This blog is mainly for the Bloomfield Township residents who happen to live in the PONTIAC SCHOOL DISTRICT and for other taxpayers in other communities that live in the Pontiac School District.
(Please forward this blog to those that live in the PONTIAC school district.)
MILLAGE PROPOSALS
Last May 2015, the Pontiac School Board had a millage on the ballot that FAILED. Well, here it is AGAIN on the ballot August 4, 2015. How much is it costing the Pontiac School District to put this on the ballot in August? What if it FAILS AGAIN? Will the voters see it for a third time?
Below is the official language of the ballot issue:
SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF PONTIAC
MILLAGE PROPOSAL, BUILDING AND SITE SINKING FUND TAX LEVY
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property in School District of the City of Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, be increased by and the board of education be authorized to levy not to exceed 2.87 mills ($2.87 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 5 years, 2015 to 2019, inclusive, to create a sinking fund for construction or repair of school buildings and all other purposes authorized by law and state agency interpretation; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2015 is approximately $7,082,074?
Click here to see the Pontiac School District literature to vote in favor of the millage.
I recommend a NO VOTE....AGAIN !!!
The words in red above ...I did for emphasis...you won't find it that way on the ballot.
What "OTHER PURPOSES"?
Of course buildings that are repaired are healthier and safer for the education of children.
I would hope that an evaluation of the buildings currently in use have been completed and a list of must have repairs are so noted. The taxpayers should be given an idea of how the $7+million each year for 5 years will be spent. Personally, I would not vote to hand over $35 million dollars unless I had a much better idea of exactly where it will be spent.
"other purposes"
Government/Schools "other purposes" language scares me. Too vague. Too costly.
Below is what I wrote before the MAY 2015 ballot issue:
Here is the section of my archived blog from April about Pontiac Schools.
Pontiac
DESPERATE: ... What will a five year "sinking fund" @2.87 mills/ a little more than $7 Million... do for a FAILING school district? If money is needed for "construction or repair"... why not QUICKLY sell the 17 properties/and others not listed for sale to generate revenue and stop maintenance fees and repairs?
Enrollment is DROPPING...and Pontiac HS was the state's bottom ranked school. Can you blame the many suburban households ( Bl. Twp., W. Bl., Sylvan Lake, Auburn Hills, Lake Angelus, Waterford, Orion) that are located in the Pontiac school district for wanting out and reassigned to adjacent school districts? Best way for that to happen...go VOTE.... quit voting yes and let the district DISSOLVE. Now is the best time to vote NO. Say NO on all future millages until the State ends this district for good. Save the students... send them to better schools. My opinion.
As for my community, only people living in Bl. Twp. precincts 12 and 29 will vote: Bloomfield Township on August 4, 2015. Please VOTE !!!
Here are the other MUNICIPALITIES THAT NEED TO VOTE ON THE PONTIAC SCHOOLS MILLAGE PROPOSAL
VOTERS need to go TO THEIR normal precinct and vote on AUGUST 4, 2015.
Here are 7 other communities in the Pontiac School District and links to each:
Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Sylvan Lake, Lake Angelus, West Bloomfield Township, Waterford Township, Orion Township.
There are currently 430 homes for sale in the Pontiac School District. Click here to view homes for sale. The amount each property will PAY in taxes will vary greatly.
While NOT having a VOTE, maybe the surrounding school district taxpayers should pay attention... as I believe this school district should go into bankruptcy and be absorbed by surrounding school districts. Right now, the Pontiac School district avoided bankruptcy by agreeing to operate under a STATE CONSENT AGREEMENT. The MI State Treasurer provides oversight and monitoring of contracts. Oakland Schools provide Business and Human Resources Services and the MI Dept. of Education monitors all educational plans.
What do the homeowners want? They need to express their wants...by voting. Is it to try to save "a world class school district" as their own Pontiac School District website describes themselves... or let the state close the district and send the children to other neighboring school districts?
In my opinion, this is NOT a "a world class school district" as it currently exists.
WHAT SCHOOLS ARE OPEN FOR THE 2015-2016 SCHOOL YEAR?The school website has NOT BEEN completely UPDATED for this 2015-2016 school year that begins Aug. 17, 2015. Some schools have data from 2013 still listed.
Only these schools are listed under the heading "select a school" at the very top of the school website.. but none with current information, so who really knows what buildings are being used.
The address and some information is given for each of the following buildings:
Alcott Elem., WHRC Elem., Herrington Elem, Owen Elem. (sold?), Rogers Elem., Pontiac Middle School, Pontiac H.S. and ITA (formerly Walt Whitman elem).
WILL THE MILLAGE MONEY GO TO REPAIR ONLY THE SCHOOLS OPEN OR ALL THE PROPERTIES ... EVEN THE ONES FOR SALE? How else will the money be used?
I learned that there are 17 properties currently FOR SALE...some with buildings, some vacant land.
From Feb. to April, 2015, three companies PURCHASED 12 other PROPERTIES for a total amount of $1,600,000. See an Oakland Press article from Feb. 2013 about some of these properties.
Was any of that $1,600,000 money used this summer to improve the buildings being used this fall?
That would be nice to know. How are these building going to be re-purposed?
- Pontiac Community Investments, LLC purchased the Franklin and Fairlawn properties for $750,000.
- Pontiac Surplus, LLC purchased the Le Baron and Owen properties for a total price: $50,000.
- Pontiac Investment Properties, LLC purchased 4 properties: Crofoot, Perdue, McCaroll and Jefferson for a total price of $500,000 and another 4 properties: Emerson, Longfellow, Washington and Webster for another $300,000.
TIME FOR CHANGE: do it at the ballot boxWith falling enrollment in many school districts throughout the state, it is TIME to consolidate the districts. There are too many administrators/buildings/ buses/ and associated costs. TIME to use the limited resources to actually EDUCATE our children. Vote NO... My opinion.
Take a look at the: Pontiac School BUDGET listed under "quick links" :
See the costs for: administration, transportation, building maintenance, etc.
Pontiac School District
Attend this event to learn more:
BACK TO SCHOOL RALLY 2015
HEALTH, EDUCATION, SAFETY
Location: 47200 Woodward Ave., Pontiac, MI 48342 @ the Odell Nail's Admin. Building
Sponsors: lots of businesses from the surrounding communities
Events: FREE: food, health screening, parent resources, Book Bag Giveaway, and much more.
- My Blogs are usually just about Bloomfield Township... but SCHOOL DISTRICTS include many different municipalities. Please feel free to pass this blog on to others that you know that should be VOTING in the August "stealth" election. Thank you.
