The district can still use some funds from the reserve but those funds will have to be tagged for a one-time expenditure. Back out about $15 million with the blessing of TEA, and you can, with some belt tightening (not spending $20 million on a Global Science Center)at the top level, balance this year’s budget. IN A RECESSION, DO NOT RAISE TAXES! THE CAD HAS ALRERADY DONE THAT FOR YOU!

Bob Broxson (President) has a good point: the legislature is pretty good or bad about passing unfunded mandates so each of them can beg for the teachers’ vote. This puts a fast growing district like FBISD behind the 8-ball. But, that is why he is President; he needs to buck-up and show some mental and fiscal toughness and get the district on the right track without raising taxes. I didn’t even vote for the four-cent matching state funds tax in 2007-08 school year(all others did), because after the first year the state no longer sends you any money and you have already budgeted for those “now missing” funds. It gets kinda complicated but, the bottom line is, suck it up and deal with it and balance the budget without raising taxes…unfortunately, some high level aristocrats just might have to go without a pay increase or just go!

Almost a year ago Mr. Dunn sold FBN and with it the opinion editorial pages vanished. He took on the editorial supervisory role with the firm. Comments on stories were still allowed, but as often is the case, in this type of media, advertising pressure seemed to drive the ever increasing releases from public relations interests.

Good luck with your future endeavors Bob! We know your pen won’t remain silent for long.

(The above words were plagerized from http://fbisdwatch.blogspot.com/
but the feelings that they represent are authentic and deeply felt!)

Thanks for making my point.

I agree, ft bend conservative/JBB tosses out slop and hopes someone will buy it in trying to defend the indefensible by talking trash based upon skewed subjective opinions without any facts to back it up as well as to talk in circles; and once cornered with facts, attempts to back away as if it is his opposing debater who is at fault and lacks comprehension of what his projected views are/were from the inception of the discussion. It is so lame, pathetic, and cowardly. Everyone sees through the bogus nothingness of which he speaks.

I no longer accept the finger pointing game Jenney or the current BOT is engaged in. When I see them break on just one vote, then I will have tremendous respect for that action. For now they will continue to “rubber stamp” spending increases, tax increases and point the finger as directed by Jenney and the special interests (I call them district vendor feeders). They do not represent my interests or at least 500+ other taxpayers who signed the petition for them to resign. Further, at last years tax hearing, Howard showed up to chastise the board for actions he took which helped raise taxes in the district and our debt into the top ten in the state. I noticed he didn’t show up this year. I would encourage the constant attack by the vendor apologist to discontinue. It’s making him look very foolish and as an elected council official he shouldn’t want that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW2Jq2HWaAk (tax hearing video)

In my humble opinion based upon my observed and known experiences, Houston Federation of Teachers as well as the San Antonio Teachers Council local arm of TSTA have done best at keeping their respective school districts and BOT‘s accountable and on target regarding the rules in education of what is acceptable/unacceptable behavior toward teachers and what can and cannot be done in violation of teachers’ rights.

FS do teacher’s WORK 10 mos or 12, it doesn’t matter if you’re paid over 10 or 12 mos. Ignorance is bliss.

Once again for the ones with no reading comprehension skills, I’m not knocking teachers I’m pointing out the union shills and their negative influence on the budget. Sorry if that bothers some but if recent memory serves me the union just put GM under and they needed a taxpayer bailout. Why let them do the same with edu?

Your post #15 hit the bull’s eye. Bravo!

The unbelievable, ignorance which bounds regarding the attempts by some to not recognize the “Classroom Teacher” in the Teaching Profession as a Professional never ceases to amaze me.

The retail and fast food mangers who are insurgents in education are not the only ones who have applied the Wal-Mart perception to teachers. Why is it that people do not comprehend that a college graduate who becomes a classroom teacher is a Professional? And to that end, being a professional, inherently, are certain benefits.
Teaching does “not” fall within the category of a blue collar job.

Within the designated annual bank of leave days for teachers, some can be taken as sick days for personal or family illness; or days can be used as professional days for professional development, while some others can be used as personal business days, according to varied district rules, some may require at least a 24 hour approval prior to being granted. And of course any unused leave can be used for bereavement.

Even though, great pains are taken by “some” to minimize Teachers, but nonetheless, no matter how you slice it, Teaching is a Professional Career.

It is like a dumbing-down mindset to devalue the teacher as a profession yet, attempt to elevate the administrators as professionals. To remain a classroom teacher for one’s entire career is not as if the classroom teacher remained a blue collar and never became a white collar in administration. To attempt to utilize the same set of rules in retail and fast food chains and/or management are not applicable to the Teaching Profession.

Your post #15 hit the bull’s eye. Bravo!

The unbelievable, ignorance which bounds regarding the attempts by some to not recognize the “Classroom Teacher” in the Teaching Profession as a Professional never ceases to amaze me.

The retail and fast food mangers who are insurgents in education are not the only ones who have applied the Wal-Mart perception to teachers. Why is it that people do not comprehend that a college graduate who becomes a classroom teacher is a Professional? And to that end, being a professional, inherently, are certain benefits.
Teaching does “not” fall within the category of a blue collar job.

Within the designated annual bank of leave days for teachers, some can be taken as sick days for personal or family illness; or days can be used as professional days for professional development, while some others can be used as personal business days, according to varied district rules, some may require at least a 24 hour approval prior to being granted. And of course any unused leave can be used for bereavement.

Even though, great pains are taken by “some” to minimize Teachers, but nonetheless, no matter how you slice it, Teaching is a Professional Career.

It is like a dumbing-down mindset or process to devalue the teacher as a profession yet, attempt to elevate the administrators as professionals. To remain a classroom teacher for one’s entire career is not as if the classroom teacher remained a blue collar and never became a white collar in administration. To attempt to utilize the same set of rules in retail and fast food chains and/or management are not applicable to the Teaching Profession.

As previously stated why waste so much time and energy with a small amount of waste when the budget dwarfed by payroll being 87%. As the union shills chant teachers are underpaid, as a starting teacher is given $45k for a ten month job with various sham incentives and bonuses such as bi-lingual skills.

I remember Ms Baitland proudly proclaiming there were approximately 119 languages spoken in FBISD, why do we only incent spanish and not the rest of the 118? Its called waste and its on a massive scale.

This is the very reason many have left the local vendor feeding party and found they have no where to go if they truly practice physical conservatism. The district wouldn’t be in the trouble it is in now if the special interest types didn’t run to our taxing entities everytime they need corporate welfare. Naturally we can always be certain one poster will defend the real waste. I wonder what he thinks of the 15 million in “no bid” contracts at the district and the near 50 million in “no bid” contracts for some campaign contributors at the county level. Yes, yes that’s just good fat cat business that needs to be defended, not corporate welfare or vendor feeding on the backs of the taxpayers…..give me a break. I like this pseudo “ftbendvendorfeeder” . . . lol