| Property
Tax Information for Lake Fenton & Surrounding Area
Why I Think
Lake Fenton School Bonds Should Be Defeated
I come from a family of teachers.
Our family has always supported schools. So when
the bond issue was floated in early 1999 I was
torn between my belief that good public schools
are important to the character of American
society and the reality that our family’s
experiences with Lake Fenton left much to be
desired. It is not easy to change my opinion, but
the Lake Fenton schools have managed to alter my
views about school funding.
In any event on 3/29/99 I was
undecided about how to vote. After days of
considering Lake Fenton's school district request
for $40 million dollars I finally came down on
the nay side. But being a political activist I
also then enhanced my decision by calling two
neighbors who are childless, and one of them
called a third couple. None of them were even
aware of the bond election. We all voted no. The
bond request lost by five votes.
The same bond request was made
the following fall, on 9/29/99. Feeling empowered
by the fact that our efforts had such a dramatic
effect on the 3/29/99 election we set up a
pyramid calling effort where each person was
responsible for recruiting ten no vote households
and in turn those people were to recruit ten more
and so on. This time around we estimate we
brought in 500-600 no votes.
What was amazing was that when I
sent the superintendent (at that time Mr. Lasky)
and the whole school board a letter detailing
what had happened the only response I received
was a short note from Mr. Lasky saying he took
exception to what I had to say.
After a month or so with NO
contact from any of the school board members I
called Mr. Sharp (the president). There was never
any follow-up by any of the school board.
Based on the sum total of my
experiences I believe that the public should
continue to deny requests for additional funding
until the district demonstrates that they are
effectively addressing a number of problems which
have existed for many years.
In the meantime, I can not help but think a
better use of resources is to invest public funds in
charter schools.
If you are against higher taxes join our
telephone calling tree group. We ask each person who
joins to call ten other people who oppose Lake Fenton bond
requests a day or two before the vote.
Ronald J. Riley LF-Bonds@QualitySchoolsNow.org
|
Genesee
|
Lake
Fenton
|
3/12/2002
|
1
|
THA
|
Passed
|
2,126/1,555
|
Official
|
$30,325,000
|
| Erecting,
furnishing and equipping a new high school including an
auditorium; developing, constructing and equipping
outdoor physical education fields, and an athletic
complex; acquiring and installing educational
technology; developing and improving sites; remodeling,
refurnishing and re-equipping a portion of the existing
high school for kindergarten and early childhood
purposes and developing and equipping a playground. The
following is for informational purposes only: The
estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed
bonds in the year 2002 is 3.98 mills ($3.98 on each
$1,000 of taxable valuation). The maximum number of
years the bonds may be outstanding, exclusive of any
refunding, will not exceed twenty-three (23) years. The
estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to
be required to retire this bond debt is 3.64 mills
($3.64 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation). |
| |
|
Genesee
|
Lake
Fenton
|
9/29/1999
|
1
|
URS
Greiner
|
Failed
|
1,552/1,886
|
Official
|
$39,425,000
|
| Erecting,
furnishing and equipping a new high school and acquiring
a site therefor; partially remodeling the existing High
School for community education and central
administration offices; developing and improving outdoor
physical education fields, athletic facilities, and
sites; erecting, furnishing and equipping additions to
and partially remodeling, refurnishing and re-equipping
the Torrey Hill Middle School; and developing and
improving the outdoor recreational area; erecting,
furnishing and equipping additions to and partially
remodeling, refurnishing and re-equipping the West Shore
Elementary School, developing and improving the
playground; acquiring and installing educational
technology; and developing and improving sites. |
| |
|
Genesee
|
Lake
Fenton
|
3/29/1999
|
1
|
URS
Greiner
|
Failed
|
1,359/1,364
|
Official
|
$39,475,000
|
| Erecting,
furnishing and equipping a new high school and a central
maintenance and storage facility; acquiring a site;
developing and improving outdoor physical education
fields and athletic facilities; erecting, furnishing and
equipping additions to and partially remodeling,
refurnishing and re-equipping the Torrey Hill Middle
School; and developing and improving the outdoor
recreational area; erecting, furnishing and equipping
additions to and partially remodeling, refurnishing and
re-equipping the West Shore Elementary School,
developing and improving the playground; acquiring and
installing educational technology; and developing and
improving sites. |
|