UPDATE: Super Maher was at Dem Forum today and we should have video up soon. I asked him about the super precincts and why they did it that way. He said he ‘struggled’ with doing it with the General which would have saved money and made it more convenient, though he argued the super precincts would make it more convenient. NOT AT ALL. I appreciate his honesty though by admitting it is NOT as convenient. I’m not sure how this bodes for a 60% passage. I still think they would have had a better chance in the general. I still think this will fail with a 55% approval.
Missteps by the School District continue to mount.
The story going around is that the district mailed out around 60k of the ‘Ignite’ flyer. Or as a foot soldier said to me last night, “Have you seen the ‘G-nite’ flyer.”
As someone who has worked in printing and design for over 25 years, I will hold back on my critique of the poorly designed piece and only focus on how our tax dollars are being spent. (they put the important budget information in 4 point type)
First, the entire piece seems to be in violation of state campaign laws by expending tax dollars to promote passing the school bond. They pretty much say everything besides ‘Vote Yes’. Ding. Ding. Ding. You lost.
NOTE: Super Maher will be at Dem Forum Friday at NOON spreading the love.
Click to enlarge images
But the best piece was by School Board President, Alberty;
You know, I have met Kent a few times, I didn’t know he was a comedian. Isn’t it ironic he points out that when you have ‘joint’ elections with all the precincts, voter numbers go up AND in another ironic move claims he is ‘saving us money’ by having a stand alone super-precinct election.
Hey Kent, I heard they offer remedial math classes at SE Tech. You may be able to get a discount. Not sure? But worth looking into.
You would save us thousands of dollars by having it with the general election AND you would get a larger voter turnout. But what makes his article ‘comedy hour’ is bragging about saving us a couple of grand while asking for a $300 million dollar tax increase. That’s gold Kent! Gold!
So let’s look at the 13 precincts, and obvious attempt to circumvent the YES vote. I circled the wide swaths of areas in red that will not have ‘vote centers’. Notice the NORTH end again is ignored. The central poorer area is ignored. But for some strange reason, the ‘nice school’ districts have vote centers AND all of sudden the school district has recinded their NO precincts at schools rule that they have during other elections. Interesting.
As I have mentioned in the past, this is possible violation of Federal Law. But hey, when we are breaking state campaign laws, why not break Federal ones too.
This entire election is a SHAM, and I encourage everyone to VOTE on September 18 a resounding NO and make our school board and administration go back to the drawing board.
We can educate our kids better, we can END segregation through ENDING open enrollment and we can do it fiscally prudent. Let’s make it a priority that the education of our kids come before the profits of banksters, bond salesman and contractors. We deserve better and the School Board and Administration should be ashamed of this plan, it is disgraceful.
This is a classic South DaCola move.
Step 1: Claim you support an idea in theory.
Step 2: Find fault in “the process†and complain about the process loudly without discussing the merit of the idea itself.
Step 3: Propose an alternative that you haven’t researched and isn’t being discussed by anyone.
Step 4: Accuse someone of breaking the law or having a conflict of interest.
Step 5: Complain even louder when people aren’t paying attention to you and tell your followers to resist the original idea, despite your previous support of said idea theoretically.
Step 6: Voters ignore you and you lose on the issue.
Step 7: Find something new to complain about.
Thank You Matthew Paulson for pointing out why I have ran a successful public local policy government blog for the past 12 years, and I am usually not one to brag;
Step 1: Claim you support an idea in theory.
It’s not a ‘Claim’. Public education is investment in society, and call me a socialist, but it is one of the greatest American socialist programs (if only we can get healthcare and higher education). I deplore private schools and their constantly wanting ‘vouchers’ and such.
Step 2: Find fault in “the process†and complain about the process loudly without discussing the merit of the idea itself.
There is NO merit in the process. They are possibly violating Federal and State election laws. Sure, funding public education is a good thing, but lying to the people who fund it is not wise.
Step 3: Propose an alternative that you haven’t researched and isn’t being discussed by anyone.
LMAO. That’s all I am going to say to your idiotic comment.
Step 4: Accuse someone of breaking the law or having a conflict of interest.
Um. They are. And if I want to hire out of state lawyers for thousands of dollars, all I can do is point it out on the blog. Notice NO ONE from the SFSD has said my claims are false? Hmmm. The policy is ‘Never admit guilt.’
Step 5: Complain even louder when people aren’t paying attention to you and tell your followers to resist the original idea, despite your previous support of said idea theoretically.
Nothing louder here, just my normal run of the mill local politics blather. I see corruption, I point it out. If that is screaming to you, you need to chill out.
Step 6: Voters ignore you and you lose on the issue.
Yes, sometimes I lose, but not always. I would have won on the Events Center if it was a legal bond vote.
Step 7: Find something new to complain about.
I’m glad YOU have a new hobby, complaining on my blog.
I will commend you though for using your real name, for now.
most of the north is industrial or part of the airport, so it appears most people are closer to a voting center.
I got the Ignite. It got the wrong reaction. Much of the Sioux Falls community is seniors. They’d probably pass on going to the poll but they’ll go now.
I don’t even know where to start with your infuriating naysaying on this issue. I was at the teacher meet-and-greet at Lincoln last night with my son and daughter. We met with math, English, and foreign language teachers in hallways and other teachers’ rooms because there aren’t enough classrooms so teachers have to share rooms even for core classes. My daughter’s ad room meets in the cafeteria because–surprise–there isn’t enough room. And Lincoln isn’t even above its official capacity, unlike Roosevelt. And with enrollment growing in the lower grades, the issue will be worse for kids younger than mine.
If there are problems with open enrollment, one of them isn’t that it crowds some schools and not others. Feel free to go through the lists of schools that have been published and show me which ones have tons of room for more kids.
Is there supposed to be some magical solution that doesn’t involve spending millions of dollars on more and better facilities? It’s easy to point out how terrible everything is, but it doesn’t solve anyone’s problems. Meanwhile, I want my kids to go to schools that are well-appointed, well-staffed, and not overcrowded. That doesn’t get paid for with snark and cynicism.
Monrovia – There are a lot of people who live in the North area, and even if it is ‘fewer’ than the central or south areas, doesn’t matter. Precincts must be provided in ALL the voting areas of the district.
Michael, as usual, you are reading between the lines. If you have read my numerous posts about this topic I have been very clear I support building new schools and support bonding for them. My two ‘issues’ is the process to which we are getting there (the special election) and the pricetag (which is tied in with the task force and conflicts of interest, redistricting now and the segregation thru open enrollment). One of the TF members, Public Works director Mark Cotter who has deep knowledge of bonding for projects and tax levees suggested that they bond for about half (100 million) and pay the rest through the capital outlay. I thought that was a good idea, and the reason why we have the capital outlay. The finance department with the school district went ballistic about how they can’t trust Pierre and what they will do with the capital outlay. I’m sorry, but we seem to be paying a lot of people (administrators) with the district to help lobby in Pierre to have a more equitable system. This entire thing is a gigantic boondoggle that doesn’t solve really anything except building more brick and mortar.
People who live north of Sioux Falls outside of city limits vote in Renner. Why is there no vote center there.
I see how this works. Hold an election with “Super Precincts,” where many of the precincts are quite “convenient” for those on Pendar Lane.
Oh, and is it fair to say, that those most positively affected by new schools have the most “convenient Super Precincts,” or am I mistaken?
#NowIGetIt
#TheDistNeedsMorePrecincts&TheSFPDNeedsPrecincts!
How did concerns about the safety of the kids and staff magically disappear?
Suddenly, we have school locations as vote centers back in the mix. Specifically, Memorial Middle School where parking will be a nightmare for voters.
But, wait. It is also the school that is the farthest over capacity in the district, so naturally they’re hoping to pick up a lot of ‘YES’ votes…..
Important point to remember…..if this 300m bond issue passes the boundaries for all schools in the district will be re-drawn which means that some of you Memorial Middle School families that should now be going to McGovern will finally be where you belong.
Voter – Dr. Maher has said that boundaries are going to be re-drawn regardless of how the bond vote turns out.