Thursday, February 5, 2009

Taxing Situation


Tuesday was special election day in the Crestwood school district. The school board asked for permission to borrow $56 million to expand the middle/high school. The referendum went down in flames.

Is anyone surprised? This is a tough time to ask people if they want their taxes raised. It's always a battle, even more so when we're in a major recession.

It's clear Crestwood has a problem. The other morning, a teacher told me there's no available classroom space, no storage space, and no room in the cafeteria. State projections predict an enrollment increase in the years to come, so the overcrowding issues will worsen.

So, what do you do? There are no easy answers. It appears the school board and its consultants will have to come up with a less costly solution. No one wants to see education suffer, but there is a finite amount of money to go around.

Several other school districts here in our area should study the Crestwood situation. They face the same thing in the not so distant future. Just as space is running out in the schools, taxpayers are running out of money.

While we're on the subject of money, here are a few words on Tom Daschle.

The former senator withdrew as a candidate for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle came under fire after it was revealed he failed to pay taxes on a free car/limousine/driver service he received. Daschle paid the back taxes, interest, and penalty. Does that mean everyting is ok? No, it doesn't. Would Daschle have admitted his "mistake" if he had not been nominated for the HHS post? Many people believe the answer is "no." It's tough to ask people, and expect people, to pay their taxes when you haven't paid yours.

Those who think Daschle should have been in the clear because he admitted his "mistake" are sadly naive. He might have been a great HHS secretary, but you have to follow the rules.