School levy vote set for Thursday

Why does the news paper keep saying its a 2.8 million dollar levy when in reality its a 5.6 million dollar levy, it even says this on the ballot, 2.8 million a year for two years. These are the facts, please report them as such. This is something that shouldnt be watered down, but reported in full.

Amen Scoutin. Not like they have ever been less than truthful. Caught at their own game. But hey---they will only take what they need. Heads or tails on which way this goes? Oh wait...that was how Murray gor his seat.

I cannot wait for this levy to pass. they tell everyone it's a 2.8 per year levy.. Maybe you should of went to the town meeting and they would of said it's a 2.8 PER YEAR.. Our school district is hurting just like EVERY other school district in Idaho.. In stead of bashing it why not try to come forward and help the kids.. Sure hope all those seniors who are 18 VOTE tomorrow

I do not know why I support Public Schools.

I have argued, challenged, been disappointed and very proud at times. Public Schools have failed and served myself, children and now grandchildren

at different times.

Challenge them to be innovative, expect teachers to serve their students. I once told an administrator that public schools have customers like all businesses and they need to serve them and treat them with respect or they will lose those customers.

In many ways that has happened with Homeschooling and Charters.

That said, it is a contract between generations much like Social Security and I can not walk away from that responsibility. Lets demand at the State level that they not shortchange funding of schools K-12! Where does the Lottery money go? Where does the Sales Tax money go?

We have great kids in Mountain Home! Their smiling faces, honesty and integrity amazes me everyday. No I do not work in the schools but I owe those smiling faces my support and an Italian Soda!

IdahoDuck, its at all levels of government. We are expected as civilians to be ready for tough times ans weather them. But, if the government comes on hard times we are expected to carry their the burden of their mistakes. I dont agree with it, this will not fix the problem, only make it worse. I know it wont be easy, but if we are expected to make due, shouldnt we expect our government to do the same.

IdahoDuck:

Did you go to the town meeting they had on May 12th? Our two locals Corder and Neilson was there and explained why the state cut so much money out from all school district and they were asked and they explained how much money schools get from the Lottery commission. This was also in the mt home paper acouple of weeks ago explaining all this.

I have to disagree with the posting about duck in the government and the need of civilians taking the burden of their mistakes. We are the government, if you don't like their management, then vote or run yourself. But don't make the kids and teachers of Mountain Home suffer with the Us vs Them mentality. Yes the country is on lean times which affects the public sector. Stop expecting the Public schools to do more with even less then bad mouth them for mismanagement. The kids need the best education we can offer. If you're not willing to pay the teachers and fund education then the teachers will go elsewhere while the students end up suffering.

Observentone, just where will all the teachers go if they quit? Most of the other school districts are in the same boat and have cut some of the teacher's jobs. In one north east states school district they laid of something like 76 teachers. Most people won't quit a job even if they have to take a pay cut unless they have a guaranteed job lined up. Where are all these high paying teaching jobs you say the teachers will run to?

I'm voting NO.

First, a little budget formula for the school...X-Y=0. Where X=money in, Y=money out, the result should be 0. If you have $2.8million where the 0 is...you need to recheck your work. Please do not ask for extra credit or a do-over.

Second, occasionally I see some of the students playing parents around town...maybe they should play taxpayers too. Just to get the feel.

Third, if you don't pay property tax, you don't vote. What gall to have those who don't pay demand of those who do...some old history lesson about taxation...representation something like that.

Fourth, if you need money this bad...then tax the students eating lunch, charge for parking, tax the people who attend the sporting events, rent the books, tax the people who watch the drama club, pay a fine in addition to having detention. Better yet...place a tax on every text message that you send and receive.

Fifth, this is just the start of some incredible taxes coming our way...the debt each US taxpayer owes is $117,000...but since 48% of the taxpayers pay no tax, the remaining 52% get to pay $234,000. It is time to draw the line...sorry it has to be with this.

Sixth, I am required to live within my means. My means and expenses did not include a $38 per month jump in property taxes. That $38 represents a 27% jump in my taxes. If this passes, how can I live within my means...?

Seventh, can I pay this?...sure. But what a lot of you don't account for is the 83 year old widow, who owns an old rundown $75,000 house and gets $712 monthly social security check and had to skip a prescription refill this month because she needed the money to send her granddaughter a graduation card.

Folks, you are either part of the problem...or part of the solution....

Draw the line on public spending...VOTE NO!

EXTRA CREDIT: Given the information above, what is the valuation of my property.

MacInIdaho.... Im guessing not as much as it was about five years ago.... But seriously, great points on all of it, this has to stop somewhere. My son is in band, I will pay for his way if I have to, but I refuse to let the SD decide this for me. The truth if it is has been hard forthcoming on this issue, like I said, the paper is saying 2.8 million, when the reality is 5.6 million overall... Let this be our warning of the handouts that are going to be asked in the future....

I cant belive you people who want to vote no. You all had your chance in school to play sports,and now you want to take dreams away from some of our youth. Shame on no wounder we have so much crime in this town, if it wasnt for these activitys we would not have the nfl mlb even the nhl so vote no if you want but dont cry when your house or car gets broke into because there is nothing for our youth to do

My houses, my family, my property to include my vehicles are protected by multiple high powered weapons. Since I actually carry a weapon for work practice with it a couple times a month and actually have to qualify using it every year I feel confident that I won't miss. My question to the sheep that vote yes without asking questions is where are the parents of these children you say will be committing all these felonies? Let us hold people and the parents of minors responsible for their actions not the law abiding tax payer. The mentality that people are all victims and it is always someone else's fault is one of the reasons this country is heading in the wrong direction.

voteyes,

"I cant belive you people who want to vote no. You all had your chance in school to play sports,and now you want to take dreams away from some of our youth. Shame on no wounder we have so much crime in this town, if it wasnt for these activitys we would not have the nfl mlb even the nhl so vote no if you want but dont cry when your house or car gets broke into because there is nothing for our youth to do"

Not sure how to respond to this, but hey I will give it a try. Not sure the lack of a sports or extra curicular actives is the reason why our youth of today are committing crimes....that one baffles me. I would venture to say the reason we have so much crime in MH is quite frankly the kids run around and the parents of these kids just dont give a crap. They have the dont bother me attitude and pull out the excuse, "there is nothing I can do, so I choose to do nothing". Which leads thess kids to create havoc and run rough shod on MH doing whatever it is they want.

If the only reason kids go to school in today's world is for sports and extra curicular activities, hmmmmm I think they have missed the point of what school is for. Not every school in the US has a sports program or can afford to fund a band, choir, debate and any other team that can be thought of. MH is starting to see what life may be like without the thought of these programs at their schools.

There is a lot for the youth of today to do here in MH, just takes a little thought to figure it out. Sports are awesome to play....but where does it say these programs need to be funded by the school system or taxpayers. What happened to the times where a group of kids started a pickup game of football, baseball and basketball etc....now everything seems to have to be organized.

So I highly doubt the crime rate in the metropolis can be based on the lack of extra curicular activities and could be more blamed on the supervision or lack there of, of the kids committing the crimes.

If my car gets broken into, there may just be one less youth of today to worry about......

I guess when the MH news staff when to school they didn't have math. This is not a 2.8 million levy, its a 5.6 million levy for 2 years whats so hard to understand about that, tomorrow will tell the story and I hope it goes down big time.

voteyes...

I don't know if your an adult or a child. You scare me. Do you pay property taxes? In some twisted way you connected participation in sporting events as crime prevention tool. Your response however, makes a good point. The education system has failed you. You are not taught to think. If you think that sports are the answers to preventing crime...then how do you explain the professional athletes commiting crimes? By the way...don't assume we all had the chance to play sports...

voteyes,

Not all of us cared about sports when we were in school. In fact, some of us were/are downright angry about the attitude given towards sports in the schools.

The athletes were given preferential treatment. They were treated as though they were more important than the rest of us. The sports programs were ranked higher than the other programs offered within the school. That's not right.

I remember taking the CNA course in my senior year. I remember us having to use the old, broken down activity vans for transportation to the hospital to do the clinical training needed for our certification. This was despite the fact that the school did have nice, new activity vans available. The nice, new vans were only for the sports teams. Even if they weren't using them when we needed them, we still weren't allowed to use them. No, instead, we were relegated to vehicles that overheated, broke down and that we'd have to push out of intersections when they repeatedly died during the short drive between the high school and hospital.

Let's be honest here, what do you think the ratio is of students who took the CNA course in high school, then went on to actually build a career off of it (such as using those credits towards an RN or LPN study at CSI, because those credits DID transfer to the college level at CSI) as opposed to football players from MHHS who went on to make a career for themselves in pro football?

I have no doubt other programs and studies within the school have suffered at the expense of sports, as well. If sports have to go, so be it. Sorry, but there are simply more important things students should be doing in school. If sports are that important to them, there are other opportunities for them to engage in them, outside of public schools, on their own dime.

You have got to be kidding me, people are going to vote even though they don't own property, that's not fair on the people who have to pay for this. If the kids are so for this new tax why don't they donate their time to this community and help the people instead of just screaming vote yes..how many graduates stay in Mountain home and become property owners and pay all these bloody taxes? I am so sick and tired of everyone saying "Oh the kids are going to suffer because sports are being cut"..well you go to school to learn, if you want to play sports, have YOUR parents pay for it, not me. I've already had two kids go through the school system and I've paid my share.

I am a State worker and I have already had my pay cut with furloughs, my agency has already been cut to the bone and we have sacrificed, now it's the schools turn. I have cut my budget and I have nothing left to cut, this extra money per month on my mortgage is too much. This town is going to tax people right out of their homes and then where will this town look to get their taxes from.

Next year some other agency will want to be bailed out, soon the Hospital will want a levy..well soon I won't be able to afford my house.

Come on people, vote no, everyone I know will be

Keep this in mind folks...if you vote NO...at least you'll have a choice next year...if you vote yes...what happens when they need even more money next year.

Does anyone believe the budget situation will be better next year?

I can only imagine the pain, and difficult decisions that will have to be made if this does not pass. I do not take this subject lightly...but if we (the taxpayers) do not draw a line...can you honestly believe the government will make right decisions...?

GET OUT THE NO VOTE NOW...before its too late!

GET THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF YOUR WALLET!

I will also vote NO, enough is enough, can't take ANY more taxes for ANY reason. You should see all the homes for sale in my neighborhood, I'll surely be next. Of coarse non property owners will vote yes, they will not have to pay for it!

I am sorry folks see local schools as a way to express their frustration for a National Debt run a muck. And shame on State Govt for putting school districts in this position! As a Taxpayer I want Education K-12 to be a priority of State Govt. That is something I need to direct to my elected officials and I plan to in the future.

I will be buying Dry Erase Markers for another local school district next year. That has been cut from the budget. My daughter is a new teacher and I help her out with her classroom supplies. If a child does not have Valentines I want her to have extras.

And the National Debt will still be some incredible number.

We have 2 yes votes coming from this end and wow I am surprised at how you negative non levy supporters attack when you get nervous about something probably passing that you can't control. You attack the youth because they are making a stand for something they believe in and feel strong about. I for one am proud of the youth for getting involved in something they feel strong about. You non levy supporters are bashing the future law makers for getting involved and from what I see they are more adult then the bashers out there. Seriosly. So, we know you non levy supporters don't care about sports or clubs so does that mean you also don't care about the teachers also? What about the town? Then why did you choose to live here? Just asking.

I haven't bashed anyone nor do I plan to. And, you do not know me as I do not know you. So, I won't presume to think that I do. But, just to clarify, I do care about MY students in the district and I care for their teachers as well. Just because I see things differently doesn't mean you are right and I am wrong. We simply see things differently.

Just saying.

I think I will vote yes for this but I'm having mixed feelings. When my child was in rodeo we didn't get any support from the school. We had him do odd jobs and go get sponsors so he could rodeo and when he didn't raise enough the school didn't help with money we the parents did. State a lone costed us over a $1000 dollars. So why don't the kids who would play football, baseball, etc. go out and do the same thing and have their parents help out when they fall short.

I haven't bashed or attacked anyone, nor do I plan to. I do not know you and you do not know me. I will not pretend that I do simply because you may have a different opinion than I. On that note, I do care about the sports and clubs that MY students participate in and I do care about the majority of their teachers. Why I chose to live here is really none of your business.

Just saying.

@rodeokid1

I wrote over $200 worth of checks last year for fundraisers for kids involved in school district sports and activities: debate, drama, choir, band, various sports (volleyball, football, basketball, wrestling), etc. In the past I have also bought calenders from rodeo team members. ALL sports and activities fund-raise.

curiousparents

I didn't direct the comments directly towards you so if you take offense to that there is a little word that is tied to that and I think it is Guilt. Just saying. -- I also wrote alot of checks last year for fundraisers and dedicaited alot of time. The kids do WORK for what they want. They just need some help.

MHsupporter,

I never stated that you directed that question to me. That is the beauty of a public forum. I can comment to any statement I choose. I too wrote many checks last year for numerous fundraisers. As for your "little" word, no guilt here.

Just saying.

MHSupporter

What happens next year when they need the full $2.8, plus additional funds because the state cut further? Do you see the employment picture getting better anytime soon? Do you work? Do you own a home? Do you have any idea how much I pay in taxes? How much more can you ask of me?

While I think it's nice to see kids get involved in the process...they don't have the facts, they don't pay the bills and the teachers have used them as leverage.

I don't get it. If our legislators cut school funding for a year, why then is there a 2 year levy?

What happens with the 2nd year money if there are no school funding cuts next year? What will School District 193 do with that money?

I am a property owner.

I do not have any children enrolled in the MHS system.

I voted Yes to the levy as many times as they would let me.

Pay it forward and Save Our Schools.

VOTE:

YES!!

YES!!

YES!!

YES !!

I have two kids in the HS, both multi-sport athletes. I voted no. It's rediculous to think if the levy doesn't pass kids will go without sports. I think a privatized sports system is what we need, then the school system can concentrate on education. I for one would step up and take responsibility for my kids and their activities and not assume its the governments job.

The teachers aren't allowed to tell them how to vote, which came down from the Administration, the kids do however listen to what is being said and they are completely capable of making their own opinions. Also, as for seeing the future I for one do not have that power and I focus on what is going on now. I hope by then our Government will see the need and make the needed changes because this problem is from them not our SB or Administration. Also, as much as this town supports the military I also hope that the money for the children that live on base will be reevaluated and that funding will come through. I love the military but I also hope that the military loves this town and helps. I am a homeowner for 14 years; I have also paid into my income taxes for almost 30 years now. I have also paid into Medicare, SS that helps others in need because I won't ever see it. I pay as everyone does and I am choosing for once were I want my money to go and I chose our children's education.

It is nice that we get to choose where our money is going. Too bad others, students and non-property owners, get to choose where my money goes too. It would be nice to see these "others" offer to help compensate this levy to help ease the burden on the taxpayers. For all those who are pushing this levy, only a few of the students commented that they would help by volunteering.

Nice way for everyone to pay-it-forward, huh?

tigerfan

I am sure your kids will be telling you thank you for taking away their sports if the levy doesn't pass. There won't be any sports if everyone has to pay EVERYTHING for their kids to play. So, if you come from a wealthy family you can be the starter on the team because there won't be enough to have a team. To play football it would cost about 1000.00 or more and for other sports it would be about 800.00 which they talked about at a meeting. So, lets send the message that money talks and if you have money you can play instead of sending the message that if we all split the problem we can make a difference in a lot of children's and teachers lives. So, I guess I am a team player and I think of the entire team and not an individual. I also, think of the teachers that may loose their homes or jobs in the process also. I guess I just care about the town and the people and children in it. You say you are a Tiger fan

I agree. We ALL should split the problem whether we are property owners or not.

Seriously people just don't get it. Have you asked Tim Corder as someone did at one of the meetings if there was a way to raise the sales tax? No, probably not because you would know that he told everyone that they will not raise taxes in any way and if we want to raise taxes to help the schools it was up to us to do. Bottom line. Nice support huh? We are on our own right now and hopefully things will change but we need this now. Not when the Government decides it is bad enough to do something. We have all seen how well that works. We need to control our kid's education and if that is voting to raise my own taxes then I will do it. Do, you really think that tenants rent won't be raised to compensate the difference? If you were a landlord isn't that what you would do to make up the difference? EVERYONE will be affected one way or another.

@CuriousParents

Your comments about "pay it forward" are interesting. Did you "pay it forward" when you were a student? I know that I didn't; tax paying citizens did that for me, as I am doing now for my own and others' children. Heck, my parents paid for 7 kids to go to parochial school (k-8) and never once voted "no" on a bond or levy, all while my father worked and my mother was a stay at home mom. I am so glad that they had the common sense to look to the future an appreciate what the return on that investment of their tax dollars would be. Thank you mom and dad and all other taxpayers that paid for me to have the opportunities that I did, educational, co curricular and extracurricular. As a beneficiary of that system (9-12 public school educated) I am now ready and willing to do my part.

Why yes, I did pay-it-forward. I started working at the age of 14 and have paid taxes ever since. I volunteered at the local hospital and the elementary schools while still in school. It was time well spent.

Pay it forward sounds good until your entire paycheck is taken by the government be it local, state, or federal. When you are working entirely for benefits and are under the complete control of the system you won't have a say or vote, they will take it away. What are you going to do about it you will be totally dependent on the government to take care of you? The definition we can apply to the subjects is SLAVE. Remember your history the slaves worked for whatever they were given, they had not say, and where told what to do, when to do it, and how. Keep giving and giving you might even see it in the next 20 years. Right now about 38% of what I make goes to TAXES. Let's keep it creeping up until it is 100% or at least until it doesn't pay me to work then I can get 99 months of unemployment and then welfare for doing nothing. Once you start this it won't end it will just go up. People need to learn to just say NO to the government which includes the School Board. Be it pay cuts or loss of sports, teachers sending the kids home to spread the panic and worry of this situation, the misleading of the levy (TAX) as a 2 year levy for 2.8 million (why not say a 2 year levy for 2.8 million for each year or in this story why not say a 5.6 million dollar temporary levy/tax instead of $2.8 million temporary supplemental levy )? The fact there is no plan on what to do in two years and that is too far down the road to know what the situation will be crap doesn't work. I used to have to plan 7 years down the road in the military on budgets and equipment. They will get dependant on it just like a drug addict and use the kids as leverage to keep it going. Maybe the fact everyone can vote over 18 but only homeowners are going to pay or the fact most people have lost their jobs or took pay cuts some even deeper than what is planned for the teachers and administrators if the levy fails. Not much sympathy for this issue and I'm not anti-education or anti-kid. I'm anti SLAVERY.

MHsupporter,

I ask you this question....You stated that you care about MH and it's people, but what happens if this tax is passed on to someone that is barely making ends meet? Everyone that has posted on here, will tell you that an education is most important, but the underly issue here is that the only thing people are focusing on is the kids are getting cheated out of sports or extra curicular activities. My son plays sports for the High School and he is bummed that those programs may not exist after this year, but he also understands what has to be done to keep the doors of the SCHOOL open. If MH has to back down from playing sports or from going to competitions to keep the schools operational, then that is what needs to be done. No one wants to see anything taken away from the kids, and it has been stated on these blogs before, "Times are Tough". A childs education is more important to them than playing sports....or so it should be!

The focus should be why are our children going to schools that leak, do not stay heated or cooled, and has dangerous areas for them to get hurt in. Those areas need to be addressed before sports or extra curicular activities is even an issue.

Then ask why have these things not been fixed? I highly doubt all these issues just cropped up this year? Instead take the money going to the sports programs and FIX THE SCHOOL!

The MH schools can not even purchase enough books for the students, but yet people want to see the sports and extra curicular activities continue.

Look at what is most needed with the issues facing the school district, sports and extra curicular activties do not even come close. We have not even touched on the teacher/admin salaries that are being cut....it has nothing to do with being a fan...it HAS everything to do with using common sense.

if you havent notice this is the first chance i have had time to comment on what you have wrote to bash me. even though i dont have alot of money or a fine education like those who can spell every word right i get out in my community and try to help others. for your information i owne my house i pay taxes i volenteer with little leage and fund raisers for the band and other sports events the people who do nothing all day but on the computer and complain about this subject are the ones drive the car washes and other fund raisers our kids have. i only have one word to say scholarships if it wasnt for academics in schools most of our kids would not have a chance to go on to college so if you people feel like destoying kids dreams to futher there education go ahead and vote no and just stop complaining about us just trying help others

How much money one makes or how well someone spells makes no difference to me. Having someone tell me to be prepared for my home and car to be broken into in the event that this levy fails, yeah, I have a problem with that.

Get over the sports issue. It is so much more then that. I voted yes and I support MH and we will see what happens. I love this town and I truly hope this town shows our schools that we love them as well. MH Supporter always.

Honestly, I wish the "sports issue" had never even been a part of this levy. In my opinion, this is what has caused this debate to become so heated. I love this town as well and it is sad to see a line drawn in the sand dividing us.

Oregon, Florida, West Virginia, Wyoming, to my students these are not just states, these are the universities they will be attending in the fall. We no longer live in world where we just compete locally, but we must compete on a national even an international scale for our students to have a better future than the generation before them.

I have sat back and watched the rhetoric on both sides of the levy debate and I think we have focused too much on just sports and activities and not what those sports and activities mean to our students and what would make the students of Mountain Home better able to compete. Passing the levy would give our students the best opportunity to compete in the real world.

We have to remember that sports and activities teach more than just competition, they teach teamwork, leadership and cooperation among other things.

Those who say most students never get a football scholarship, I say you are correct. But we never know how many students continued their education because sports programs kept them in school and they had to achieve academic standards to play.

To those who say most students never get scholarships for activities. I say your are correct. But we do know that some students do get the opportunity to go to college through participation in those activities.

I do know the universities of Oregon, Florida, West Virginia and Wyoming will have at least one student attending next year that is there in part due to the sports and activities programs at Mountain Home High School.

John Petti

MHHS Debate

the school administration can spent every dollar the can steal from the taxpayers..How about start teaching students..

mhdb8,

Yes scholarships are a great thing to have, and I commend those that get them when they are available. They are not the only way students from MH can go to college. I did not have scholarships to attend college, but paid for it through student loans and grants. Any college or university will have binders full of scholarships available to anyone who apply for them, in fact most go unclaimed due to no one applying for them. I went to college with kids that never took part in any programs other than attend school and come out with a high GPA, but yet have done very well in life. Of course there were others that expected everything be handed to them and had a difficult time if it was suddenly taken away. The students of MH are smart enough to get through this.

The debate team was very successful this year and correct me if I am wrong, you and the team funded almost all if not all yourselves. That speaks volumes about you and the other team members.

Sometimes, things do not work out in many situations and this could be one of them. Do not get dejected or upset if the levy does not pass, you will get an education that will get you into college if you so choose to attend.

I will tell you this. Those kids that come from families that make below the national average for family income have an easier time getting funding to attend school than those above the national average.

You and all others will survive this, just may take some creative thinking to get it accomplished.

Nice job this year on the debate team!!!!

MHsupporter,

"Get over the sports issue. It is so much more then that. I voted yes and I support MH and we will see what happens. I love this town and I truly hope this town shows our schools that we love them as well. MH Supporter always".

You are correct it is so much more than a sports issue. When you have sports constantly brought up by students, it tends to start looking like it is the only issue students and some in the community are only concerned about.

Mr.Petti, what happens to all the money collected for next years debate if the levy fails?

Time will tell about the outcome of the levy. If you don't agree with how things are running, get involved! I read about all of disagreements about how the school is ran, but unless we get involved we can't make it better. Whether you agree or disagree with the levy, be at the next school board meeting and check the chip on the shoulder at the door and work to make the school better as well as the town. Small towns are great, I love living here and not in a big city, part of living in the small town is getting involved to make them better. The base is losing a squadron and quite a few people are leaving, housing market is down and if you cruise around there are tons of houses for sale. Changes are coming to this small piece of the world that we call home. Let us all make it better for those of us that stay and for the ones that might come here.

I completely agree and stop pointing fingers or rather typing and get involved with the right people and help.

@ MHdog-gone and MHSupporter:

I'm with you both!! Get involved people! Go to school board meetings, exercise your right as a school district patron to ask questions and request information, etc. Or better yet, run for school board.

Complaining on a blog and asking accusatory "questions" doesn't count as involvement. But much less time consuming than my suggestions, that's for sure.

I have worked in school systems and see the gross abuse of funding therefore I cannot support this levy. NO NO NO Education is what is paid for anything extra can be worked out with volunteer efforts. Many parents would love the opportunity to coach thier kids in a volunteer effort. School systems sense of entitlement has to end somwhere.

Since my post there have been a couple of questions and comments and I would like to answer them.

First to reallycurious thank you for the kudos. One thing we must remember the education budget cuts have also effected the college level and now college is very expensive. I went through the California Junior College and Cal State system back in the late 1970's and my complete four year degree cost less than three credits, or one CLASS at BSU now. I know money was different then, but the cost of a college education has outpaced the rate of inflation many times over. I think colleges in Idaho are looking at about a 10% increase in fees next fall so that is why scholarships are even more important today. And yes, I do fund the debate team for next year with this years fundraisers. Our biggest fundraiser by far is our own U-Bus-2-Us Tournament in February and that is because of the support of the community and especially the Air Force Base not because they give us money, but because they give us their time to judge and we can charge other schools for not providing judges.

Moanah I am hoping that I don't have to find out what I am going to do with the money raised by this year's debate team if the levy fails. I am hopeful it will pass and the speech/ debate program will continue as usual which will mean students (parents) will not have to pay to go to tournaments. However, in the event the levy does fail, the money will be spent on the students in some way which could include going to a few tournaments as an after school club. While the program is self sufficient, buses have been provided by the district and we would have to pay for our own transportation which would quickly wipe out our fund which is a few thousand dollars.

And last a thank you to the community, through your generous support the 12, yes that right 12 MHHS students raised enough money to go to the National Debate Tournament this June in Kansas City. We are one of the top 50 programs in the United States and you would be hard pressed to find other schools that have qualified as many students as MHHS has to Nationals. We will proudly represent Mountain Home in Kansas City this summer.

Petti

Teach. Anything else...sports,debate,FFA,chess club, whatever, is funded by private organizations or clubs. I think the only people that should vote on this is those that will pay for it. Period.

@novia88401

So are you volunteering?

Paul Revere, so you mentioned you are not a resident of Idaho so you couldn't vote?? You also said that you think the only ones that should be allowed to vote are the ones paying for it. I think the only ones that should vote are Idaho residents because they are not just here for a stop along the way and ACTUALLY care about the town. Must be why we have that law.

10:13 PM reported by Mr. McMurtrey on News Channel 7:

1909 votes (two schools not reporting yet)

1459 YES votes

450 no votes

76%

I have to say this was a controversial and contentious issue. I am a little disappointed that being military, I don't get a vote although my children attend the High School. At any rate, Now that the levy has passed and all the proponents out there are so happy that they performed their civic duty. I would suggest that you step off of your soap boxes and face reality. Visit the ouridaho.com website and view the salaries of the administrators of this school district. 6 figures for a superintendent in Mtn Home???? And over $75,000 for his spouse??? Can anyone say fiscal responsibility? Seems to me that this city was deceived a few years back when the "NEW" High School was completed and only then was it revealed that it would have to be utilized as a junior high school because "things" had to be cut. The federal funding that this school district receives and has received in the past can be utilized for whatever purposes the administrators choose. Appears to me instead of going to the school, teachers, and kids, the adminstrators are doing pretty well with it. Maybe it would be wise to make a copy of the salaries on the ouridaho.com webpage and see if they grow over the next few years and then when the school bond issue that I've seen fail repeatedly, crops up again because of the overcrowded classrooms, which oh by the way was just declining enrollment in this debate, You will all be able to see where all that levy money went. I'll be curious to see how much money I myself will still be handing over with every activity my kids participate in this next year. I bet it doesn't drop.

Who's gonna bail me out when I can't make my mortgage payments anymore, can I start a levy to support my family? Can't believe people being taken in yet again by this SD. Good luck Mtn. Home, if I can ever sell my home I will be one of the many leaving!

IF...this passes. Those of us who voted NO should sue...and here's why. The first and most obvious...only property owners should be voting.

Second...funny how the vote coincided the night before graduation...and funny how the orange sign generators placed in town, first announced the vote then tweaking the heart strings by announcing state championships. IF those orange sign generators are city property.......

I know it, of coarse folks that don't have to pay for this voted in favor, I still can't believe this is possible...where are our rights as property owners, what the hecks the use, may as well rent...

Moanah:

are you putting your house up for sale today. I understand house are starting to sale again.

lovemtnhome: I WISH!

MacinIdaho, Maybe you and Moanah could get a two for one deal on selling your homes. Looking at the outcome of the votes the majority of Mountain Home supports the schools and town and so I bet we could get enough people together to give you one heck of a going away party. I will even buy the burgers.-- You really need to find a hobby besides chasing ambulances and picking on children. Just saying.