No, we should not give this school district one more dime until Abbott/Calabrese/Donovan/Thompson and crew and Allum Hamblett are booted out.

That way, when we do give the school district money, it may actually reach the teachers, staff and students instead of the pockets of these out of touch school board members and these overpaid, useless district administrators.

Just my opinion.

BTW, how much do YOU know about Dennis Thompson, the superintendent, and his actual background? Quiz yourself here:

http://www.dennisthompsonbackgroundqu...

Charlton Heston said it best:
"From my cold dead hands."
Efficient and effective, from this clown circus.
Not.

Where I come from, the school board members are NOT paid, they volunteer. Collier County should do the same, this will save asubstantial amount of money.

Dennis can't wait to say I told you so - this is all part of the plan.

the CCPS School Board budget for 07-08 is $487000. as i recall. i could check for the exact amount if anyone cares.

i am voting NO.

they transfer from Capital whenever they want. last year around $81 million. including into Operations.

also "local effort" at .25 only gets them around $11 million. i just don't see what this could be about unless they are looking at 09-10.?

I'll vote no. Once you vote yes Thomspon can do whatever he wants with the money & it won't go the the students & for teacher raises. I got my first graders supply list on the last day of school & I am not buying a thing this year. The lists get longer & longer every year & I have 3 kids in school & there is no way I can afford their supplies. I will vote no cause Thompson won't use it for the students.

W_Coyote, does the Admin suggest you buy the supplies or do you just know there will not be enough?

curious minds want to know.

Glad it's changed to November. It's not fair to have a vote when the population is down for the hurricane season. The only people still here seem to be the stingy ones.

I suggest that we hold the decision on the custodians until we vote.

Voting no is just spite.

Mimi: you're more than half a billion short.

mimibuck,

In reference to your post # 5, you state that the budget for CCPS for 07-08 is $487000. I must assume that it is a typo, as I cannot conceive of how CCPS could operate with only $487,000 for this past school year. When you consider how much they spend on a daily basis just to function, this amount would not even come close to the funds needed and used. It costs $1,000,000 a day in part of operations alone.

I realize that this is most probably a misunderstanding in communication (possibly on my part), but I did feel the need to make that statement.

Have a good evening.

JUST VOTE NO!!!!!!

no, angel12, that is the School Board's budget. i was replying to #3.

CCPS's total for 07-08 is $1.19 Billion.

Operation's amount spent 07-08 is around $460 million.

no problemo!

ok, i checked, i was wrong (hate it when that happens but i did say i was working from memory, and i am old LOL) the correct amount is $494,888.57. up $121,999.68 from 06-07.

sorry about that.

When times were good the district spent every dime and they will tell us that they did a great job.

Today they have a short fall and they did not plan for the lean times. Now they ask for more money. I say NO! Our taxes in Naples are already like those in the Rust belt. Do what we all do, "belt tightening" even until it hurts.

LOL Sounds like the vote is going to be a resounding NO from the voting public. I will vote no as well. Roughly 40% of your property tax bill goes to state and county schools and yet they need more money?
I agree with #14. When times were prosperous every project the district asked for was approved, no matter how large or expensive.
Why not save for a rainy day? Nope, they had the money and it was a gift from us as taxpayers and now that times are tough they ask for more?
I will vote no. Do what you can with what you are budgeted. Shortfall you say? Isn't that they are PAID for? To plan and prepare.
Can't help but shake my head at the tenacity to even try and stick this on a ballot. I hope everyone votes no, and it receives 100% of the vote. Wow, how truly ignorant.
we spent all the money, we need more, just ask for it, never been denied in the past right?

FLCERTIFIED - Check with the County, if I am not mistaken, Linda Abbott HAS INDEED registered to run - I believe it was on Tuesday, along with Mark Albanese against Kathy Curatolo - Mark is her clone and will be manipulated by her - If there is such a thing as MORE disasterous, it will be if she, or any of her clonies win this election - We are all doomed......

Such attitudes, and what a shame! Each year, every classroom is given somewhere between $250 - $350 to spend on supplies and educational resources. This amount includes construction paper, supplies for students who do not purchase them for themselves, and for everyday things we take for granted such as tissues. Visit the local classroom supply store, and check out the cost of just one resource book. This amount doesn’t come close to covering the real cost of having 20 students in a classroom for 9 months. We are now given a chance, not to increase our taxes, but to realign our tax money to better meet the cost of our priorities, and we respond with malice? Personally, my child’s education is my number one priority, and I'm gladly working three jobs to make sure that the education is a good one. YES, I will support my child’s teacher, YES I will support my child’s school, YES, will hold each school board member accountable, and I will vote YES for the referendum!

With all due respect W_Coyote if you cannot afford the supplies for your children you shouldn't have had them. I get very tired as a taxpayer of parents who say I cannot afford my kids so make someone else pick up the check please using the forceful arm of our government. I'll pick up the check if you drop them off at a firestation claiming you can no longer provide due to the cost of pencils. I do however bet you own a wii, a cellphone, and big screen....

AverageCitizen,

Where do you teach? $350? I've been with the district almost 15 years and have never received that much to spend on classroom resources.

I originally supported this referendum, but now have second thoughts. What guarantees do we have that the $ will actually find their way into a classroom?

As far as I'm concerned, the antipathy Thompson refers to originated from HIM! The lies and insults from him and his Chicks, especially Hayes, started almost immediately. Actually, the threats to our steps started before he came (but really, when was his ascension to office actually ordained?), and the way we had to fight for even a 1% "bonus" was insulting. This is while the Administrative Salary Schedule includes steps, a "COLA to be determined by the Board" (What was it?) and a 2% salary increment just for not being evaluated unsatisfactory. Then, he extended the contracts of central administrators to 2 years, even for those administrators on the DROP, while terminating teachers who were on DROP and firing able administrators.

Maybe the Board will quietly determine the COLA for him and his Chicks on June 19, when everyone is gone. That's when they will vote on the custodial contracts. This practice has been SOP for years.

Eric Williams got it right. He got out while the getting was good!

I don't think it is too much to ask parents to send thier children to school prepared and with supplies such as pencils, paper, etc. However, when teachers are asking for specific 5 subject notebooks (cost can be up to 7.00...) or asking us to send in tissues for the class it can get costly. For my highschool student I can spend up to 50-60$ for supplies. And these are the required supplies, some even have required colors for binders. That is a bit excessive when you can buy other notebooks or loose leaf paper for much less.

Interesting link, swamp4u2, but teachers only get 40% retirement.

I'll also max out at less than half the average fire fighter salary in that article.

not a dime, this district has thrown more money away than ever before. it is time to can these board members and start new

If the money that was taken from taxpayers for new school construction/land acquisition is no longer needed (due to wildly innacurate population growth forecasts) then it should be returned to the taxpayers rather than having it squandered on bloated operations expenditures which are already funded by our taxes.

Smile - you can thank the district administration for those "specific color" and other specific supplies - all part of the new plan to get students organized. I can't wait for August when the stores run out of the specifics.

Tissues - a pet peeve of mine as well, as both a parent and teacher. This is the first school district I've worked in that hasn't at least provided the industrial (feels like blowing your nose on sandpaper) type "tissues".

For everyone who is saying they will vote no because there is no guarantee the money will end up in the classroom - stop blogging here and start emailing your board members and demanding accountability! An email a week from now to November saying things like "I'll vote for the referendum if you start stocking tissues in the classroom." or questioning "how will this money impact the classroom?" might put the pressure on the board to actually make some wiser choices.

muchwizernow - where are you getting your information? Please post the url. colliervotes has not updated their candidates page.

Nice sentiment, teachurkids, but I've emailed the board MANY times. I even know one casually. The number return acknowledgments, even to say they looked at my input, have averaged about 40%.

After all these years, I'm convinced that they care not a whit!

Spite will blind you. There's not a dime more coming out of taxpayers' pockets if you vote "yes" on the referendum. It's not giving the school board more money. It's ridding CCPS of the iron curtain between capital funds and operating funds.

If you try really hard, you _can_ understand. We've been talking about the issue for decades.

Vote "yes" to _stop_ spending on cement football fields, video surveillance cameras (that no one watches) and giant-screen two-way tv's in every school library. The reason for these excesses is the iron curtain. Vote "yes" and change at least part of it.

The reason for those excesses is so they can REDUCE the amount they pay people (and pad their own pockets as well as those of their friends when they buy them).

The cement football fields reduce maintenance so they can fire some grass cutter. The technology is to chase out older, more pedagogically savvy teachers and bring in ignorant, and cheaper, young teachers. (They're also easier to control!) And those giant-screen two-way tv's are there to allow the elimination of small AP classes. If there aren't 25 students at your school for a particular class, they can just join a class remotely at another location.

Am I reading things wrong here? I didn't think this was a vote for a tax increase. This is just voting to be able to move money from one bucket to another in the budget. I think people need to get this straight and know why they are voting no. YOu're not voting on raising taxes.

I will vote no because I don't think the school board has shown that it knows how to spend its money wisely.

Remember, if you vote no the school district will still get the tax money for the capital budget. They will not reduce the tax assessment, even if they do not need it. Therefore, if it is not passed, the district will still have the money for capital projects and spend the money on more fields and technology that many feel is not needed while operating expenses suffer.
I will vote yes and then vote for 2 board members that will use the money appropriately in the same election. For the first time in a long time, let us vote intelligent people to the board and give them the funds needed to improve our schools.

Amen, Ian_Curtis, Amen!

Look at it this way. You earn 500.00 dollars a week, but your expenses are 700.00? Instead of cutting back on things you really don't need, you start using your credit cards. Hense, you are heading for disaster! The way I see this whole matter is if we don't start cutting back, and we just start moving money around, we are heading for a real disaster and no matter who new we get on the board, we will still have to deal with this problem. Also, I don't want the board to think that if they spend the money in a negative way, they can just do another referandum down the road. Taxpayers have to make a stand by saying NO, BOARD GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER! Also, teachers are saying a vote for no is just being vindictive? Do you really believe you will get some big raise if this money becomes available? Thompson stated, teachers are already slated this year for a 3% raise. Vote NO!

I will vote NO. I am tired of paying so much property taxes, gas is too high, food is too high, The school system will have to make ammends just like the rest of us who are struggling!!!

I call BS on upnorth!

When and where did Thompson ever say that teachers were getting a 3% raise?

Of course, contrary to all jobs that have a step increase built in, like the military (know anything about that T?), this admin continues to call the step a raise. You certainly can't call the bonus a raise, so where do you get that 3% figure?

Re post #35 - Speaking of Thompson, how much do you (or anyone else) really know about his background? You can take a 10 question multiple choice quiz about him here:

http://www.dennisthompsonbackgroundqu...

Enjoy.

Good, last week on TV, Thompson said there was a 3% raise slated for raises. It is up to the teachers union how to dish them out! He also said he knew of 10 counties that were getting no raise or taking pay cuts! Watch channel 20 once in awhile!

Messina, you are all wet.

With all due respect W_Coyote if you cannot afford the supplies for your children you shouldn't have had them. I get very tired as a taxpayer of parents who say I cannot afford my kids so make someone else pick up the check please using the forceful arm of our government. I'll pick up the check if you drop them off at a firestation claiming you can no longer provide due to the cost of pencils. I do however bet you own a wii, a cellphone, and big screen....

I can afford, and do purchase, all the may children need for school. Each year, as my taxes rise, the list of items I am told to purchase grows. And grows. And grows. I am asked to provide for families that cannot provide these items. The schools should do so. Many projects and teachings do not take place unless parents, or teachers, supply the materials. This is outrageous; the schools and the taxes paid to them should be financing such issues -- not additional management and friends of the superintendant... The answer to the problems facing our schools is not more money -- certainly not more money to administrators like the current superintendant and school board, who have shown unforgiveable fiscal irresponsibility.

By the way, I have a cell phone. As for the rest of the items, inuendo and ignorance in your unfounded, unsupported, ill considered, ad hominem attack, well... as I said, you are all wet.

PLEASE! Only elementary teachers like to buy extras for their classrooms because that is what they want to do! Because they feel by purchasing these items it will help them teach! When parents are ask to purchase folders,colered pens etc.. they are the wacky ideas of the teachers! What I have noticed in the past, teachers screw each other! Each dept is given money to buy ink cartridges, pens, etc..most will abuse the alotted money, hord pens, crayons and lock them in their file cabinets! It's never enough?
However, it is a shame, with all the taxes that are spent in the schools, we still have to pay for the extras? VOTE NO!
P.S. The only dept turning a profit, is the school cafeteria. And you should see the amount of food they throw into the dumpster! Where is the taxpayers kick back?

Ballot fatigue???

Dudley, give us a break. WE are all not that slow!!

O.k. 1 more time class. If you vote NO for the referedrum they will CUT OPERATIONS I.E. TEACHERS, PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES like BAND or SPORTS. Collier is rich in CAPITOL i.e. FOOTBALL FIELDS AND BUILDINGS. GOT IT

rocknfla, keep your eyes and ears open - and again, mark my words - Thompson agreeing to this referendum is a manipulative maneuver to tell the Board, "I told you so, now listen to me..." He didn't want to back this referendum because he knows the backlash will be directed at him - so be it - and it will then give him justification to cut more jobs and entire departments - If one could see the financial improprieties that go on in the taj, it would make your stomach flip flop.

Programs and activities are not education related camerman, gut them all.

camerman, you, and the others are correct that this referendum will not raise taxes. but there is no guarantee that the District will not raise mil rates. also, no matter how i try to figure it, not a lot of info on the math, we're only talking about $10-18 mil or so into ops.

i still argue that $20 mil shortfall is only 2% of $1 Billion. why is Admin saying that it all is coming out of ops? last year, according to the Final Budget 07-08 ths District transfered $86 mil from capitol which included $26 mil to ops. something isn't being said. i don't trust 'em.

i also am trouble understanding our state legislature telling districts they are not getting any money but not, at the same time, allowing flexability or other remedys. unless the state feels none are needed.

so for now at least, NO. particularly to CCPS. we have excess tax monies and are a "donor" county. Thomson is citing "property tax poor" Ag countys, whose school boards meet in double wides.

BTW, i also love to point out that CCPS and LeeSD have virtually the same budget funding, $1.whatever Billion, but Lee has 80,000 students while Collier has 40,000.

whas up wit that?

someday i may get really bored and put up all the departments and their many directors and maybe even all the cockamayme job titles in the admi salary range. would take about 3-4 maxed out comment sections.

but then you all might think i was flcerifiablyinsaneteacher.

i probably would have already but can't copy/paste from CCPS website.

I may be wet but your not getting my money....

re post #46 - someday i may get really bored and put up all the departments and their many directors and maybe even all the cockamayme job titles in the admi salary range. would take about 3-4 maxed out comment sections...

-----
That's a good idea. I hope you do that!

http://www.dennisthompsonbackgroundqu...

re post #16 - Someone emailed me and said Linda Abbott is not on the ballot. Just FYI.

BTW, thanks to everyone who is taking the quiz! I appreciate your nice emails supporting my blogs, as always! :)

http://www.dennisthompsonbackgroundqu...

Re post #7 and post #40 - Here's quiz question #1 for you Rockford Rockheads:
----------

(1) According to available information about his background, Thompson has spent how much time teaching in a K-12 classroom, or working in a K-12 classroom in any capacity?

CORRECT ANSWER is a number that begins with Z -
ZERO...
------------

BTW, try as I might, I just can't seem to convince Tallahassee to stop visiting my site. They seem to find it quite interesting, based on the number of hits I get from that area.

Just FYI.

http://www.dennisthompsonbackgroundqu...

Upnorth - I don't know where you get the idea that elementary school teachers are "hoarding" supplies. Team budgets barely cover the basics, and I mean pencils, paper, name tags, dry erase markers, pens, crayons, colored pencils, various office supplies. It's a double edge sword - all parent supply lists say "suggested" because the district has the obligation to provide the needed supplies, yet team or grade level budgets do NOT allow for that to be done without some out of pocket expenses by the teacher. If we use our team budget on the student supplies, then I'm buying my own office supplies out of pocket. If we use it on office supplies then I'm buying student supplies out of pocket. Well, guess what? Student supplies out of pocket are cheaper! So, if I have to bite the bullet, then I'll be out there in August buying folders at 10 for $1.00 rather than spending $10.00 on a box of envelopes to put report cards in.

And, let me be clear on this - I have no intention of spending my own money on student supplies this year. At least not without some arm twisting from either my team or from administration.

Blog#52, Hooray, you better not be spending your money. If you team tells you to, you need to get a new team, or unionize and say NO! IF administration suggests this, tell them for the next 4 years, things are going to be tight and you can't afford it anymore. They can't fire you if you are tenure, right?
VOTE NOOOOOO!

On the education channel... one of the board members asked Withers, the school board attorney, if the wording on the November referendum could be changed to make sure the money will go to the students and the classrooms. Withers smiled and said he wouldn't advise being more specific with the wording because the money will be spent on other things as well.
I would need to see exactly what they plan to spend the money on before I vote yes or no.
And some more interesting facts people are missing:
1. certifiedflteacher is not and has never been a teacher in Collier county

2. Also, teachtrouble has never been a teacher anywhere.

So please, stop taking their blogs as expert opionion.
The real teachers are all to busy working their second jobs to sit here and converse with ignorant swamp dwellers.