The disconnect from reality is staggering.
Stay On Course: A tax increase is not an option for us
Posted: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 12:00 am
On May 17, Morrisville voters have the opportunity to make a statement at the ballot box about how they believe their district has been operating these past four years.
I am not a candidate, but I am a proud member of the Morrisville school board. I am supporting the Stay On Course school board candidates, including some of my fellow board members, for obvious reasons. One, we have done a good job by either reducing school taxes or holding the line on school taxes. Our educational programs are intact, our teachers are doing great and the kids are learning.
I am proud to say this board is responsible for eliminating school district debt connected with the former unpopular plan to build a $48 million new school. Our board has renovated existing school buildings, decreased taxes twice and did not raise taxes last year. This year we are aiming for the same no-tax increase.
You may have read in the Courier Times that other school districts are cutting teachers, bus drivers, staff, and class trips, while others are forced to raise taxes. I believe our record on decreasing taxes is unmatched in Bucks County.
As a member of the school board and its representative to the Bucks County Technical High School, I can say without hesitation that this administration, school board and its president, Bill Hellmann, have kept our district "on course" in very trying economic times.
I have been active in my community for years and really find it sad that a group of political opponents, who call themselves Morrisville Matters, come to board meetings and criticize and attack the board for everything short of rising gas prices. They have no answers and plenty of wrong information. At a recent meeting there was more negativism, but mostly we sat quietly until our board president had enough.
There was a story about this meeting in the Easter Sunday Courier Times. It showed what we go through at some meetings, especially around the elections. There were a few inaccurate statements, but they were answered by Mr. Hellmann in the story. It should be pointed out, however, that a statement attributed to a "parent" was definitely inaccurate. She said board president Hellmann had "waved" around campaign fliers before the meeting ended. It was that night's board agenda, not a campaign flier.
And our friend is more than just a parent, she is the campaign treasurer for the "Matters" candidates out to unseat Bill Hellmann.
What else outraged the group? Hellmann reminded them, again, before the meeting ended, that the Morrisville school board has not raised school taxes and is likely not to raise them this year. Hellmann also said if you "want to keep your taxes down" vote for the Stay On Course candidates. The shouts and accusations that followed were darn uncivil.
Speaking of civility, where does it say we need to take public abuse from people who are loose with the facts and whose own agenda is a mystery? Where does it say their politically motivated attacks on our school district need to hang out there for all to hear and see on video and go unanswered? And where does it say the good work everyone is doing in the schools and on the board should be disregarded?
Our job as school board members is to manage the business of the district, including adopting a realistic, workable budget. It's not complicated. We have done that. We also work hard to keep a heavy tax burden off property owners in this town and we don't spend money we do not have. This year we are dealing with cost increases, state cutbacks and a $2 million deficit. We have worked tirelessly with our administrators and business manager to whittle it away as best we can. A tax increase is not an option for us.
Cutting taxes and avoiding tax increases take hard work and cooperation from our administrators and staff and we appreciate it. We live in this community and we realize that many of us are not affluent, many of us are senior citizens, or young families, barely hanging on to their homes, but we share something in common: We all want what is best for our children and their future.
Now it's my turn to enter the political fray and ask our Morrisville friends and neighbors to support the Stay On Course candidates on May 17: Bill Hellmann, Marlys Mihok, Al Radosti, Yvonne Ruthrauff, Steve Worob and Alina Marone. Take those names to the voting booth because what happens in Morrisville is important to all of us.
John "Jack" Buckman, Morrisville, is a member of the Morrisville school board and the Bucks County Technical High School Board. He formerly served on the Programs and Services Committee for Education and was a Borough councilman for 12 years.
13 comments:
Isn't this the same Jack Buckman that insists on financial responsibility for the rest of us while not paying his own bills?
talk about inaccurate information. Mr Buckman you should have proofread your letter or perhaps the person who wrote it for you should have also checked his/her own facts. The voters will speak on May17th and they are speaking loud and clear!!!
Funny (not ha ha), every time I've scratched the surface with these folks, whether it's Morrisville schools, test scores, the Tech School, the I.U., etc., I find it's littered with incorrect statement, outright falsehoods, distortions, and hypocrisy.
Almost every time I've asked legitimate questions of the Board, I've gotten no answers. Others have had the very same experience. This is the really sad part, because we tend to be the ones with children in the district.
To reduce the consistent attendance, participation, and legitimate civil questioning by people you don't agree with to just a bunch of politically motivated attacks and abuse is so wrong, and so far off base, yet par for "the Course".
For example, here's what Jack Buckman said at the April 2010 meeting last when questions were asked (but not answered) about the budget:
"You had your chance to ask questions, you know what we're going to do, what do you want, more meetings?".
Here's what candidate Steve Worob said about "us", the Stay on Course-declared "out group":
"Don't listen to these small-minded people over there".
I believe we as a community can do better than this, and it doesn't have to cost any more money or taxes.
May 17, 2009
Unpaid but unbowed
By: GUY PETROZIELLO
Bucks County Courier Times
Voters should think twice about candidates who can't keep up with their own tax bills.
People who flunked math shouldn't apply for accounting jobs. And people who don't pay their taxes shouldn't run for public office.
We have in mind two Morrisville Council members running in Tuesday's primary, one of them for mayor; and an incumbent Morrisville school board member, who formerly served on the town council. All three candidates owe a total of $9,600 in outstanding tax, sanitation, water and sewer bills.
The three candidates are incumbent Council members Eileen Dreisbach and Rita Lidge, who's running for mayor; and school board member Jack Buckman. Explaining why they're in arrears, the three candidates cited financial hardships brought on by family and health problems.
While we are not unsympathetic to people experiencing hard times, especially now, it's difficult to muster confidence in candidates for public office whose personal affairs are askew. After all, these are the folks who want to determine everybody else's tax bills, yet are unable to pay their own; who want to manage town and school district affairs, but can't effectively manage domestic affairs.
Letter writer Cynthia Dee Wilson perhaps captured the sentiments of a lot of folks with this sentence: "If their personal lives are so overwhelming at this point in time that they cannot keep their own house in order, why would they add the additional responsibility of running for public office? If they cannot keep their own houses in order, why would they expect the voters to believe they can keep + Morrisville Borough and the Morrisville School District in order?"
Good question.
Look, we're not knocking the candidates' records. They might have done a good job despite personal difficulties. Maybe that says a lot about character. In the end, voters will have to decide what it says to them.
"On May 17, Morrisville voters have the opportunity to make a statement at the ballot box about how they believe their district has been operating these past four years."
You said a mouthful, Jack.
"I have been active in my community for years and really find it sad that a group of political opponents, who call themselves Morrisville Matters, come to board meetings and criticize and attack the board for everything short of rising gas prices. They have no answers and plenty of wrong information. At a recent meeting there was more negativism, but mostly we sat quietly until our board president had enough."
Here's the thing... How about you and the people you support answer a few more questions. Oh, you don't have to answer them all, just some. Even one would be a good start. A few answers would go a long way and THEN, perhaps, you would hear fewer criticisms.
Also, it is *really* suspicious that the final budget is not being addressed until after the election. Not a great way to garner support.
Morrisville needs a little more openness, a few more answers, and a whole lot less hot air.
Below are the main things I mentioned in my public comments at the April board meeting. I challange Mr. Buckman or anyone on team Stay on Course to rebut any of the facts I’ve stated.
1. $30,000 in unauthorized new doors were installed at Grandview in February, and no one answered my questions about it.
2. The Board is not following the budget calendar posted on the District’s website under the Business Office.
3. Bill Hellmann and/or Marlys Mihok made public statements about how they’d never seen the I.U. try to control its budget, the number of employees grows every year, it’s like the Tech School only worse, etc. And yet a little research shows … the total I.U. budget has dropped at least 2 years in a row. Last year, the drop was about $2 million. The number of personnel dropped by over 50 last year. The I.U. consolidated and cut administration positions, lowered administrator salaries, purchased larger vans to reduce transportation costs, employed an outside firm to service computers, etc.
4. As our I.U. rep., Marlys Mihok had a stretch where she only attended 6 out of 26 monthly I.U. meetings (23% attendance).
after that letter from Buckman which played with the facts about the end of the last meeting I have lost all respect for you Jack!
Buckman & co. aren't playing to the people who follow what these jokers do and know how unresponsive and dishonest they've been all 4 yrs.
They're playing to the people who don't really know this.
An uninformed or misinformed electorate is their best friend.
Aren't all of their best friends sitting up at the table with them now?
Sounds like a lot of defense to me
They deserve each other. It's the rest of us who don't deserve them and their brand of divisive partisanship and political hackery..
"Ted Parker said...
after that letter from Buckman which played with the facts about the end of the last meeting I have lost all respect for you Jack!"
I was where you are about 15 years ago. (as far as the not respecting Buckman) Nothing has changed. People like Jack & friends aren't playing the same game you are. I have learned this. I haven't put my own morals, standards, code of conduct, etc on those folks for many years because its like comparing apples and oranges.
I don't put too much stock in what is said & done around election time. For me, it's what's done the rest of the year I'm interested in.
Jack has always been a slow talker with a commanding voice both of which make people listen and believe what he says.
Jack is a party-line person without actually being a politician.
I would like to point out that he is also a union man, which doesn't seem to be a bad thing unless you are a Democrat.
Jack serves a purpose. He is a nice enough guy to have a social conversation with when he is out alone, without any fellow followers. He had a role to fill when he sat on council. He brought nothing new to the table. He showed enough concern for things so that everyone would think he's a nice enough guy. He was there for Jane when she needed him without giving any thought as to what was best for the town and could even make a case for whatever it was when needed. He filled the shoes of his friends which is what he was supposed to do. It was his role. Its the same for him sitting on school board. The exact same.
Remember this Loose With The Facts alert from two years ago?
We teach our children to be honest, school leaders should be honest, too! Don’t believe the hype!
The FAKE “Morrisville Times Leader” newspaper you may have received in the mail is a paid advertisement for the Stay On Track Candidates.
The candidates tried to hide that information in what appears to be an inserted political ad on page 4.
The address on the “newspaper” is SCHOOL BOARD
PRESIDENT BILL HELLMAN’S OFFICE. Mr. Hellman also wrote the “Letter to the Editor”. Why is he writing to himself?
Answer: To deceive you, the voter!
The Stay on Track candidates are willing to deceive you to get your vote.
Let them know:
We are not buying what they are selling!
Post a Comment