*The Q & A content is presented in a conversation format, and not presented in a formal format to hold the integrity of the conversation.
Can you explain the indirect consequences of the largest financial budget deficit to District 4?
Impact for us is that we have 7 teachers retiring and we have absorbed 4 positions. We will be eliminating 5 or more non-certified positions as well. Additionally, we have changed our 6th grade athletic structure to minimize trips. We have invested in our people. We're hoping during our negotiations, our unions will honor that we're trying to keep people in positions. We hope that they help us by not asking for a great deal of anything. We hope to do this collectively, because this has been a surprise to everybody. The impact will not be felt near as much as next year, if this continues. If continues, we're getting into programmatic changes, getting into directly affecting students as far as higher class sizes and program changes. We're going over line item by line item, so were choosing to cut back and rationing ourselves. That's been pretty much the boards position, and I applaud them for that.
Will the children of Columbia have the same opportunity to succeed that Columbia alumni did, if the worst-case scenario plays out for District 4 regarding its financial position?
Educators in general are used to working with little. When you get in to programmatic changes and you can't afford opportunities for students that's when it gets very detrimental. We're minimizing some of the things that are opportunistic for kids to learn from experience. In the worst case scenario, kids will be impacted. We're on the forefront of our life being different. Every year things should be given more and get better. No one in the district has done anything wrong. The community has stepped up, our local taxes provide 80 percent for education. As time has gone on, the local contribution has increased. As data shows, Columbians take care of themselves. And now what happens, we're being asked to take care of more. It doesn't set well, it's been an abrupt demand. That coupled with not really knowing the details of how deep we are going to go. If worst case scenario occurs, there is no way will we be able to function and balance our budget. We have reserves to cover us 2 months' salary for our employees. If we were to lose a million dollars, we're now in deficit spending. And you have to ask yourself, how far down that road can you travel. That's what we will be facing. And some school districts don't have a reserve. I really applaud the people before me to have the district in the shape that it is that we can forgo some things initially to prepare for later.
Why should residents and alumni care enough to take action?
This is a global situation, not just secluded in Columbia. We've had legislature decisions made over the last decade that has put us in this position. We have a culture of entitlement. People have to pay for things. When we keep blaming each other, and continue to get what we can get; that ideology has to be thrown away. We need to say we're Americans and we need to fix this, and let's start cutting things and that's going to hurt. Instead of us saying, look how nice we've had it this long, now it's time to reestablish the baseline and create a new beginning of fiscal normalcy. Schools have had to do that over time anyway, and we're sitting here saying wait a minute, we've done everything you've asked us. You continue to put mandates on us that are unfunded or underfunded. You continue to change the rules as we go for what reason. I'm all for improvement and accountability. I would love to see schools get more authority in order to handle the events we face in order to benefit students and staff. But, we're playing the hand that's been dealt. And we're doing what we can. It's a shock to the system.
We're looking at a $13 to $14 billion deficit compared to Missouri who is struggling because they have a $400 million deficit. That in itself says volumes. Legislatively we have not been looking at our finances. Should we care enough to take action, yes. Because this is bigger than the schools, and this is about who we are as Americans. People are absolutely for schools, but anti-tax. It's about taking action. The majority that has been docile and been silent and has the values that our country was founded on, must take action.
This frustrates people who live in Columbia, and who don't live in Columbia but are alumni. What can Columbia residents and alumni do besides contacting local government?
We're at a cultural shift in our country. Most important thing, is for people to educate themselves about the leaders that are in place and about those who want to be. We must educate ourselves on the facts. The most important thing that we can do is hold our leaders accountable. Every election candidates say they're going to fix schools. Shouldn't politicians have fixed them by now? It's not that school's are broken. Have the where-to-fore and forgo the political correctness to separate the symptom and the disease to fix it for the children and the districts. I believe we're walking a fine line and as a whole we're scared to address the real problem. If you eradicate the disease or the root of the problem, you eliminate the symptom or bad school. I think that's part of the move in our country. We're starting to say, wait a minute. We're being misled, and we're not going to allow that anymore. I think it's ironic now, certain leaders are being held accountable, and are being asked very good, direct questions and there's no more skating. From the school's perspective, we've rightfully so been held to a higher standard. Now that the same is coming to pass for legislators they seem to not enjoy the scrutiny and direct attention. If other government agencies were run the way schools are, and I say this with pride, we wouldn't have this problem. We have an open door of helping others, and we do afford all the information everyone needs. Everyone should educate themselves about who wants to lead and once elected, hold them accountable.
One thing that is very telling to me too is the state legislature, in about 8 to 12 hours, introduced and passed a new retirement system. Instead being able to retire after 35 years of service, you're now going to work 45 years. Additionally, you're going to lose some of benefits as well. In 1989 when I was doing my graduate work, I did a paper on the inequalities of funding in Illinois, and it is still what it was. It's never been changed or addressed in a way to help the state, but in 8 to 12 hours they can change the pension system. So in itself, that is a very eye opening chain of events just to do in comparison. When I say hold leaders accountable, we have an absence of morality, integrity and character. All you have to do is what's right. Whoever we put in the leadership role should have character and ethics. We have to get back to the principles that our country was founded on. Leadership should be solid, and there should be no doubt, when I'm running this district and people trust me with their children, people shouldn't doubt what we stand for. They should know our mission and that's what's absent today, we don't have people standing on the principles that we were founded on.
You can make a difference by sending Senator Luechtefeld and Rep. Reitz an email.
Senator Luechtefeld email - sendavel@midwest.net
Rep. Reitz email - repreitz@egyptian.net
For more information, please read Mr. Settles' letter regarding the financial impact from state funding here.
Thank you for your support,
- TPC Team
