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Town cuts high school sports

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Smallpotatoes, Jun 23, 2007.

  1. Bob Slydell

    Bob Slydell Active Member

    It almost happened in a lot of Ohio towns. Because of the way the schools are funded, they were running out of money and threatened to cut ALL extra curriculr activities. I know Huron, Ohio, schools almost did.
     
  2. Diabeetus

    Diabeetus Active Member

    It's no fun when anybody gets their program cut (Art, Band, etc.) It's a problem with funding of schools in general, though, not just any one area.
     
  3. pressmurphy

    pressmurphy Member

    Mahopac, in downstate N.Y., went to an austerity budget for the 2006-2007 school year, killing the funding for sports.
    Parents and boosters jumped in to raise a ton of money to restore sports, but the big break came when a state senator used money from the "member items" (i.e., pork barrel) budget to write them a check for $150,000.
    So, voters in the district TWICE said no to paying for sports, then some politician in need of votes in the next election comes along and hits taxpayers across the whole state with a bill for $150,000 to fund sports in one district.
    Don't you think voters from across the state are going to take note of that and say "let someone else pick up the tab on this."?
     
  4. NoOneLikesUs

    NoOneLikesUs Active Member

    I'd like to clarify that I attended an Ohio high school. There was a threat of cuts when a levy was on the ballot. That levy failed because of personality disputes within the city. The threats turned out to be real and the cuts happened the day after the tax issue failure.

    The school board didn't even entertain a pay-to-play option. It was a complete nuking of all programs. Needless to say, all athletes worth a damn bailed to other school districts. I recall going to a rival high school to watch my friends play football on Friday night. It was surreal, but it only lasted a few months. The levy passed in the next election cycle, but the damage was permanent.

    I've probably said too much.

    ::)
     
  5. KP

    KP Active Member

    The other schools around are having a hard enough time keeping their own bottom line in check. Doesn't even begin to address space in classroom for a few thousand K-12 kids.
     
  6. wickedwritah

    wickedwritah Guest

    First, Stoneham is not a rural town. Very suburbanized.

    Second, the idea of any school districts cooperating in Massachusetts is a joke. Cooperative programs are few and far between.

    IMO, this just goes to show what a dinosaur Proposition 2-1/2 is. I hope Barbara Anderson and all her anti-tax cronies are doing the jig after hearing this.
     
  7. KP

    KP Active Member

    There's also the segment of the population that once their kids have gone through the school district could give two shits about them.

    Prop 2-1/2 just failed where I went to school, then the parents bitch about why the building sucks, the textbooks are a mess, no bells and whistles in the system. The shit ain't free.

    Though the amount of administration has certainly increased. The guy who was superindendent never needed an assistant or a business manager pulling in close to 100k each.
     
  8. wickedwritah

    wickedwritah Guest

    Seriously, I hope Barbara Anderson wakes up tonight and has a wet dream. "I saved Stoneham's taxpayers $3 million!" I hope it's worth it to her to screw up the lives of a bunch of kids -- not just athletes -- so her latte-sipping buddies can continue to drive their Explorers to work.
     
  9. KP

    KP Active Member

    Prop 2 1/2 cancelled the 1982-83 spring championships.
     
  10. In Exile

    In Exile Member

    In Europe, the club sports system often takes the place of school sponsored athletics. In my town, the VFW Hall sucks all that up. The school provides nothing, the town provides nothing (ZERO recreational budget), and, sadly, the parents provide nothing. I haven't even been able to get some one to volunteer as an assistant coach.
     
  11. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Oh, it is. These anti-tax zealots are the Jelenics of government and education -- they don't give a shit about what gets cut, who is hurt when services are degraded or eliminated. Just cut, cut, cut, cut, cut my taxes, man.

    I (and my kids) got mine, so screw you, Jack (and your kids).
     
  12. wickedwritah

    wickedwritah Guest

    I am all for lower taxes. Heck, I live in a state that, at this moment, doesn't have an income tax.

    Still, there is a line that needs to be drawn. The problem with Massachusetts' system is the ridiculousness of the 2-1/2 percent tax increase cap. That's less than the cost of inflation. While I understand the desire for fiscal restraint, there needs to be some wiggle room there.
     
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