Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I absolutely want to scream in frustration with all of the holier than thou limousine liberals that think that just because Langley district parents want to ALSO get some benefit from their high property taxes (relative to the remainder of FCPS) they are incessantly demonized for that sentiment. I am fine with a meals tax or whatever it will take to help schools out of this budget crisis hole but to keep saying that Cluster 1 schools should suffer with the highest class sizes because Janie thinks we are all "wealthy" and can cover any gaps with our children's education. Despicable.

If schools have classes over the state limit or just below then it is a problem. Ever check the state standard for English classes ? Ever have 34 in grade 2? School is children's work. Anyone pay attention to a change where if a school has a lower number than expected the school can lose a staff member?

The state limit pertains to average class size, not individual class sizes. So, for every smaller class in one school,there can be a larger class in another and they average below the state limits.

You are wrong unless the state has had some changes. http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/legacy-content/867BCZ23F1F3/$FILE/StaffingStandards.pdf

Copied and pasted:
Certified instructional personnel
are to be assigned in such a way
as to result in a divisionwide ratio
of pupils in average daily
membership (ADM) to full-time
equivalent (FTE) teaching
positions in grades K-6 which are
not greater than the following
(excluding special education
teachers, principals, assistant
principals, counselors, and
librarians): 24:1 in kindergarten
with no class larger than 29. (If
ADM in any kindergarten class
exceeds 24, a full-time teacher's
aide must be assigned), 24:1 in
grade 1 with no class larger than
30 students, 24:1 in grades 2-3
with no class larger than 30
students, 25:1 in grades 4-6 with
no class larger than 35 students,
24:1 in English classes in grades 6
-
12

No class larger does not mean a division wide average. It is a dedicated classroom with an assigned teacher so if you have 35 treats for an event it is off by 5. I once called the state and that 24 for English means the group in front of a teacher. So yes-parents do have some basic issues.

Anonymous wrote:One thing for sure, with a BOS and School Board both controlled by Democrats, I'm a lot happier that Janie Strauss is our School Board member than Pete Kurzenhauser or some Elizabeth Schultz clone.

Mmm. K.

One thing for sure, with a BOS and School Board both controlled by Democrats, I'm a lot happier that Janie Strauss is our School Board member than Pete Kurzenhauser or some Elizabeth Schultz clone.

^^^This is a thread about Dranesville and Janie Strauss-not about the whole county.

Jeez, not allowed to give personal opinions or stand behind my own posts and arguments?

There are bigger questions here than just what happens in one part of one district. Budget processes happen yearly.

Since undoubtedly Janie Strauss or one of her minions Is reading this thread-why don't you outline what you plan to do in Dranesville once the draconian budget crisis hits next year. I'll make some popcorn and wait for you to write back and explain!

Janie?

Anonymous wrote:Are we really going to get into the makers/takers nonsense? Really?

I did say that I think Langley schools are getting shafted with the high class sizes. I completely understand the anger over that. I would stand with you on that one.

But I do wonder if you would be first in line to complain once the county figures out that tax rates will have to go up to more normal levels in order to maintain our current services, which are already strained? What if they shut down a park near you? Or didn't plow your road?

I argued in support of the 1/2% retail tax that was brought up in 2002(?) in a grad school paper. I get that it was regressive, but our sales taxes are rather low by comparison and our retail base is large. Since Richmond doesn't seem much interested in helping nova with any of our problems while happily taking our tax dollars, a local solution has to be found. Would any of you stand to support a very small sales tax to get more money for schools?

Money isn't going to just magically appear, though. Either services need to be cut (larger class sizes will likely result when the county transfer cannot increase or actually goes down) or taxes need to increase.

Lots of personal pronouns there. The election is over!

Are we really going to get into the makers/takers nonsense? Really?

I did say that I think Langley schools are getting shafted with the high class sizes. I completely understand the anger over that. I would stand with you on that one.

But I do wonder if you would be first in line to complain once the county figures out that tax rates will have to go up to more normal levels in order to maintain our current services, which are already strained? What if they shut down a park near you? Or didn't plow your road?

I argued in support of the 1/2% retail tax that was brought up in 2002(?) in a grad school paper. I get that it was regressive, but our sales taxes are rather low by comparison and our retail base is large. Since Richmond doesn't seem much interested in helping nova with any of our problems while happily taking our tax dollars, a local solution has to be found. Would any of you stand to support a very small sales tax to get more money for schools?

Money isn't going to just magically appear, though. Either services need to be cut (larger class sizes will likely result when the county transfer cannot increase or actually goes down) or taxes need to increase.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re: taxes. Again, I said you are not paying a higher tax RATE or EXTRA taxes. You aren't in a special tax zone. Yes, taxes on a $million+ Property are higher dollar wise than a $500k property. And maybe as a percentage of the entirety of tax intake, more of the money comes from Langley, but that is just a function of Property value/wealth. As a percentage of property value, you are not paying more than others.

Ridiculous. We heard you the first idiotic time you said this. Of course Langley district property owners are paying more $$, even when the rates are the same. We didn't get rich by being stupid.

Different poster here. It sounds like being rich didn't buy you manners, either.

It's reassuring to know that people in the rest of Dranesville elected a School Board member who has broader concerns than just telling wealthy Republicans what they want to hear, like Pete Kurzenhauser did during the campaign.





'

Anonymous wrote:Re: taxes. Again, I said you are not paying a higher tax RATE or EXTRA taxes. You aren't in a special tax zone. Yes, taxes on a $million+ Property are higher dollar wise than a $500k property. And maybe as a percentage of the entirety of tax intake, more of the money comes from Langley, but that is just a function of Property value/wealth. As a percentage of property value, you are not paying more than others.

What a politician's platform.

Yo, poor: Learn to state your case with facts. Uh, true facts. The straw man arguments are always losers.

Calm down, "rich" person. Sorry you don't like to hear that everyone is actually paying their fair share.

Feel free to move to another county where the homes are similarly priced with a much higher tax RATE and then get back to me about the horrible taxes in fairfax.

Anonymous wrote:Re: taxes. Again, I said you are not paying a higher tax RATE or EXTRA taxes. You aren't in a special tax zone. Yes, taxes on a $million+ Property are higher dollar wise than a $500k property. And maybe as a percentage of the entirety of tax intake, more of the money comes from Langley, but that is just a function of Property value/wealth. As a percentage of property value, you are not paying more than others.

Ridiculous. We heard you the first idiotic time you said this. Of course Langley district property owners are paying more $$, even when the rates are the same. We didn't get rich by being stupid.

Re: taxes. Again, I said you are not paying a higher tax RATE or EXTRA taxes. You aren't in a special tax zone. Yes, taxes on a $million+ Property are higher dollar wise than a $500k property. And maybe as a percentage of the entirety of tax intake, more of the money comes from Langley, but that is just a function of Property value/wealth. As a percentage of property value, you are not paying more than others.