Tuesday, July 20, 2010
"Thank you" Chaffee community
“I wish to thank the Chaffee community for their warm welcome yesterday evening at their civic association meeting and candidate forum. It was great to see so many residents dedicated to making the Chaffee area and south Huntsville a better place to live. I hope to have time to visit many of my new friends in the weeks to come as we continue to go door to door.”
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Can you please comment on why you would vote no on a half cent sales tax increase for HSV City Schools? It doesn't seem like much to assist the STUDENTS and TEACHERS of HSV City Schools...a system that was once one of the best in the state. It's very disappointing that none of the candidates for this position support the increase.
ReplyDeleteJill
ReplyDeleteThanks for the question. The question of supporting a ½ tax is always asked as a Yes or No? What is your answer candidate? We all lean to NO. In my case I say “No” but I would be open at looking at anyway I could to help support our schools. I once was quoted when talking to a large audience when I was a Commander at Redstone over three years ago with the following “We have to do something either raise Property Taxes or institute a ½ tax” to help our school system and that did not go over well. Now, having had the opportunity to observe the school board and their implementation of unsound fiscal policies, I understand why. I do believe the Huntsville City Schools problems have more to do with systemic mismanagement and lack of forward planning than it does with dollars, but when you are given $22M less this year than last I do believe that we will still need more money for our school system. I would have serious issue supporting a ½ tax until I was comfortable that the School Board implemented a budgeting process which was based on clearly defined goals, with objective metrics to measure success, because any additional funding I believe will only perpetuate their failed and fiscally unsound policies. I see a large part of my job as an elected official in ensuring that tax-payers receive value for their hard earned dollars. Under the current school system’s budgeting process that is not possible. It is my intent, once elected, to work closely with the school board and school superintendent to improve the manner in which they budget. I would also work at getting South Huntsville along Memorial Parkway revitalized through a TIF for District 3 bringing in better retail that our constituents are leaving our community to go somewhere else for. I would ensure those TIF dollars are fed into the schools and roads as a priority. My stipulation with giving the TIF dollars to the schools would be that I would, with the constituents help on prioritization, stipulate where those dollars are spent and I would track until completion whether it was infrastructure or hiring more teachers. The rising tide of economic revitalization in District 3 will raise all elements of our community, education included. I fully recognize that our schools are a critical pillar in ensuring the economic stability and the quality of life in our neighborhoods and as such one of my biggest interests.
John