"Money for schools...blah blah blah"

[Anonymous]

I thought I would add some new spices to the Political Forum seeing that it has been dominated by the campaign/candidate threads. So, I'll open up a new can of worms with the old familiar (and "safe" line to use) when government officials and politicians need to justify and claim new and/or higher taxes are needed - We need money for schools.

What gives? Not only on the federal level, but especially the local (county) level. Sure, I understand the need for taxes for public services (police, fire, etc.), for public projects (roads, libraries, etc), and for the public good (food stamps, mental health, foster care, etc.). So, I am not disputing that. I just get really annoyed that raising the sales tax or tacking on a restaurant fee or raising the hotel tax (too bad for the tourists) is ok because "it would be going to the schools"

Ok, yea, the schools need money too - teacher salaries, upgrades, renovation, etc. I get it, but how much is enough (or too much?). The government officials and politicians couldn't possibly find other ways to fund schools (re structure the budget, allocate funds, bonds, surely there must some revenue from existing taxes -sales, food, the lottery!)? Seems like schools have a lot "sponsors" now days too- Box Top for Education, Giant and their computers, etc. and there is still a need to raise taxes?

Would it be wrong to raise the taxes for only families that use the schools system? The rest of us would naturally still pay, but those that are using it would just pay a "bit" more. Maybe in theory that would work, but not realistically?

And you folks in DC that typically opt to send your kids to private schools - do you favor vouchers or wish there wasn't such a thing as public schools (since you are paying for a service not being used)?

Just wanted to vent and throw some thoughts out there. Guess, I'm just tired of hearing the whining about not enough $ for school so let's raise taxes.

[jsteele]

You should move into the District. We haven't raised taxes for schools -- we did it for a stadium! Our schools might be falling down, but we have one hell of a baseball field.

[Anonymous]

I guess public schools are necessary - though in an ideal world I wouldn't have to pay for them, since we won't use them. There are plenty of people who are not able to choose, and I want them to have access to a quality education because it's better for all of society if they do. So I'm willing to pay something for that. However, I'm not iterested in paying more at this time because of one statistic: DC pays more per capita than most (we may be #1) and has one of the very worst school systems. When they are able to provide a good education for that money, I will pay happily.

[Anonymous]

I will take you at your word that you are trying to spice things up, and not being deliberately obtuse. Do you really think that you get no value from public education even if you choose private for your kids? No value from having public-school educated employers, employees, colleagues, friends of children, fellow citizens, etc? In my mind, *free* public education plays such a central, fundamental role in a democratic society that its value is indisputable.

[Anonymous]

I'd like school vouchers so that if the public school in my area isn't up to standards, I'm not forced to continue funding them with my own tax dollars. I know THAT is a whole can of worms in itself, especially in the DC area.

[Anonymous]

OP didn't seem to be arguing for NO money for public schools - just questioning this incessant need to have more, more, more for the schools - even at times of very tight budgets (for families and governments). I totally agree (and have a young kid that we plan to send to public school). There will always be a million worthy programs and I have no doubt that the schools could do more with more money - but there are simply not unlimited resources that can be spent - even on very worthwhile goals like improving public school performance. We live in Mont. County and so pay TONS in state and local taxes. With the economy and housing prices slipping, now is a time for governments to try to rein things in a bit for awhile and put off exciting new plans for a better time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will take you at your word that you are trying to spice things up, and not being deliberately obtuse. Do you really think that you get no value from public education even if you choose private for your kids? No value from having public-school educated employers, employees, colleagues, friends of children, fellow citizens, etc? In my mind, *free* public education plays such a central, fundamental role in a democratic society that its value is indisputable.

It's not free. Our tax dollars pay for it. Just like socialized healthcare wouldn't be "free" either despite how some pols portray it. Given you don't really have any free choice in which public school your child attends, why should you a) be forced to continue supporting that school with your own tax dollars, and b) not have free choice to send them to another public school? Give me my money back with a voucher so that I could afford (if I wanted to) to send them to a private school which would help them reach their highest potential. Note that DB and I are both public school educated and have done just fine, and that the public school in our area is decent at the moment, but our daughter is less than 2yrs old and not in school yet. By the time they are, all that could change, and they re-district all the same. I'm arguing on the principle of freedom of choice and letting an open market work. If you don't like the local school, you should be able to choose another one while not being forced to still pay for the first. That's anti free market.

[Anonymous]

I think education of children is a public good. So are roads. Everyone benefits whether you have children or not. It's not just the car owners who benefit from roads.. pedestrians, bus transportation, delivery of goods and services. If you have a better educated populace, you have fewer societal problems.

Many of those children educated with tax payer dollars will grow up to be cardiologists, oncologists, astronauts, social workers, firefighters, government servants. They really will think of new solutions for curing diseases, saving lives, establishing new environmental practices that will keep the air we breathe cleaner. Don't tell me this does not affect your lives directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will take you at your word that you are trying to spice things up, and not being deliberately obtuse. Do you really think that you get no value from public education even if you choose private for your kids? No value from having public-school educated employers, employees, colleagues, friends of children, fellow citizens, etc? In my mind, *free* public education plays such a central, fundamental role in a democratic society that its value is indisputable.

OP here,
I thought I made it clear in my original posting, to clarify...I'm not opposed to NO money for public schools, but I don't want my taxes raised specifically for them. It seems school-funding is a great excuse to raise taxes and I was venting.

I know I ranted on a few different things in my post - interesting to read the replies.