Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > December > 07 > Entry
Tax windfall means half as many job cuts
Dayton Public Schools will get $3.8 million from the sale of delinquent tax liens. They were hoping for anywhere from $2 to $4 million but there was nearly as good a chance that there could have been no bidders for the liens and the district would have gotten nothing. The good thing about that is school officials didn’t count on any money from the sale, so the entire windfall can put put toward reducing the $9.4 million in cuts planned for January.
And that’s just what the district will do.
Up to 135 job cuts were part of the January cost savings plan. Superintendent Percy Mack said at Thursday’s press conference that he thought between this new money and revisions to the plan that have been in the works, about half those jobs could be saved. Exactly how many of the 58 teachers due to be laid off would be saved he didn’t say, but Mack did say the priority will be on maintaining the academic programs first.
He would not go all the way to promising all the threatened teachers and adjuncts would be saved.
We’ll have more on this and the new board member — Ronald Jackson — in Friday’s Dayton Daily News.
UPDATE: Here’s today’s story on the tax lien sale and here’s the story on Ron Jackson, who will be appointed to the board Tuesday.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Joe Lacey
December 10, 2006 3:45 PM | Link to this
Mary characterizes the delinquent taxes as taxes on mom and pop businesses forced into ruin by excessive taxes. I don’t know that this is the case in any of the tax liens sold. I know it was not the case in the largest lien sold, the arcade. As for the other cases of delinquent taxes, I know in my neighborhood the most prevailing story is an absentee landlord (who is difficult to track down) who has let the property deteriorate to the point where it is uninhabitable.By Mary
December 9, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this
Exactly who is it you think I am blaming? I am mainly blaming the system. I am sure that property tax on Horseshoe Stadium and Schottenstein Center would help Columbus area schools a lot. I wonder if the athletic department pays any property taxes on these facilities. Maybe the coaches could give up a little of their multimillion dollar pay packages so the athletic department could pay their fair share of property taxes for education. What about the Nutter Center at Wright State, UD Arena, Schuster Center, etc? Do you know if all these entities pay their fair share of property taxes, or if mom and pop small busnesses are left to pay the bills? Meanwhile, states are selling taxpayer built highways to private foreign interests to pay bills. Pennsylvania was the state used as an example on Lou Dobbs CNN show last night, but I think I have heard Ohio is doing the same thing.By lou
December 9, 2006 10:26 AM | Link to this
Mary, you are right that tax dollars need to be spent wisely. But, as far a schools go, it is not the students or teachers who budget the money. As far as the college athletics, what should be looked at is that these programs are making more money than ever, and tuition is higher that ever, what is the money being used for? That is my question. The athletes are not getting it in college (other than scholarships). Mary, I just think you are blaming the wrong people. By the way, I do believe in pay to play for extracurricular activities.By Mary
December 9, 2006 7:19 AM | Link to this
Lou, you are right, if everyone paid their taxes we would not have to pay so much. Also, if we asked for tax dollars wisely and prioritized, we would not have to pay so much. As for athletics, I will simply use another example, why are multimillion dollar athletics programs at public and private universities tax exempt? They compete with private entertainment industries that are not. The US House Ways and Means Committee and others have started to ask these questions.By lou
December 8, 2006 5:38 PM | Link to this
Mary, if everyone paid their taxes we would not have to pay so much. This is the school’s money, was always the school’s money. Imagine if everyone paid their deliquent taxes, would we need a levy for the schools? Most likely not. But because some choose not to pay the rest of us pay more. Why do you always turn everything in athletics? I am not an athlete, but for some that is their way up. If it keeps a kid in school and on the right track I am all for it. I feel the same about the arts, which we need more of in DPS.By Mary
December 8, 2006 2:37 PM | Link to this
Scott, we also have a responsibility to be wise and responsible voters and frugal administrators and solicitors of tax dollars. Many people who vote for or against levies do not directly pay them, including property taxes. For example, many school district booster clubs stir up away at college athletes (who are on scholarships) to vote for their home community school levies to save athletics. They have no concept of property tax strain in their own community and have likely never paid property taxes which are extremely high in Ohio. I think Ohio is usually around the third or fourth highest in the country. King George did not get it either regarding the tax burden, so we dumped the tea in the Boston Harbor, and started the American Revolution or something like that. Taxation can also be a form of oppression of the majority on a minority or the minority on the majority. I agree we should be law abiding citizens, but taxation and the tax burden is not that simple an issue economically, socially, politically, or ethically.By Scott Elliott
December 8, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this
Mary, I don’t follow you. We’ve ALL got a responsibility to pay our property taxes. Whether you agree with the tax or how the money is spent, those levies were approved by voters. That’s how democracy works, so we’ve got to pay them. I pay mine. Why should other property owners — businesses, individuals, whatever — get away with not paying? And shouldn’t the government agressively pursue money that is owed to it the way any creditor would? It is a huge source of frustration for school districts that some are owed millions in unpaid taxes, especially at times where they are cutting back on programs. But you feel for the delinquent non-payers?By Mary
December 8, 2006 7:37 AM | Link to this
This tax windfall sounds a little like “blood diamonds” to me. We help tax small businesses out of business with hefty property taxes to pay for perhaps some wasteful school spending. We suck up the blood of private enterprise and private jobs to protect public jobs. Or am I missing something?