lev·y / [lev-ee] 1. an imposing or collecting, as of a tax, by authority or force.
All you folks who plan on pullin’ the lever for the next levy – whether “it’s for the kids”, or for any other reason - follow me for a moment into hypothetical land.
Everybody should have a right to a good burger, right? Well, I’m from the government and I’m here to help, so I propose a government-controlled “public burger shop”. We’ll tax people based on income and property – so all you unemployed, disabled, retired, and impoverished folks suckling on the taxpayers’ nipple, don’t worry about a thing. It won’t cost you a dime. You stand only to gain. We’re going to take some money from the treasury to give you free burgers! Hooray for free public burgers!
I know what all you greedy folks who pay taxes are thinkin’. Don’t you even say that you can’t afford free burgers for everybody. You only think about yourselves! Don’t you care about the hungry? You can afford quarter-pounders and sweet potato fries for your kids at your lavish private burger shops, but what about poor children? Without food there is no future! Don’t you want a future for poor people?
Besides, many of you will have family members employed by the new government burger bureaucracy. You’ll have kids and grandkids getting their lunches from the new “public burger shops”. With the unemployment problems we already have, you don’t want your family members to lose their jobs or take cuts in pay, do you? All burger-makers will be forced to pay into a big union that will lobby all levels of government to ensure that they’ll get paid much more with many more benefits than private burger shops. We’ve got a program called “No Burger-Eater Left Behind” and it gives the burger-makers more money. It’s awesome! And besides, the “public burger shop” will sponsor sports programs that will keep your kids entertained many long hours. In fifty years, people won’t know how they ate before the government’s patties.
The downside? Ignore the tiny bureaucratic burgers – if only we had better paid burger-makers you’d get better quality burgers! Also, ignore the fact that a government burger is twice the cost of private burgers. Also, don’t pay attention to the fact that our union and the federal Department of Burgers promote sodomy, contraception, and abortion without parental consent for all burger-eaters, and with the separation of church and state, we can’t allow prayer and Bible in the “public burger shops.” Lastly, ignore the little fact that a levy is “force.” Just keep repeatin’, “It’s for the kids! It’s for the kids! It’s for the kids!”
Patrick Johnston
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Say “NO” to West Muskingum School Levy this Election Day 2012
I can’t speak for anyone else but as far as I’m concerned between the school district, county, state and the federal governments, I’m taxed enough already. And now, since my family has lost over a third of its income there’s nothing anyone can say that’ll convince me these agencies know how to spend my money better or need it more than I do.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the West Muskingum School officials and teachers are nice enough, but unfortunately for us they have become, “Pay me first” type people, who like to feed at the public feeding trough and saddle others with higher taxes so they can increase their salaries and benefits. These folks want prosper by exploiting our wealth and property and then in turn vote themselves our money. The way I see it, the hefty tax increase, associated with the school’s levy might not be much more than pocket change to most of the well paid teachers and school officials but to the majority of the folks who make a lot less, we call it a very large amount of money. Families must be able to pay for their homes, vehicles and other bills and can only cut back so far on utilities, medical care, and food consumption before life becomes miserable and dangerous! And, no one can't help but notice that food, gasoline, and energy prices are already sky-rocketing with no end in sight. I say we already give the school district enough tax dollars and I believe their ruthless attempts to hijack our money and put their financial well being above our families' is morally wrong.
We have a choice: We can allow them to raise our taxes or push back and insist they operate with the millions of dollars they already receive. A vote against the levy won’t be a vote against the school district; it will be a vote to keep your money. I say appeasing our greedy school officials with more money is like feeding a hungry bear in the futile hope it will eat you last.
Steve Mitchell
Printed in the Zanesville Times Recorder Aug. 28, 2012
Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the West Muskingum School officials and teachers are nice enough, but unfortunately for us they have become, “Pay me first” type people, who like to feed at the public feeding trough and saddle others with higher taxes so they can increase their salaries and benefits. These folks want prosper by exploiting our wealth and property and then in turn vote themselves our money. The way I see it, the hefty tax increase, associated with the school’s levy might not be much more than pocket change to most of the well paid teachers and school officials but to the majority of the folks who make a lot less, we call it a very large amount of money. Families must be able to pay for their homes, vehicles and other bills and can only cut back so far on utilities, medical care, and food consumption before life becomes miserable and dangerous! And, no one can't help but notice that food, gasoline, and energy prices are already sky-rocketing with no end in sight. I say we already give the school district enough tax dollars and I believe their ruthless attempts to hijack our money and put their financial well being above our families' is morally wrong.
We have a choice: We can allow them to raise our taxes or push back and insist they operate with the millions of dollars they already receive. A vote against the levy won’t be a vote against the school district; it will be a vote to keep your money. I say appeasing our greedy school officials with more money is like feeding a hungry bear in the futile hope it will eat you last.
Steve Mitchell
Printed in the Zanesville Times Recorder Aug. 28, 2012
Saturday, August 29, 2009
SCHOOL TAX HYPOCRITES
After another failed school levy, one is inclined to ask this question. Why is it that those who voted "YES," don't send the school an equivalent amount of money? I am sure that the SW school system will gladly accept their contributions.After another failed school levy, one is inclined to ask this question. Why is it that those who voted "YES," don't send the school an equivalent amount of money? I am sure that the SW school system will gladly accept their contributions.
They do not contribute what they voted for others to pay, because they are "SCHOOL TAX HYPOCRITES." They want schools to be funded as long as someone else pays the majority. Likewise, due to the absurdity of allowing those who do not own property to vote on property taxes, many who promote increased taxes pay nothing. This would include renters, owners of tax abated commercial property, young voters living with parents, extended family sharing a residence, etc. Most disturbing is school personnel that promote more tax while living outside the tax district.
Stop vilifying overburdened homeowners. What a terrible message to send to young people. "It is more important for you to pad your budget to increase teacher and administrator salaries and benefits, than it is to concern yourself with your grandparents being forced from their homes by confiscatory property taxes."
Our politicians must be forced to change the unconstitutional tax mode being used to fund schools. The school tax hypocrites are preventing the very tax reforms that would fairly and fully fund our schools. Blame them for the failed tax levy. Frankly, it is time for the school tax hypocrites to put-up-or-shut-up. To still contribute nothing more, after you voted for others to pay more property taxes, is dishonest. It is as hypocritical as our unconstitutional tax code that unfairly distributes the tax burden.
Steve Mitchell
Zanesville, Ohio
They do not contribute what they voted for others to pay, because they are "SCHOOL TAX HYPOCRITES." They want schools to be funded as long as someone else pays the majority. Likewise, due to the absurdity of allowing those who do not own property to vote on property taxes, many who promote increased taxes pay nothing. This would include renters, owners of tax abated commercial property, young voters living with parents, extended family sharing a residence, etc. Most disturbing is school personnel that promote more tax while living outside the tax district.
Stop vilifying overburdened homeowners. What a terrible message to send to young people. "It is more important for you to pad your budget to increase teacher and administrator salaries and benefits, than it is to concern yourself with your grandparents being forced from their homes by confiscatory property taxes."
Our politicians must be forced to change the unconstitutional tax mode being used to fund schools. The school tax hypocrites are preventing the very tax reforms that would fairly and fully fund our schools. Blame them for the failed tax levy. Frankly, it is time for the school tax hypocrites to put-up-or-shut-up. To still contribute nothing more, after you voted for others to pay more property taxes, is dishonest. It is as hypocritical as our unconstitutional tax code that unfairly distributes the tax burden.
Steve Mitchell
Zanesville, Ohio
Thursday, April 30, 2009
We all must live within our budgets
The people are fed up with every tax day the schools are on the ballot and sometimes they create their own tax days. What does a special election cost the taxpayers these days. The words that "this is not a new tax" insults the people's intelligence. We do not get a refund on our property taxes when a levy fails, so who then received the refund.
People are losing their homes, the food banks are empty, unemployment is 13 percent, and the dollar is losing its value. Each household must cut back to the bare basic. You might want to call city hall and ask for the money they throw away. Skateboard parks for 30 young folks, Secrest Auditorium, Gant Stadium, etc. This mess has to stop and you must live within your budget and stop the scare tactic at every election.
We have given a large amount of money for new schools, new furnishings, new equipment and the blood of this community. The schools must get away from this tapeworm attitude.
Michael Wyatt
Zanesville
People are losing their homes, the food banks are empty, unemployment is 13 percent, and the dollar is losing its value. Each household must cut back to the bare basic. You might want to call city hall and ask for the money they throw away. Skateboard parks for 30 young folks, Secrest Auditorium, Gant Stadium, etc. This mess has to stop and you must live within your budget and stop the scare tactic at every election.
We have given a large amount of money for new schools, new furnishings, new equipment and the blood of this community. The schools must get away from this tapeworm attitude.
Michael Wyatt
Zanesville
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Don't allow levies to tax us out of our homes
The West Muskingum School officials are only concerned about their agenda and don't care any more about the desires, needs or the lives of anyone else. And, for them to propose such a huge tax increase in these tough financial times is a slap in the face to the community. Their actions are especially unfair to the seniors who are living on fixed incomes and have lost thousands of dollars from their pension plans and the people who've lost their jobs from a business where they've worked most of their lives.
School officials continue to use friendly-sounding terms that usually begin with "It's only a few cents a day," or "It's only a few dollars per month," to make it sound like their levy will only have a trivial impact on people and say it's all about the kids. While, we all know that just isn't true. If all three of the school levies pass, the school officials will be financially set for years while most of us will be forced to make substantial sacrifices and adjustments to our budgets and lifestyles. I say there're too many people in our community who take pleasure in promoting every school levy that comes along and believe they know how to spend our money better than we do. Regardless of what your home value is, will you have the hundreds of extra dollars you will need to pay your property taxes? And, more importantly will you be able to continue to pay the new taxes if you or your spouse lose your job(s) or income(s)?
I think it goes without saying, if we managed our money like the school officials manage our tax dollars we would all be in the same financial situation and crisis they are in today. Please don't allow these people to tax us out of our homes. Enough is enough.
Steve Mitchell
Zanesville
School officials continue to use friendly-sounding terms that usually begin with "It's only a few cents a day," or "It's only a few dollars per month," to make it sound like their levy will only have a trivial impact on people and say it's all about the kids. While, we all know that just isn't true. If all three of the school levies pass, the school officials will be financially set for years while most of us will be forced to make substantial sacrifices and adjustments to our budgets and lifestyles. I say there're too many people in our community who take pleasure in promoting every school levy that comes along and believe they know how to spend our money better than we do. Regardless of what your home value is, will you have the hundreds of extra dollars you will need to pay your property taxes? And, more importantly will you be able to continue to pay the new taxes if you or your spouse lose your job(s) or income(s)?
I think it goes without saying, if we managed our money like the school officials manage our tax dollars we would all be in the same financial situation and crisis they are in today. Please don't allow these people to tax us out of our homes. Enough is enough.
Steve Mitchell
Zanesville
Monday, April 27, 2009
Think of the children
Sharon Smith gave us great advice to "think of the children." I'm sure every person who served in the military, to protect Americas democracy, has thought of their children and families. Their democratic government where the majority vote wins has worked well.
Twice lately the West Muskingum levy has been voted down by the democratic majority, but as many times before, through a special election, the board is trying to get it passed. I admire their efforts but they are focused wrong. They should join me in pushing our state legislators to solve the unfair school funding issue. I know that will probably not solve our district's problems, but somehow over time we have let our state government create a revenue monster for our schools.
Gov. Strickland admitted it is confusing to explain our current system. He boasts about our state spending $13 billion last year on new school construction. He asks for input, so I want to suggest we involve a statewide panel of educators to design a generic school building that will fit all needs. It could be added to as needed for bigger school districts. One hour could be added to each end of the school day to make a four-day week. We should do away with school boards because we already pay a superintendent for those responsibilities.
The panel would want to go through the plans for Hopewell, which was built in 1933, and through all these levies has no air conditioning.
The TR is supportive of all levies, not desiring to call our legislators to task. The TR even said if a child is killed walking to school it would be the fault of every voter in this district. This out-of-this world remark must have come from Uranus or another planet.
At the start of America's democracy I'll bet those people who threw the unfairly taxed tea into the Boston harbor were "thinking of their children."
Let's all please get out on May 5 and fill our democratic obligation.
Jack L. Strong
Hopewell
Twice lately the West Muskingum levy has been voted down by the democratic majority, but as many times before, through a special election, the board is trying to get it passed. I admire their efforts but they are focused wrong. They should join me in pushing our state legislators to solve the unfair school funding issue. I know that will probably not solve our district's problems, but somehow over time we have let our state government create a revenue monster for our schools.
Gov. Strickland admitted it is confusing to explain our current system. He boasts about our state spending $13 billion last year on new school construction. He asks for input, so I want to suggest we involve a statewide panel of educators to design a generic school building that will fit all needs. It could be added to as needed for bigger school districts. One hour could be added to each end of the school day to make a four-day week. We should do away with school boards because we already pay a superintendent for those responsibilities.
The panel would want to go through the plans for Hopewell, which was built in 1933, and through all these levies has no air conditioning.
The TR is supportive of all levies, not desiring to call our legislators to task. The TR even said if a child is killed walking to school it would be the fault of every voter in this district. This out-of-this world remark must have come from Uranus or another planet.
At the start of America's democracy I'll bet those people who threw the unfairly taxed tea into the Boston harbor were "thinking of their children."
Let's all please get out on May 5 and fill our democratic obligation.
Jack L. Strong
Hopewell
Friday, April 17, 2009
Fight the socialist educators; defeat levies
Our schools were the best in the world. What happened? According to the National Institute of Education, over 72 million Americans are functionally illiterate, and another 26 million can't read or write, period.
Did our children become stupid? Did our teachers forget how to teach? No! People like Cecil Rhodes in the late 1800s, John D. Rockefeller in the early 1900s, John Dewey, the father of modern, progressive education, in the 1930s, and terrorist teacher-educator William Ayers of today planned the "dumbing down of America" in order to establish a socialist society and a one world government.
In 1933, atheist John Dewey co-authored the Humanist Manifesto. On Dec. 5, 1928. he wrote in The New Republic, "The task of the school (his favored Russian model) is to counteract and transform those domestic neighborhood tendencies. ... the influence of home and church... The institution of the family is being sapped indirectly rather than by frontal attack. ... All sorts of groups are instituted that militate against the primary social importance of the family unit."
Dewey viewed the role of education as socializing children rather than educating them. His biggest supporter was and is the National Education Association. In the NEA Journal published in January 1946, Joy Elmer Morgan (Journal editor from 1921-1955) wrote, "At the very top of all the agencies which will assure the coming of world government must stand the school, the teacher, and the organized profession."
Today, the NEA supports abortion, the homosexual agenda, the radical feminist agenda, and the United Nations' globalist agenda. It opposes all competition, especially vouchers and home schooling.
The education bureaucracy has an agenda to globalize our children, not educate them to be independent thinkers. Their values are anti-family and anti-Christian.
Our schools receive more money per student than any nation in the world, yet we are not in the top 10 education-wise. They will continually demand more money, but resist any changes such as consolidating districts, using virtual online teachers, or cutting salaries. They want your hard-earned money, but without any personal sacrifice.
Demand change. Vote no on the school levies.
David Zaverl
Zanesville
Did our children become stupid? Did our teachers forget how to teach? No! People like Cecil Rhodes in the late 1800s, John D. Rockefeller in the early 1900s, John Dewey, the father of modern, progressive education, in the 1930s, and terrorist teacher-educator William Ayers of today planned the "dumbing down of America" in order to establish a socialist society and a one world government.
In 1933, atheist John Dewey co-authored the Humanist Manifesto. On Dec. 5, 1928. he wrote in The New Republic, "The task of the school (his favored Russian model) is to counteract and transform those domestic neighborhood tendencies. ... the influence of home and church... The institution of the family is being sapped indirectly rather than by frontal attack. ... All sorts of groups are instituted that militate against the primary social importance of the family unit."
Dewey viewed the role of education as socializing children rather than educating them. His biggest supporter was and is the National Education Association. In the NEA Journal published in January 1946, Joy Elmer Morgan (Journal editor from 1921-1955) wrote, "At the very top of all the agencies which will assure the coming of world government must stand the school, the teacher, and the organized profession."
Today, the NEA supports abortion, the homosexual agenda, the radical feminist agenda, and the United Nations' globalist agenda. It opposes all competition, especially vouchers and home schooling.
The education bureaucracy has an agenda to globalize our children, not educate them to be independent thinkers. Their values are anti-family and anti-Christian.
Our schools receive more money per student than any nation in the world, yet we are not in the top 10 education-wise. They will continually demand more money, but resist any changes such as consolidating districts, using virtual online teachers, or cutting salaries. They want your hard-earned money, but without any personal sacrifice.
Demand change. Vote no on the school levies.
David Zaverl
Zanesville
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)