Cy Fair ISD Homestead Exemption to Be Removed

[Sue Blackburn]

On June 13, 2011 the board of trustees and outgoing superintendent of Cy Fair ISD will be voting and most certainly pass the deletion of your optional Homestead Exemption and will be asking to raise your tax rate to the cap.

I am trying to get as many people as possible to this meeting so that we can stop this vote. They do not have to inform homeowners that they are going to do this. You will just find out about it after it is too late to do anything about it.

Don't let the argument that we don't have enough money trick you into thinking they are doing this to help our children. There is plenty of money but they are not spending it wisely. You can look at the check register. I will give you just one small example to peak your interest. Do you know that they spent almost $23,000 on donuts last year? Their are other shocking examples as to where the money is going.

Please help me get as many people as possible to this meeting. On June 10th they must post on the door to the meeting room the agenda for the meeting. I will repost and confirm their agenda on that date. Thank Sue Blackburn

[Ross]

Why do people complain about school districts spending money on things like donuts? You could cut that out completely, and save what, $100k per year out of the tens of millions in state funding shortfalls. Worry about bigger expenditures, not the ones that keep the employees at least semi-happy. You ought to be willing to treat public employees decently, like you would want to be treated if you worked there.

I'm not saying htere aren't expenses that could be reduced, but the nickel and dime stuff isn't going to make a difference in the budget, and it tends to make the workers feel like they are second class citizens.

[ricco67]

Why do people complain about school districts spending money on things like donuts? You could cut that out completely, and save what, $100k per year out of the tens of millions in state funding shortfalls. Worry about bigger expenditures, not the ones that keep the employees at least semi-happy. You ought to be willing to treat public employees decently, like you would want to be treated if you worked there.

I'm not saying htere aren't expenses that could be reduced, but the nickel and dime stuff isn't going to make a difference in the budget, and it tends to make the workers feel like they are second class citizens.

If I was home, I'd give you a +1.

[TheNiche]

Why do people complain about school districts spending money on things like donuts? You could cut that out completely, and save what, $100k per year out of the tens of millions in state funding shortfalls. Worry about bigger expenditures, not the ones that keep the employees at least semi-happy. You ought to be willing to treat public employees decently, like you would want to be treated if you worked there.

I'm not saying htere aren't expenses that could be reduced, but the nickel and dime stuff isn't going to make a difference in the budget, and it tends to make the workers feel like they are second class citizens.

It free donuts are an issue for someone whose job is to teach children, then they shouldn't be teaching children.

[RedScare]

This is the problem with Cy-Fair taxpayers. Did the poster bring up the $80 million football and basketball facility? Nope. She instead complained about $23,000 in donut expenses.

Let them eat cake...or donuts. I don't care. You brought this upon yourselves. While I am severely unimpressed with the funding cuts that the legislature is attempting to foist upon us (led by your elected legislators, I might add), I refuse to feel sorry for taxpayers who spent like drunken sailors for football stadiums.

[Sue Blackburn]

This is the problem with Cy-Fair taxpayers. Did the poster bring up the $80 million football and basketball facility? Nope. She instead complained about $23,000 in donut expenses.

Let them eat cake...or donuts. I don't care. You brought this upon yourselves. While I am severely unimpressed with the funding cuts that the legislature is attempting to foist upon us (led by your elected legislators, I might add), I refuse to feel sorry for taxpayers who spent like drunken sailors for football stadiums.

I am not "complaining" about the donuts. It was the smallest example I had about poor spending. Could one person keep their job if they cut out the donuts, well maybe, maybe not. I hate football, I didn't buy the stadium and I didn't vote for the people who did. Seems I have very little choice in where my taxes go except to vote. How did I as a taxpayer bring this upon myself? I know about the stadium and other large expenditures. The board has been approached with ways to pay for these that will not come out of our pockets. They refuse to even listen to the proposal that would surely work. Really, what got you so fired up about Cy-Fair taxpayers? Are you afraid you won't get your donuts if I actually get someone with some sense to listen. I really kicking myself right now because obviously the only thing I can get you guys to notice is the stupid donut comment.

[RedScare]

Really, what got you so fired up about Cy-Fair taxpayers?

Fired up? Let me repeat a couple of things from my post.

I don't care.

I refuse to feel sorry for taxpayers who spent like drunken sailors for football stadiums.

Hardly statements that suggest that I am "fired up". I really don't care, though I find the sudden concern amusing, given the aforementioned monument to steroid filled jocks, as well as your neighbors' choice of state reps. Call it schadenfreude, perhaps.

Seriously, I do not live in your district. I don't care what happens. Good luck with the school board.

[Marksmu]

Why do people complain about school districts spending money on things like donuts? You could cut that out completely, and save what, $100k per year out of the tens of millions in state funding shortfalls. Worry about bigger expenditures, not the ones that keep the employees at least semi-happy. You ought to be willing to treat public employees decently, like you would want to be treated if you worked there.

I'm not saying htere aren't expenses that could be reduced, but the nickel and dime stuff isn't going to make a difference in the budget, and it tends to make the workers feel like they are second class citizens.

You can "care" about the donuts because they are just another example of spending where it need not be spent....The stadiums, the air-conditioned school buses, i-pads, and other BS that are not necessary are all other examples of over-spending that needs to be cut. Do we need flat panel TVs in all the hallways??? There needs to be a systematic and complete over-haul where we go back to the basics and quit getting caught up in the new fads and trends that are all far too costly. School districts blow money all the time because there are no repercussions for doing so. All you can do is vote to make a difference, and it is often far too costly to advertise, and few people really know how its being spent and even worse, too few people care.

My youngest brother just graduated 2 years ago and they have school provided laptops in classes they can be incredible learning tools, but they are more distracting than they are helpful..and I know they "lock" them, but those locks are worthless.

There is a LOT of fluff in school budgets...the State is cutting the cash, and the schools are cutting the teachers instead of the fluff....it just shows you where the priorities lie...They have gotten so spoiled they don't think they can teach without the gadgets and expensive do-das.

My final rant....Everyone seems to think that teachers are still underpaid because historically they have been...but that is not the case any longer. Teachers make plenty of money for the time they are actually at work. Starting salaries in many districts are in the low $40,000, some districts even higher....That is $40,000 for a job that has the easiest hours 7-4 and nearly 4 full months of vacation....3 months summer, 1 week Spring Break, 1 week Christmas, 4 days Thanksgiving, plus all federal holidays...add in their 401K and health benefits and teachers are almost all in the $50-$60,000 range...admittedly that is not a huge sum, but its not chump change, especially not for someone with as much vacation as they have...

Dont confuse my pointing out the facts as a hate on the teachers, but I do think it is time to cut the fat....the gadgets, the stadiums, the expensive TV, the free lunches, the expensive buses, all of it....Schools need to go back to doing what they are there for, and that is teaching our kids....the rest of it is all fluff....Every year they want more....if the state does not give it to them, they want to raise taxes....We need new priorities in schools...and it needs to be in all the schools....

[Sue Blackburn]

On June 13, 2011 the board of trustees and outgoing superintendent of Cy Fair ISD will be voting and most certainly pass the deletion of your optional Homestead Exemption and will be asking to raise your tax rate to the cap.

I am trying to get as many people as possible to this meeting so that we can stop this vote. They do not have to inform homeowners that they are going to do this. You will just find out about it after it is too late to do anything about it.

Don't let the argument that we don't have enough money trick you into thinking they are doing this to help our children. There is plenty of money but they are not spending it wisely. You can look at the check register. I will give you just one small example to peak your interest. Do you know that they spent almost $23,000 on donuts last year? Their are other shocking examples as to where the money is going.

Please help me get as many people as possible to this meeting. On June 10th they must post on the door to the meeting room the agenda for the meeting. I will repost and confirm their agenda on that date. Thank Sue Blackburn

Here is where some of your money is going. I stopped counting at $555,000. These are free lunches for the powers that be, not food for our children. Really, Carl's Bar B Que, Carrauba, Chickfila, MacDonalds, Don Pueblo?

Catering cfisd.doc

[ricco67]

You can "care" about the donuts because they are just another example of spending where it need not be spent....The stadiums, the air-conditioned school buses, i-pads, and other BS that are not necessary are all other examples of over-spending that needs to be cut. Do we need flat panel TVs in all the hallways??? There needs to be a systematic and complete over-haul where we go back to the basics and quit getting caught up in the new fads and trends that are all far too costly. School districts blow money all the time because there are no repercussions for doing so. All you can do is vote to make a difference, and it is often far too costly to advertise, and few people really know how its being spent and even worse, too few people care.

My youngest brother just graduated 2 years ago and they have school provided laptops in classes they can be incredible learning tools, but they are more distracting than they are helpful..and I know they "lock" them, but those locks are worthless.

There is a LOT of fluff in school budgets...the State is cutting the cash, and the schools are cutting the teachers instead of the fluff....it just shows you where the priorities lie...They have gotten so spoiled they don't think they can teach without the gadgets and expensive do-das.

My final rant....Everyone seems to think that teachers are still underpaid because historically they have been...but that is not the case any longer. Teachers make plenty of money for the time they are actually at work. Starting salaries in many districts are in the low $40,000, some districts even higher....That is $40,000 for a job that has the easiest hours 7-4 and nearly 4 full months of vacation....3 months summer, 1 week Spring Break, 1 week Christmas, 4 days Thanksgiving, plus all federal holidays...add in their 401K and health benefits and teachers are almost all in the $50-$60,000 range...admittedly that is not a huge sum, but its not chump change, especially not for someone with as much vacation as they have...

Dont confuse my pointing out the facts as a hate on the teachers, but I do think it is time to cut the fat....the gadgets, the stadiums, the expensive TV, the free lunches, the expensive buses, all of it....Schools need to go back to doing what they are there for, and that is teaching our kids....the rest of it is all fluff....Every year they want more....if the state does not give it to them, they want to raise taxes....We need new priorities in schools...and it needs to be in all the schools....

I've known several teachers and the "easy hours" part is pretty much a lie. Quite a few dedicate a number of hours afterwards preparing work for the next week and dealing with parents that refuse to believe that "little johnny" deserved an "C" or ask why he was suspended for a variety of reasons.

Oh, let's not forget some teachers are constantly fielding questions from parents throughout the day, under constant pressure to make sure the kids with "special needs" have a separate teaching plan WHILE teaching regular students, abuse and lack of respect from students AND parents.

Did I also mention have a tendency to get extra jobs on top of what they have have? No? Well, they do.

Now, the number you through out there are for teachers that are just starting out....but I've known teachers that haven't really gotten a raise in the past couple of years.

Yeah, I applaud your thinking teachers are living the high life on the easy hours and apparently they live in a paradise dealing with several hundred kids a day.

On behalf of teachers everywhere, STFU.

[Marksmu]

Awwww.....I pissed off a teacher...too freaking bad.

Everyone in every job has to answer to someone and gets complaints when its not correct....I see no difference between an overly emotional parent whose kid has problems, and someone who is about to lose their job because you cant ship what you promised to ship when you promised to ship it....Both are overly emotional and often times you cant help either one....People get crapped on all the time...its part of life. Teachers get crapped on, and so do people with other jobs. My wife works 70 hours a week and she gets crapped on all the time often working till midnight or later....its part of the job...she knew it when she took it, and teachers knew the conditions when they took their jobs.

You dont get to take a job knowing what the conditions are going to be like an then complain about them later. When you get 4 months of paid vacation you can deal with answering to a few pissed off students/parents...its ample cooling off time.

As for the whole easy hours a lie BS....its still easy hours.... Teachers have an off period where they can either relax and end up doing their job later, or do their job then and go home and have less to do that night....and lesson plans are not changing much year/year either....a new teacher may have alot more to do than an experienced one...but a teacher who teaches the same class year/year does not have that much to do each night...if they have anything all.... 7-3, or 8-4 with a 30 minute lunch and an off period...4 months paid vacation, 401K with matching, and free health insurance.... Its a good gig with great pay for the hours involved....PERIOD. If you extrapolate a teachers pay based on the 8 months worked its quite a bit more than a private sector job, and the skills/education/training are equal.

As to not getting raises the last couple years...so what?! Nobody has gotten raises the last couple years...Teachers should not be getting raises when the private sector sure as heck isn't. Just because a teachers job does not go in/out of demand does not mean that the pay should not follow/match the private sectors...the cash to pay a teacher is generated in the private sector.

The fact a teacher can work a second job is further evidence of them not being over-worked....they have the time to get a second job...I dont cry tears for teachers...though I do appreciate what they do....at least most of them.

I've known several teachers and the "easy hours" part is pretty much a lie. Quite a few dedicate a number of hours afterwards preparing work for the next week and dealing with parents that refuse to believe that "little johnny" deserved an "C" or ask why he was suspended for a variety of reasons.

Oh, let's not forget some teachers are constantly fielding questions from parents throughout the day, under constant pressure to make sure the kids with "special needs" have a separate teaching plan WHILE teaching regular students, abuse and lack of respect from students AND parents.

Did I also mention have a tendency to get extra jobs on top of what they have have? No? Well, they do.

Now, the number you through out there are for teachers that are just starting out....but I've known teachers that haven't really gotten a raise in the past couple of years.

Yeah, I applaud your thinking teachers are living the high life on the easy hours and apparently they live in a paradise dealing with several hundred kids a day.

On behalf of teachers everywhere, STFU.

[brian0123]

@Marksmu

Both of my parents are teachers near retirement... so I know first hand what teachers go through. Despite what you think, here are some points you are forgetting...

- Teachers spend a ton of their own $$ on their students (because state funding sucks). They get to write off a couple hundred bucks a year... but everything beyond that comes out of their salary

- Teachers work far longer hours than you mention. I remember my parents constantly working on lesson plans at home, grading papers into the night, my dad would even do science experiments trying to determine the best methods for teaching his kids. Teachers also have meetings after school on their unpaid time... either with un-thankful parents (who's kid could never do anything wrong)... or power hungry principals.

- Teachers deal with liability, legal, and security issues you'd never imagine (or encounter in an office job). I could tell you stories of gang members my dad had to tackle in order to protect other teachers getting attacked. I can tell you stories of threats against my life from gang members because my dad was a teacher that punished kids w/ brothers in a gang.

I could elaborate more about the "sweet" life of teachers... but I feel it would be wasted on you. The real problem with our system is the politicians, district board members (that vote for the things you complain about), and other political idiots involved in education. Voters vote for those people... but fail to see how their votes bring about the problems they see... so they blame teachers instead.

My parents are some of the hardest working people I've known. They've been attacked, threatened (by students and parents), worked tons of extra hours, and put up with more crap than you'll probably experience in your life... all because they care about kids and making society more intelligent. Trust me, they didn't do it for the retirement plan.

[Sue Blackburn]

@Marksmu

Both of my parents are teachers near retirement... so I know first hand what teachers go through. Despite what you think, here are some points you are forgetting...

- Teachers spend a ton of their own $$ on their students (because state funding sucks). They get to write off a couple hundred bucks a year... but everything beyond that comes out of their salary

- Teachers work far longer hours than you mention. I remember my parents constantly working on lesson plans at home, grading papers into the night, my dad would even do science experiments trying to determine the best methods for teaching his kids. Teachers also have meetings after school on their unpaid time... either with un-thankful parents (who's kid could never do anything wrong)... or power hungry principals.

- Teachers deal with liability, legal, and security issues you'd never imagine (or encounter in an office job). I could tell you stories of gang members my dad had to tackle in order to protect other teachers getting attacked. I can tell you stories of threats against my life from gang members because my dad was a teacher that punished kids w/ brothers in a gang.

I could elaborate more about the "sweet" life of teachers... but I feel it would be wasted on you. The real problem with our system is the politicians, district board members (that vote for the things you complain about), and other political idiots involved in education. Voters vote for those people... but fail to see how their votes bring about the problems they see... so they blame teachers instead.

My parents are some of the hardest working people I've known. They've been attacked, threatened (by students and parents), worked tons of extra hours, and put up with more crap than you'll probably experience in your life... all because they care about kids and making society more intelligent. Trust me, they didn't do it for the retirement plan.

I absolutely believe that your parents are wonderful. This is not supposed to be an argument about teachers. This is about the politicians that were elected mismanaging funds and then trying to raise our taxes to get more money to mismanage. If anything one of my points is for the funds to be managed properly so that they will stop firing good teachers. I have found millions in expenditures that were not necessary and could better go to taking care of our children's education and keeping educator's jobs.

[ricco67]

Your document has nothing to state what the expenses were for. In what context was the spending?

Were they purchased for the people at HISD HQ? Were they for meetings? What kind of meetings?

Under what conditions would these expenditures were "allowable" by you?

[Sue Blackburn]

Your document has nothing to state what the expenses were for. In what context was the spending?

Were they purchased for the people at HISD HQ? Were they for meetings? What kind of meetings?

Under what conditions would these expenditures were "allowable" by you?

Here is what was copied from the check register on the category of catering. It's pretty much self explanatory. I have other documents from the check register that show other weird spending. I will be able to view the check register for this past year as soon as school let's out and it is posted.

If these expenditures were for meetings, they had a lot of them and ate pretty well. Pack a sack lunch and spend this "catering" money on a healthy lunch for our children. They are now served pretty much all fat and sugar or foods that turn to sugar.

Spending over $18,000 at McDonalds, over $55,000 at Carl's Bar B Que, and over $42,000 at Chick-Fil-A only to name a few, will NEVER be "allowable" by me nor it should be for them. This is not food that our children ate. If they were not purchased for the people who work at Cy Fair ISD then who did they spend it on. You tell me?

Catering cfisd.doc

[ricco67]

Here is what was copied from the check register on the category of catering. It's pretty much self explanatory. I have other documents from the check register that show other weird spending. I will be able to view the check register for this past year as soon as school let's out and it is posted.

If these expenditures were for meetings, they had a lot of them and ate pretty well. Pack a sack lunch and spend this "catering" money on a healthy lunch for our children. They are now served pretty much all fat and sugar or foods that turn to sugar.

Spending over $18,000 at McDonalds, over $55,000 at Carl's Bar B Que, and over $42,000 at Chick-Fil-A only to name a few, will NEVER be "allowable" by me nor it should be for them. This is not food that our children ate. If they were not purchased for the people who work at Cy Fair ISD then who did they spend it on. You tell me?

I haven't looked up the file you just uploaded and will later, I MEANT to say, CFISD HQ.

While I admit, I'm not familiar with how CFISD runs their meetings, I'm going to check a couple of my own sources for at least a comparison. It could be you're just making a mountain out of a molehill if other ISD's are doing the same thing.

[Sue Blackburn]

I haven't looked up the file you just uploaded and will later, I MEANT to say, CFISD HQ.

While I admit, I'm not familiar with how CFISD runs their meetings, I'm going to check a couple of my own sources for at least a comparison. It could be you're just making a mountain out of a molehill if other ISD's are doing the same thing.

If other ISD's are doing the same thing then they are way wrong too! Just because they all misspend doesn't make it right.

I am done with this board. Hope we get a bunch of people who give a hoot at the meeting. Thank you all for your comments.

[ricco67]

If other ISD's are doing the same thing then they are way wrong too! Just because they all misspend doesn't make it right.

I am done with this board. Hope we get a bunch of people who give a hoot at the meeting. Thank you all for your comments.

If you are done, then perhaps we won't deal with your data in which there is no context.

See ya.

[Ross]

Keep in mind that many expenditures that look strange are for school clubs. State law requires school districts to handle the funds for school based clubs. No more chance for that nice Mrs. Smith, the Glee Club volunteer Treasurer to fund her gin purchases by embezzling from the kids.

Something like 88 percent of CFISD expenditures go to personnel costs, if the presentation I saw earlier is true.That tells me there isn't a huge amount of so called fluff to cut without getting rid of people too. And whatever you think about staffing, someone has to pay the bills, file the reports the State and Feds require, operate the HR department, keep the books, do the budget analysis, answer the questions from interested taxpayers, etc. None of that comes free. I would also like to think we can treat our public employees decently. I don't expect them to work in conditions worse than I have at my office.

[Jedijake]

7-3, or 8-4 with a 30 minute lunch and an off period...4 months paid vacation, 401K with matching, and free health insurance.... Its a good gig with great pay for the hours involved....PERIOD. If you extrapolate a teachers pay based on the 8 months worked its quite a bit more than a private sector job, and the skills/education/training are equal.

Where do you get this information from? Matching 401K??? There is not a district on the face of Earth that I've ever seen of heard about that has anything that even closely resembles a 401K plan that matches anything (at least in Texas). If I am wrong,please correct me by submitting facts.

Free health insurance? Do you have any idea how much teachers have to pay into health insurance to get minimal coverage?

30 minute lunch-yes that's true but how many "desk" jobs get 90 minute lunches on a regular basis?

$40,000-$50,000 is a decent salary for a 9 month job. If the job was a 12 month job with hours similar to the corporate world, the job would need to pay at least $70,000-$80,000 easily just to compete.

The main issues I see is that in Texas people just don't pay that much in taxes and when they are asked to pay slightly more ($300-$500 per year max if the exemption were to be removed) they cry.

Remember, there is no state income taxes in Texas and the overall cost of living is a fraction of what it is in any other high profile state such as New York and California.

So, with all due respect, please provide supporting facts in order to make your case valid.