there is only one Montgomery County School District

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "we pay more in taxes" argument stems from the fact that two similar basic brick colonial houses, say one in Bethesda and one in the Silver Spring neighborhood featured in the Post this weekend, will sell for prices varying by perhaps $200-$400k. The Houses are similar...so it must be the land that is the difference here. Land=location, not landscaping. Thus, while tax rates are the same, person A might believe that he or she is paying "more in taxes" --which is. the case--than person B. Similar houses, but more taxes. A more expensive house, yes, but that is due to location.

Understood, but again, the point of the unified/single-county tax system is fair distribution of resources county-wide regardless of who pays more for their house. In a town-based system, you might have two houses in the same town costing e.g. $500K and $300K but the kids in those houses will attend the same schools in the same system.

Theoretically the county is supposed to distribute these resources across the county fairly. Therefore the statement "we pay more in taxes" is fine by itself, but "we pay more in taxes and therefore are entitled to better schools" is emphatically NOT fine given the point of county-based government.

Theoretically, you're right but realistically, you are not. I live in one of the W clusters and I want more because I pay more - bottom line. However, I have no problem with the fact that my money goes to help others in the school district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "we pay more in taxes" argument stems from the fact that two similar basic brick colonial houses, say one in Bethesda and one in the Silver Spring neighborhood featured in the Post this weekend, will sell for prices varying by perhaps $200-$400k. The Houses are similar...so it must be the land that is the difference here. Land=location, not landscaping. Thus, while tax rates are the same, person A might believe that he or she is paying "more in taxes" --which is. the case--than person B. Similar houses, but more taxes. A more expensive house, yes, but that is due to location.

Understood, but again, the point of the unified/single-county tax system is fair distribution of resources county-wide regardless of who pays more for their house. In a town-based system, you might have two houses in the same town costing e.g. $500K and $300K but the kids in those houses will attend the same schools in the same system.

Theoretically the county is supposed to distribute these resources across the county fairly. Therefore the statement "we pay more in taxes" is fine by itself, but "we pay more in taxes and therefore are entitled to better schools" is emphatically NOT fine given the point of county-based government.

Theoretically, you're right but realistically, you are not. I live in one of the W clusters and I want more because I pay more - bottom line. However, I have no problem with the fact that my money goes to help others in the school district.

I'm pretty sure that my kids in magnets are getting a better education than yours in the W cluster are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "we pay more in taxes" argument stems from the fact that two similar basic brick colonial houses, say one in Bethesda and one in the Silver Spring neighborhood featured in the Post this weekend, will sell for prices varying by perhaps $200-$400k. The Houses are similar...so it must be the land that is the difference here. Land=location, not landscaping. Thus, while tax rates are the same, person A might believe that he or she is paying "more in taxes" --which is. the case--than person B. Similar houses, but more taxes. A more expensive house, yes, but that is due to location.

Understood, but again, the point of the unified/single-county tax system is fair distribution of resources county-wide regardless of who pays more for their house. In a town-based system, you might have two houses in the same town costing e.g. $500K and $300K but the kids in those houses will attend the same schools in the same system.

Theoretically the county is supposed to distribute these resources across the county fairly. Therefore the statement "we pay more in taxes" is fine by itself, but "we pay more in taxes and therefore are entitled to better schools" is emphatically NOT fine given the point of county-based government.

Theoretically, you're right but realistically, you are not. I live in one of the W clusters and I want more because I pay more - bottom line. However, I have no problem with the fact that my money goes to help others in the school district.

I'm pretty sure that my kids in magnets are getting a better education than yours in the W cluster are.

Like I said, I don't mind that my extra tax dollars are going toward helping your child get an education that he/she might not have otherwise. Also, since your child is obviously NOT in one of the W clusters how do you know what type of education those children are receiving??? Right - you don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "we pay more in taxes" argument stems from the fact that two similar basic brick colonial houses, say one in Bethesda and one in the Silver Spring neighborhood featured in the Post this weekend, will sell for prices varying by perhaps $200-$400k. The Houses are similar...so it must be the land that is the difference here. Land=location, not landscaping. Thus, while tax rates are the same, person A might believe that he or she is paying "more in taxes" --which is. the case--than person B. Similar houses, but more taxes. A more expensive house, yes, but that is due to location.

Understood, but again, the point of the unified/single-county tax system is fair distribution of resources county-wide regardless of who pays more for their house. In a town-based system, you might have two houses in the same town costing e.g. $500K and $300K but the kids in those houses will attend the same schools in the same system.

Theoretically the county is supposed to distribute these resources across the county fairly. Therefore the statement "we pay more in taxes" is fine by itself, but "we pay more in taxes and therefore are entitled to better schools" is emphatically NOT fine given the point of county-based government.

Theoretically, you're right but realistically, you are not. I live in one of the W clusters and I want more because I pay more - bottom line. However, I have no problem with the fact that my money goes to help others in the school district.

I'm pretty sure that my kids in magnets are getting a better education than yours in the W cluster are.

Like I said, I don't mind that my extra tax dollars are going toward helping your child get an education that he/she might not have otherwise. Also, since your child is obviously NOT in one of the W clusters how do you know what type of education those children are receiving??? Right - you don't.

The magnets are available to all residents, county-wide. Your tax dollars are supporting them for your kids, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Theoretically, you're right but realistically, you are not. I live in one of the W clusters and I want more because I pay more - bottom line. However, I have no problem with the fact that my money goes to help others in the school district.

I think it's important to remember that when you buy a house you are not signing a contract with a particular school to educate your child. Boundaries change, class sizes increase or decrease, principals change, populations change. People may say that they deserve better schools because they paid more money for their houses, but they paid a seller and a realtor, not a school. To people choosing homes, please live in a community that you like and don't be tempted to choose a living arrangement you don't like because it's inside the bounds of a "good" cluster. If boundaries change or that cluster becomes overpopulated and your child is sent to a different school, you will be stuck in a house you don't like for the sake of a school you are no longer in.

A school near me has been very well regarded and the property values have reflected that, and as lots of new families have moved in, it is now growing significantly over capacity with no solution in sight. These things can happen.