School bonds on November ballot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another place money could be saved: FLES teachers

Oh now the Rs are out in full force.
Where in Fairfax would parents ever say "oh they cut Spanish at my kid's school" & the majority would be happy?

What do you have against Spanish language that you singled it out? Because FCPS offers FLES/LTC programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.

And, what do Republicans have to do with your ignorance?

Because Republicans are the ones who want to cut everything in the name of "taxpayers".

And why is taxpayers in quotes? They are the source of the funding. Or in your world does money grow on trees?

FLES is a "nice to have" program that achieves little. Kids are not going to learn a foreign language through FLES. With budget woes and so many children who need so much else, that could easily be cut.

I don’t think FLES in its current incarnation provides a lot of value, but this forum seems to attract a post of posters who are virulently against teaching foreign languages. It’s odd because American kids are far behind kids in other countries when it comes to knowing multiple languages.

In any event, it’s not directly relevant to school bonds, which are for capital projects, not ongoing instructional costs.

I am very much in favor of teaching foreign languages. However, I can tell you that no child is going to learn a language by a brief class twice a week. I taught in DOD schools overseas. We had a foreign language class twice a week--the kids were living in the country and it was appropriate in that instance. However, the only children who learned the language were the ones who lived on the "economy" and played with the host nation children. They did not learn it from the Host Nation teacher who came in twice a week.

Again, FLES is a "nice to have" program, but, has little value when funds are needed elsewhere.

Since the funds for FLES and cap improvements don't overlap, it is really a moot point.
But yes, let's takea way something that many kids enjoy and gets them prepared for HS and MS language.

At my kids school most kids DO NOT enjoy FLES in fact it turns them against wanting to take a foreign language. While there are some who probably enjoy FLES classes the program is costly and turns off a significant portion of the student population from wanting to learn a foreign language.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To those who say that our bonds are bloated, remember that Fairfax County is one of only a couple dozen localities in the country with a AAA bond rating from all three agencies.

Just about all local governments use bonds to finance key capital projects like schools. That's the best source of revenue for those kinds of long-term projects without raising taxes. Fairfax County's interest rate on bonds is exceptionally low compared to other localities. Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

I think you’re conflating two different things - (1) whether the county can service the debt; and (2) whether bond proceeds are being spent efficiently and effectively on capital projects.

For example, you don’t have to be worried that the county is going to default on a bond obligation to think it’s crazy that FCPS issued bonds to expand West Potomac to 3000 seats when Mount Vernon is under capacity or to fund a future ES in Dunn Loring that no one asked for and isn’t needed at that location.

There were people in this thread who argued against issuing any bonds because of the interest payments.

[Anonymous]

What does FLES have to do with bonds? Take your argument to a different thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

Building a new school is more like a mortgage on a home than it is a car loan. But thanks for pointing out how great it is that Fairfax County is spending only 10% of the general fund on debt, considering most people's home payment is around 30% of their income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

Building a new school is more like a mortgage on a home than it is a car loan. But thanks for pointing out how great it is that Fairfax County is spending only 10% of the general fund on debt, considering most people's home payment is around 30% of their income.

In a county the size of Fairfax, this sounds much more like a family spending 10% on a car loan. One school out of hundreds of schools is hardly the equivalent of your home mortgage to your budget. Remember, schools are over 50% of the budget in Fairfax. To spend 10% on bonds, is additional. And, interest rates are significantly higher than they were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

Building a new school is more like a mortgage on a home than it is a car loan. But thanks for pointing out how great it is that Fairfax County is spending only 10% of the general fund on debt, considering most people's home payment is around 30% of their income.

In a county the size of Fairfax, this sounds much more like a family spending 10% on a car loan. One school out of hundreds of schools is hardly the equivalent of your home mortgage to your budget. Remember, schools are over 50% of the budget in Fairfax. To spend 10% on bonds, is additional. And, interest rates are significantly higher than they were.

Most county governments are spending way more than 10% on debt. And at much higher interest rates than Fairfax County pays. I used to live in a city with terrible schools that was paying over 30% of their budget on debt services. They had a BBB rating. Fairfax has better schools while spending less on debt, at a lower rate due to the AAA rating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

Building a new school is more like a mortgage on a home than it is a car loan. But thanks for pointing out how great it is that Fairfax County is spending only 10% of the general fund on debt, considering most people's home payment is around 30% of their income.

In a county the size of Fairfax, this sounds much more like a family spending 10% on a car loan. One school out of hundreds of schools is hardly the equivalent of your home mortgage to your budget. Remember, schools are over 50% of the budget in Fairfax. To spend 10% on bonds, is additional. And, interest rates are significantly higher than they were.

Most county governments are spending way more than 10% on debt. And at much higher interest rates than Fairfax County pays. I used to live in a city with terrible schools that was paying over 30% of their budget on debt services. They had a BBB rating. Fairfax has better schools while spending less on debt, at a lower rate due to the AAA rating.

My guess is these less affluent areas have to borrow more money and don't have the revenue sources that Fairfax has (the high value Fairfax properties). In other words, Fairfax has no shortage of money with which to avoid debt - it keeps the rating good. Other areas are not so fortunate, not necessarily because they don't spend wisely, but because they don't have a large tax base.

That does not mean that we can't hold Fairfax responsible for bad spending. And there is definitely bad spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

Building a new school is more like a mortgage on a home than it is a car loan. But thanks for pointing out how great it is that Fairfax County is spending only 10% of the general fund on debt, considering most people's home payment is around 30% of their income.

In a county the size of Fairfax, this sounds much more like a family spending 10% on a car loan. One school out of hundreds of schools is hardly the equivalent of your home mortgage to your budget. Remember, schools are over 50% of the budget in Fairfax. To spend 10% on bonds, is additional. And, interest rates are significantly higher than they were.

Most county governments are spending way more than 10% on debt. And at much higher interest rates than Fairfax County pays. I used to live in a city with terrible schools that was paying over 30% of their budget on debt services. They had a BBB rating. Fairfax has better schools while spending less on debt, at a lower rate due to the AAA rating.

My guess is these less affluent areas have to borrow more money and don't have the revenue sources that Fairfax has (the high value Fairfax properties). In other words, Fairfax has no shortage of money with which to avoid debt - it keeps the rating good. Other areas are not so fortunate, not necessarily because they don't spend wisely, but because they don't have a large tax base.

That does not mean that we can't hold Fairfax responsible for bad spending. And there is definitely bad spending.

So, would you rather just raise taxes? Or do you not want to renovate schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

Building a new school is more like a mortgage on a home than it is a car loan. But thanks for pointing out how great it is that Fairfax County is spending only 10% of the general fund on debt, considering most people's home payment is around 30% of their income.

In a county the size of Fairfax, this sounds much more like a family spending 10% on a car loan. One school out of hundreds of schools is hardly the equivalent of your home mortgage to your budget. Remember, schools are over 50% of the budget in Fairfax. To spend 10% on bonds, is additional. And, interest rates are significantly higher than they were.

Respectfully, you don't know what you're talking about if you actually think local government bonds are like taking out a car loan.
Most county governments are spending way more than 10% on debt. And at much higher interest rates than Fairfax County pays. I used to live in a city with terrible schools that was paying over 30% of their budget on debt services. They had a BBB rating. Fairfax has better schools while spending less on debt, at a lower rate due to the AAA rating.

My guess is these less affluent areas have to borrow more money and don't have the revenue sources that Fairfax has (the high value Fairfax properties). In other words, Fairfax has no shortage of money with which to avoid debt - it keeps the rating good. Other areas are not so fortunate, not necessarily because they don't spend wisely, but because they don't have a large tax base.

That does not mean that we can't hold Fairfax responsible for bad spending. And there is definitely bad spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another place money could be saved: FLES teachers

Oh now the Rs are out in full force.
Where in Fairfax would parents ever say "oh they cut Spanish at my kid's school" & the majority would be happy?

What do you have against Spanish language that you singled it out? Because FCPS offers FLES/LTC programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.

And, what do Republicans have to do with your ignorance?

Because Republicans are the ones who want to cut everything in the name of "taxpayers".

And why is taxpayers in quotes? They are the source of the funding. Or in your world does money grow on trees?

FLES is a "nice to have" program that achieves little. Kids are not going to learn a foreign language through FLES. With budget woes and so many children who need so much else, that could easily be cut.

My kids had Chinese one year and Spanish the next year. Everyone was all excited because they thought Spanish would be far more useful than Chinese, but the teacher and the fake immersion format have been horrible. Huge waste of time. I'd rather they have more art or library time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Bond debt payments (both principal and interest) is only 10% of the general fund.

This does not send the message you think it sends.

Bond payments being only 10% of the general fund is incredibly good, actually. It is much higher in other counties.

So, you would be thrilled if your car payment was only 10% of your financial assets?

Building a new school is more like a mortgage on a home than it is a car loan. But thanks for pointing out how great it is that Fairfax County is spending only 10% of the general fund on debt, considering most people's home payment is around 30% of their income.

In a county the size of Fairfax, this sounds much more like a family spending 10% on a car loan. One school out of hundreds of schools is hardly the equivalent of your home mortgage to your budget. Remember, schools are over 50% of the budget in Fairfax. To spend 10% on bonds, is additional. And, interest rates are significantly higher than they were.

Most county governments are spending way more than 10% on debt. And at much higher interest rates than Fairfax County pays. I used to live in a city with terrible schools that was paying over 30% of their budget on debt services. They had a BBB rating. Fairfax has better schools while spending less on debt, at a lower rate due to the AAA rating.

My guess is these less affluent areas have to borrow more money and don't have the revenue sources that Fairfax has (the high value Fairfax properties). In other words, Fairfax has no shortage of money with which to avoid debt - it keeps the rating good. Other areas are not so fortunate, not necessarily because they don't spend wisely, but because they don't have a large tax base.

That does not mean that we can't hold Fairfax responsible for bad spending. And there is definitely bad spending.

So, would you rather just raise taxes? Or do you not want to renovate schools?

First, use available space before enlarging schools. Second, stop the elaborate renovations. Keep the renovations modest and stick to what is necessary.

Until then I will vote No on the bonds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another place money could be saved: FLES teachers

Oh now the Rs are out in full force.
Where in Fairfax would parents ever say "oh they cut Spanish at my kid's school" & the majority would be happy?

What do you have against Spanish language that you singled it out? Because FCPS offers FLES/LTC programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.

And, what do Republicans have to do with your ignorance?

Because Republicans are the ones who want to cut everything in the name of "taxpayers".

And why is taxpayers in quotes? They are the source of the funding. Or in your world does money grow on trees?

FLES is a "nice to have" program that achieves little. Kids are not going to learn a foreign language through FLES. With budget woes and so many children who need so much else, that could easily be cut.

My kids had Chinese one year and Spanish the next year. Everyone was all excited because they thought Spanish would be far more useful than Chinese, but the teacher and the fake immersion format have been horrible. Huge waste of time. I'd rather they have more art or library time.

Fascinating—given that this is not even offered in my kid’s school, I had assumed the PTA paid for these teachers. Had no idea it was county funding. Would sure be nice if this were not yet another inequity in the county. (Although I do NOT think the inequality should be solved by cutting the program where it exists!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I will vote yes when I finally see any movement on McLean HS getting a renovation.

Not voting for other kids to get a renovation because your kids aren't is a very McLean parent attitude.

Knee jerk stupidity. Look into how overdue MHS is for a renovation, how crowded it is, and how the county keeps green lighting development that will add to school crowding before you issue another thoughtless and uninformed statement like that.

Lol. They kind of have a point though. Just because you're not getting a renovation means you're going to vote against other people getting renovations? There is nothing we can do about that. I would love for my kid's school to get a renovation, but that doesn't mean I'm going to vote against these other schools.

See how you feel after voting yes on the bond for over 20 years and still not seeing your school which is in need make the cut.

There are lots of schools in need.

Clifton ES was in need but FCPS decided to close it despite having a whole comunity clamoring to keep the school open. We NEVER FORGET