Posted: Monday, April 15, 2013 6:00 am
With regard to recent discussion of a merger between the school districts of Morrisville and Pennsbury: While on the surface many in Pennsbury have said they oppose a merger, I think it may be more beneficial than it would appear.Morrisville Borough relies on a real estate tax base that is made up of 85 percent residential properties. While this was adequate to fund a school system years ago, the reality is that small districts like this cannot support the level of education that is typical of suburban communities. Morrisville offers no AP courses, has limited electives, and even more limited resources. Education is not to the same standards as it is in Pennsbury despite what many may try to argue and a merger would help these children and improve the quality of education they receive now.
The immediate economic impact on the borough would be an increase in property values. The reduction in property tax burden would create an economic stimulus in Morrisville and result in more homeowners staying and not renting out these properties. More of the downtown will have diversified businesses and not the tobacco road it is now. A more stable community would be established and those who are currently living there would see resurgence in the community.
Bristol Borough has undergone a drastic change from where it was only 15 years ago. A change in philosophy and the assistance of a large tax ratable such as Dow Chemical have allowed Bristol Borough to thrive. Morrisville needs the same sort of shift.
A school merger has many variables and I am not advocating a stance on any of them. If it results in a 1 or 2 mil property tax increase for Pennsbury, the benefits not seen on a spreadsheet would be worth it. So instead of being closed-minded about "those kids" coming to Pennsbury, we should realize that those kids will be the adults of tomorrow and we want them as well educated as we would want our own.
Mike Falkevitz
Falls
But most importantly we should look at more than dollars and cents when discussing any merger. As of now, Morrisville is sliding into a suburb of Trenton. If there is not significant change in the borough, this will continue and Morrisville will become "West Trenton." Property values will plummet and instead of Lower Makefield and Falls being isolated from Trenton, we will be living next to it.
Bristol Borough has undergone a drastic change from where it was only 15 years ago. A change in philosophy and the assistance of a large tax ratable such as Dow Chemical have allowed Bristol Borough to thrive. Morrisville needs the same sort of shift.
A school merger has many variables and I am not advocating a stance on any of them. If it results in a 1 or 2 mil property tax increase for Pennsbury, the benefits not seen on a spreadsheet would be worth it. So instead of being closed-minded about "those kids" coming to Pennsbury, we should realize that those kids will be the adults of tomorrow and we want them as well educated as we would want our own.
Mike Falkevitz
Falls
29 comments:
This dude might not be the best spokesperson for a merger. He was behind a slimeball website against Kathy Boockkvar when she ran for Congress against Mike Fitzpatrick last year. The website falsely tried to link Boockvar to convicted cop killer Mumia Abu Jamal. Unlike him, I'm not painting an entire city of people with a broad brush, I'm painting one specific guy as a creep.
2 comments:
Falls Taxpayer posted at 8:58 am on Mon, Apr 15, 2013.
Posts: 263
I will only support a merger if they send the morrisville kids to Lower makefield.
That would be hilarious.
jayarby posted at 7:28 am on Mon, Apr 15, 2013.
Posts: 1549
Morrisville will become "West Trenton.". It is not the responsiblity of the Pennsbury taxpayers to save Morrisville from becoming West Trenton. Morrisville HAS become West Trenton.
all of you are racist, completely racist, so sick to death of the comments about becoming Trenton, those people, etc. Im so ashamed to be a part of anything that involves racism and looking at people differently in any way. Those people could be your kids if they were Gay or Mentally disturbed or physically challenged etc. Anything different than the white protocol is considered Those People. Sickening
You might want to post your comments on the Courier website since I doubt any of those posters would see your comments here.
Where have you been? This racist stuff has been used in Morrisville for years. "Those apartment people" is one of their code phrases.
pajmf1 posted at 11:25 am on Mon, Apr 15, 2013.
Posts: 425
I'll mention a few things that I shared on a previous letter to the editor regarding a potential merger between the districts. I am not necessarily opposed to a full merger, but I wonder how much impact it will make on Pennsbury's bottom line. Millage for Morrisville schools is 177.3 while Pennsbury's millage is 150.3. As far as I know, millage must be uniform for an entire district, meaning that a typical homeowner in Morrisville would see their school taxes decrease by almost $500 (assuming an assessment of $18,000). If I am calculating correctly, the total hit to tax revenue would be in the neighborhood of nearly $1,700,000. I do not know how many teachers from Morrisville would need to be retained, but I assume that the teachers who are retained will need to be brought up to Pennsbury's pay scale. Additionally, I have no idea how much the transportation costs would be for children in Morrisville. My wife and I own a house in Lower Makefield, so if this merger can be done with little or no cost to our tax bill, that would be great.
You know it's bad when......
pajmf1 comes across as a voice of reason
He found someone crazy enough to marry him?
If Morrisville becomes West Trenton, Then Falls and Lower Makefield will be the NEW Morrisville. Think about that one.
West Trenton is a section of Ewing Township NJ that's pretty decent. I'm Okay with it. Oh, that's not want "you people" mean. You mean "those people", don't you?
How can dollar driven low info people in Morrisville expect dollar driven low info people in Pennsbury to buy into a merger? Easy - they're irrational.
Anonymous said
"He found someone crazy enough to marry him?"
It's quite simple to figure out if you use algebra.
"You People"
While the phrase has long been used as an interpersonal generalization, it has become known as a racial epithet targeted to blacks only recently. The earliest documentation of this meaning that I can find is from 1992, when presidential candidate Ross Perot was chided for telling an NAACP audience about financial hardships befalling "your people."
Willie Clark, president of the N.A.A.C.P. branch in San Bernadino, Calif., said the overall tone of Mr. Perot's remarks and particularly his use of the phrase "your people" reflected how culturally out of touch he was with his audience.
"When he said 'you people' or 'your people,' it was like waving a red flag in front of a bull," he said. "It's something white folks have used when they don't want to call you nigger, but they don't want to treat you like an equal."
Mike Falkevitz was Jane Burger's campaign manager when she ran against John Galloway for the state rep seat.
Nothing but the best for him! Whoever or whatever he is, his letter to the paper wasn't very good.
Guys, we all dislike certain people, but could we please refrain from personal insults, especially those directed at family members?
Um What?
Yes, please avoid personal insults, and focus on the insults to good government and our intelligence perpetrated by certain individuals.
Regardless of past actions, whatever they may have been, his point is a good one. The whole topic of merger has been seen as one sided, Pennsbury "saving" Morrisville. But when you consider that a merger could be done with little increase across a wide tax base, and the fact that it could be good for Morrisville's property values and therefore bring up the values of surrounding towns, it can be viewed as something other than one-sided.
"A rising tide raises all ships."
MORRISVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT
"Friday Night Live!" - 4/19 7PM
This year will be the third annual Friday NightLive, a play put on by the students of Morrisville High School. The play follows the guidelines of the popular NBC television show Saturday Night Live. All Morrisville High School students may take part in the play. Those who take the theatre arts course, alone with their teacher and director Michael Scott, write sketches for the show. By writing their own material and using their own clothes as costumes, Dr. Scott and his students saved the district around $1,000. The students rehearse during class time and those not in the class rehearse after school on Wednesdays. Everyone gets to be a star in this play because everyone gets to be in a sketch, and for those in the course it is a requirement. If a student in the class does not put in the full effort of the others in their sketch, then it affects the grade of the both themselves and the students they are working with. So just as if it were a real business, student learn to work towards a good outcome. Just like the regular Saturday Night Live show, Morrisville's Friday NightLive has both a host and musical guest. This year there are two hosts, Moon Shafi and Dionna Berry. Our musical guest will be impersonations of Sparkle and The Blues Brothers. The show will be one night only on April 19th at 7pm. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. All the proceeds will be used for renovations to the auditorium. Come out and support the arts program of Morrisville High School.
...But, but, but Brown people!!!"
That is the Pbury elephant in the room.
They may try to disguise their suburban racism in politically correct lingo, but to anyone who cares to look, it is as obvious as the noses on their faces.
The merger can be spun in many ways that are positive for everyone, and I agree with Peter, but I think the momentum necessary to overcome the inherent racism of the white middle class will be the biggest barrier in this effort.
Even if it's not skin color per se, there's an element of socio-economic classism. Good luck with trying to overcome that. 500 years and counting on this continent. It seems like everybody needs somebody below them to dump on. It gets worse when the economy's sturggling.
I agree, but every time I see the words "per se", I think of Dr. Gould's lawsuit against Steve W.
Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I guess the book royalties must be flowing in by now....so it's all good.
It's like deja vu..? .....all over again..
"Merger Benefits Go Both Ways"
What? You mean like AC and DC?
"I agree, but every time I see the words "per se", I think of Dr. Gould's lawsuit against Steve W.
Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I guess the book royalties must be flowing in by now....so it's all good. "
LOL! Gould LOL'd too, all the way to the bank to deposit the $120,000tax on stupidity Steve W levied on himself.
More like a tax on malicious pie hole usage.
I read Steve W.'s book. It was bad. All those years, all that alleged effort and that was the best he could produce? That's really sad.
We're on the Highway to Hell if Stout gets another 4 yrs.
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