing, etc) but is a good starting point. I will be using this formula because I think that Caledonia is an “average” community; we do not have the poverty of the urban areas nor do we have the large property tax base of communities like Whitefish Bay or Mequon.
$13,180,483.70 = Local Property Taxes (1/3)
$26,360,967.40 = State Education Taxes (2/3)
$39,541,451.10 = Total Revenue
3200 = Total Number of students
$39,541,451.10 / 3200 = $12, 356.70
Total revenue per student = $12,356.70
It is interesting to me that the revenue per student is almost identical to RUSD’s current revenue per student. I realize that there will be “double-secret” start up costs that will be discovered in the Village’s fact finding mission. I hope the first fact they verify is the “building” factor. It is my understanding (by speaking with people who attempted this a few years ago) that since all Unified’s buildings are paid for and Caledonia is no longer a township (which did not have the same legal rights as a village or city) that the buildings that currently lie within the village’s borders will come with secession.
However, I still think that it’s reassuring that with our current tax base, we most likely pay enough to support a future district by my (admittedly rough) estimation.
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11 comments:
How much do you suppose it will cost per child if the buildings don't come with ?
$100,000,000- (the number most often tossed around) divided by 3200 students (your number) equals$31,250.00 per student.
But don't worry, that's only $1562.50 per studentin addition to the $12,500 (your number) per year if one spreads it out over 20 years.
If one then had to enter the "double secret" unkown costs, pretty soon you're talking real money.
If you want to go for it, fine. I just think you should be honest.
Comparing Caledonia to Racine in terms of school aid is a bit unrealistic. Few districts get the 2/3 funding the state promised years ago. Some of the "average" suburban Milwaukee districts are closer to 1/2 state aid than the 2/3 promised. Caledonia is more similar to Franklin than Racine, and their schools tax rate in 2005 was $10.73 per $1,000. RUSD was $6.76 per $1,000. On a $150,000 house, that's a difference of $595.50 per year.
The $100,000,00; would that be the teacher retirement?
I have not heard anyone (besides the JT Blogs) discuss any of this. If you could lead to the documents outlining these costs, I would be extremely grateful.
I also do not know for a fact that the buildings even come with a secession. I am trying to point out the facts; the facts are that there is NOT a lot iof data out there to do any projections.
There is currently 1 community that this is going on ; but they are not even done with process so we cannot even examine the "fall - out" ...
I am not trying to be DISHONEST, The only point I was trying to make is that by rough estimation, Caledonia has enough of a tax base to support their own schools (by my ADMITTEDLY ROUGH CALCULATIONS)
The $100000000 that I was refering to is the cost of the buildings that might NOT be included that you refered to. I believe that for that kind of money(in addition to the retirement money and the "double secret" start up costs) one might want to get a "little bit closer" on their "admittedly rough calculations". Come on,$200000000+ is "rough calculation"?
I'm merely suggesting that you might also want to prepare a PLAN B
We are nowhere even near having a Plan A, much less a Plan B.
These discussions are about investigating the feasibility of Caledonia seceding. Repeat, there is not a PLAN A or PLAN B. It is excessively premature for any of that...
One of the main concerns is that we do not have the long-term tax base to sustain a district. There are many who think Caledonia is getting a free ride, and that the city is "subsidizing" our children's education.
By posting Caledonia's total contribution to the RUSD only proves that this is not so.
I guess my question to you is this - why do you have a problem with Caledonia exploring the feasibility of seceding from RUSD?
What exactly is it that makes you concerned?
"These discussions are about investigating the feasibility of caledonia seceeding. Repeat, there is not a PLAN A or a PLAN B. It is excessively premature for any of that..."
But you didn't have any trouble coming up with a number that you liked, $12000, with limited info. I only suggested that, since you even admit that you don't know if buildings are included, the honest thing would have been to submit 2 numbers-one with schools and one without. That would be PLAN A and PLAN B. I realize that the number with schools is less desirable for your goals, it would at least be truthful. Isn't it interesting that a great deal of all of this school stuff has to do with RUSD playing "fast and loose with other people's money yet you have no problem doing that yourself.You said that $200000000 + or - off is only a rough estimate. I think you could have gotten a bit closer.
You asked what exactly is it that makes me concerned. I think the above is good enough reason for cocern, but I do have more.
1) Caledonia would still have both traditional and non-traditionaly poor performing students. T hey don't all live in the innercity. Therefore I don't see as radical shifts in scores as you do.
2) The seniors who are being taxed out of their homes because of RUSD's $12000 per student per year will still be taxed out of their homes at Caledonia's $12000 per student per year.(your #)
3) Bussing doesn't change much except that you would lose subsidized city bus services for mid/ high school kids. Turns out that city busses don't run in the country.
I'm against this move because I believe that the only result of secession will be that we end up with not 1 school district that doesn't give us as much bang for our buck as we'd like but 2 school districts that don't give us as much bang for our buck as we would like.
Now, I know what you are thinking. "c'mon, hot shot, what's your solution?"
Glad you asked>
1) VOTE! I know it sounds trite, but if turn out was 18%, than 82% didn't. Odds are, these are, if not you, people you know.
2) Tell others to vote ( help them if necessary). See #1
3) Get someone to run for office that a majority of people want to vote for. I know, the illeagle campaign money. So what, work harder despite what they do. It,s called Integrity. Do we tell our kids, when facing adversity, to run away or to fight harder.
4) show up at board meetings and sign up to speak your peace. Trust me, there is no shortage of empty chairs there.
5) While it's important to vote for one's own best interest, realize there are others too. What's best for you personally is not automatically best for the community. That's why my position on vouchers is what it is.
I will try to address your points individually:
You’re right; I do not have the facts regarding all the costs. I don’t know that anyone does. I have heard many grumblings that Caledonia does not pay their fair share and could never make it on their own because the city residents subsidize the schools; my admittedly rough calculation was only to prove that Caledonia DOES pay its fair share.
When did I state the scores would be better; I believe I stated that many in Caledonia wants to secede because there is little accountability (educationally and financially) in RUSD. If test scores were low and I am sure they will be, the residents of Caledonia will not be quite as complacent with the management.
Your concern about the seniors is a very valid one; that is why I want the leadership of our community to do some sort of financial analysis. There is no need to continue the fight if property taxes will double. I agree with you that this is not a good fiscal use of tax dollars. What we are trying to do is spark open and honest conversations about the issue.
Bussing is a concern also, but the Belle Urban system might decide to restore Route 10 to Caledonia (just as they did with the Parkside route) if there is need for it.
I have heavily campaigned for many board members; I knocked on doors and done literature drops for 3 of the current board members and will continue to do so. I consistently (even in the summer) attend board meetings and share my concerns. I even communicate with some of the outside of the board room between meetings. My voice IS being heard.
I vote in EVERY election and try to stay on top of things, but it seems too many are disenfranchised with the system and don’t want change. I even call friends and family to remind them to vote. Do I think RUSD can change? I DID until a few months ago; sometimes you just have to finally face the facts. RUSD is broke and I don’t think that anything can be done to fix it.
I so want our entire community to succeed; I am willing to investigate any option that would improve the educational system in eastern Racine County. I think charter and vouchers schools should be investigated, just as I think having the independent outlying communities should investigate the feasibility of seceding.
I really think it would be a win/win for everyone. Our current school system is too large and has too many diverse needs for the limited resources we have. One group(s) will always suffer; right now it is the inner city and the suburbs. Taking one of the constraints away will free up more resources for the other.
The problem is not that the "pro Rusd"(status quo if you prefer) keeps winning because of the work they do but that your side has not, so far anyway, worked hard enough. I realize that this may not mean you personally,I stand corrected if that's how you took it.
The results are proof enough, and starting another district will not fix it . You can't get the people to vote now as it is.
" You're right: I don't have the facts regarding all the costs" insinuates that you didn't know about the potential of paying for new schools. When you stated that you thought the schools were part of the deal you also made clear the possibility that they were not. My objection is that if you could come up with numbers for one possibility, you could have, in fairness, come up with the numbers the other way also. Unless, of course, you didn't want to show those unfavorable numbers as well.
All indicators (local leaders and personnel at the DPI) lead me to believe there will be some equity in the buildings; no one (so far) is able to say how much.
It all depends on the legal status of the community wishing to secede, the outstanding mortgages on the buildings (there are none!), etc.
With Caledonia now being a village, and RUSD having paid off buildings I am somewhat cautiously optimistic that the buildings will come with secession. But that is a legal fight for the lawyers and the village leaders to decide, not I.
I am, however, trying to get the village to investigate the issue so we can at least know what we are facing.
Again, I feel like you do not understand why I did that rough calculation. I was addressing the naysayers that claim that Caledonia's tax base could not even begin to support a district. You may have misunderstood; I did not state that it would cost the taxpayers $12,500 per student. I stated that our current tax base could SUPPORT $12,500 per student.
I have heard comments such as "What kind of educational system will you get if you can only spend $7000 per student?" There is still perception that Caledonia still only has 5000 residents and is heavily subsidized by the residents of Racine. When Caledonia joined the district in 1961, this was the case. There was no way that Caledonia could have supported their own district. Now 45 years later, things have changed. Our population has grown to 25,000 but are still being treated like the proverbial “red-headed stepchild”.
Again, all I was pointing out is that appears Caledonia has the continuing tax base to support a school district. When I find out for sure what buildings would come with the possible secession, the unfunded teacher retirement liabilities, I will certainly post this. But that will not change the fact that we still have the tax base to support $12,500 per student. This is based ON fact and will NOT change.
You have mistakenly assumed that I stated this would be the COST to the taxpayers; the $12,500 is what Caledonia can afford to spend based on their current tax base.
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