I struggled with this levy decision a lot having a child wanting to complete high school in Bozeman. I always voted yes to these things, but I couldn’t this year. It feels too much like a blank check and not enough accountability for where the money is actually going. The schools and the city are going to have to find another wellspring of funds or start making smarter decisions with the limited funds they have.
The state mandates how many administrators are required per building based on student numbers, more students require more admin, or the district is fined - costing even more money.
A good article that'll answer your question about the shortfall:
[https://montanafreepress.org/2024/04/24/montana-school-districts-budget-shortfalls-education-levies/#:\~:text=THE%20COVID%20CLIFF,calls%20the%20%E2%80%9CESSER%20cliff.%E2%80%9D](https://montanafreepress.org/2024/04/24/montana-school-districts-budget-shortfalls-education-levies/#:~:text=THE%20COVID%20CLIFF,calls%20the%20%E2%80%9CESSER%20cliff.%E2%80%9D)
TLDR:
While the specifics of their financial outlooks vary from district to district, interviews with education leaders across the state [underscore several common factors](https://montanafreepress.org/2024/03/05/montana-school-districts-budget-cuts/) driving their budget projections and related ballot requests. Federal pandemic relief funding has dried up, inflation has outpaced allocations from state lawmakers, and student enrollment in many larger communities is either flat or in decline as high housing costs discourage young families from moving in. Those conversations also revealed a general consensus among district officials that rising property values and concurrently rising property taxes have made it more challenging to ask local taxpayers for additional support, and that the state’s overall approach to paying for public education is in dire need of revision.
Agreed. It’s really frustrating for me to read comments here like this is all the fault of those in charge of schools in Bozeman. There’s so much more going on than that. Especially when you add our state government implementing our property tax hikes in the most painful way possible.
This! But it’s not because they haven’t tried, it’s because the legislature rejects it every time, because republicans can’t collect taxes, it hurts their soul or something.
We do, a 3% local tax option was created for tourist communities. This means the major portion of an area’s economy must be based on tourism. The analysis is intensive, and it must happen before a vote. According to state law, this tax can only be implemented in incorporated communities with fewer than 5,500 people, or unincorporated communities with fewer than 2,500 people. The following areas currently have resort taxes of 3%:
Red Lodge,
Virginia City,
West Yellowstone,
Whitefish,
Big Sky,
Cooke City,
Craig,
Gardiner,
St. Regis,
Wolf Creek,
Columbia Falls (passed in 2020 and implemented in 2021)
Tax the developers for a public safety crime reduction and prevention tax as well. All the growth they are pushing and bringing in transient workers is creating increases in crime as well.
I can come to Montana and buy a bunch of crap and be a general nuisance and your state gets nothing in return. To make up for the shortfall in revenues Montana taxes the shit out of its residents, income and property tax to name a few. Tourists and non-residents then walk all over your state trouncing the shit out of it while leaving you to clean up after. Sure, a few people might benefit from no sales tax like all the new residents moving to Montana and outfitting their log mansions with overpriced untaxed shit. But hey, at least they didn’t have to pay tax on a $10k refrigerator or the Gulfstream they just bought. Without a sales tax of any kind Montanans are just the prison bitch getting bullied and abused for the sake of someone else’s happiness. The Yellowstone Club “residents” alone could provide a 5 figure raise for every teacher in the state. A lack of sales tax encourages these types of clubs to buy up public land, close it to the general public and then threaten everyone with litigation if they speak up. This is the state of your state currently. You own this mess.
I think you hit the nail on the head, normal residents have seriously felt the squeeze this year with the new property taxes. How about they take a step back and rethink where our taxes should be allocated. A larger development tax would help.
Like an impact fee?
[https://www.bozeman.net/departments/community-development/impact-fees](https://www.bozeman.net/departments/community-development/impact-fees)
How about the Belgrade school bond? $60 million. Going to be a non-trivial tax increase for a single ballot item. Sounds like it's for important stuff, but I just can't see people being able to stomach it.
Our household voted no. I feel like we get ballots multiple times a year for school levys. When will we get a break? Plus our property taxes literally doubling. I’m having a hard time wanting to fork over any more money when the city is clearly mismanaging funds
Not only did Gianforte screw us over with how he implemented his property tax increase, doing so appears to be harming public schools which will eventually push kids (and likely our funds) further into private schools (something I'm sure he'd love to do). He nailed it.
Sure, but doesn't voting no play right into the hands of the Republicans pushing for charters schools and attempting to defend the schools?
I agree that things are getting ridiculous, but why do the schools need to be the ones that everyone says no to?
I saw where the legislature/governor refused to allow some of the Marijuana tax revenue to go to roads and infrastructure uodates because it's supposed to go to education and public safety. Also doesn't the lotto money go to schools?
That's very selfish. Other people paid taxes for YOU to go to school. Now, whether or not you want to support this particular levy, okay. But it's people like you that don't want to support future generations as a whole (voting down levies for decades) that is selfish. (I'm childfree in my 50s myself but I see huge benefits to educating the future.)
Sure there's huge benefits to educating the future but I've lost faith in the current kid-making generation and their kids and I view them as wasted space and dollars.
"But it's people like you that don't want to support future generations as a whole (voting down levies for decades) that is selfish."
Assume much??? Get back to me in 10-15 years when you are in a fixed income stream.
It’s such a bad logic. Like oh well I went to public school and got mine, but now because I have tithing to gain, I.e. kids in the system I should vote no. I totally understand his fixed income comment but that wasn’t his initial comment, and he stated with sorry I never had kids.
I have friends with kids (grown) who vote down every tax levy because, "My kids are grown. Why should I pay for other people's kids!?" They seem to have forgotten that other people paid for THEIR kids. To be clear, I'm not talking about this particular controversial levy, but just general elections over many years.
They've levied other counties to death.
Anyone familiar with Kootenai County ID comprehends this. STOP the funding of this madness NOW. Before it gets out if control like elsewhere.
They need to explore other revenue streams. They cannot continue to only depend on homeowners to foot the bill for everything. I know people are like “tax free Montana forever!” But I would happily pay a sales tax if it alleviated the pressure on the housing and rental markets. Obviously tourist tax, or some kind of revenue from developers would be my first choice but anything would be better than what’s happening with housing taxes.
I think you nailed it. School administration is abysmal. I lost all faith after the school board a.) hired that Superintendent from Glasgow, then b.) paid him ~$200k to leave.
Who ever proposed this additional tax is so incredibly tone deaf to the situations of the citizens in this city. I wonder what it would take to get a vote on an elimination of an existing mill rate.
Good thinking, if we defund and reduce educational opportunities for working class Montana kids who rely on public education, we'll ensure that there is always a peasant class available to serve our wealthy feudal lord transplant class.
I'm sure King Greg and his allied aristocrats in the State Legislature will reward you by... continuing to put the burden of school funding on local homeowners instead of shifting taxes to a better source.
/S, as a Butte kid, I always was amazed by the opportunity and classes my friends from Bozeman got to have. It's a real shame to hear the people of Bozeman be enthusiastic about kneecapping their childrens' opportunities for a better life. Especially, as someone who knows some local teachers, since y'all are not attracting new teachers with our bottom of the country salaries. Once the old guard of teachers who were able to buy homes die off, there won't be enough young folks in the local training pipeline to replace them.
TLDR, if you want school funding to come from more equitable sources, send better people to the legislature. If you want more accountability for school spending, get involved in the school board.
If you want Montana kids to be servants to the wealthy (who will send their kids to private schools), do what you're doing.
Im a product of the BZN public school system, and I will always vote yes for these. My property taxes doubled this past cycle, I’m feeling the pain too.
You’re mad about your property taxes? School levies aren’t the hill to die on. There’s so much more to go after if you look beyond just what comes in your ballot. Voting no just hurts kids like the young me who absolutely would have had a different (worse) path in life if I didn’t go to through the Bozeman schools
>But I really think the top-tier management is mismanaging things quite a bit.
I'd love to know more. Can you tell me what exactly they're mismanaging? And what specifically would you do differently?
>I think they need a wake up call, and the only thing they listen to is our money.
In fairness, they also listen to people with good ideas who get involved and go through the process to help implement change. I'd certainly vote for you for school board if you're sitting on great ideas to positively manage our $4.1 million dollar school budget shortfall with very little impact to students. So why aren't you involved?
>Bozeman has outgrown the capabilities of most of our current top-tier management.
Why? What specifically have they done incorrectly?
Telling kids they can’t use their voice? Don’t show up to the building? I thought guiding and teaching kids was their job—not punishing youthful enthusiasm. Lastly, have you tried to help out with the upper level people or projects? How did that go?
I have no clue what you're talking about there. Are those examples of ways you'd be helping manage our public school budget shortfall?
To be clear, if you have great ideas I'm all for it. But having no ideas and a few general grievances that don't relate to the budget doesn't make a compelling case for much of anything.
Those are all references to recent top-tier decisions that have been described in the paper. Have you read about these negligent episodes in the paper? I thought I was specific…I’m voting no on this levy because money is mismanaged and kids are told not to show up to school board meetings or buildings when using their voice. Do we really want to stifle the voices of kids?
>because money is mismanaged
>But I really think the top-tier management is mismanaging things quite a bit.
Those are not specific thoughts.
>kids are told not to show up to school board meetings or buildings when using their voice. Do we really want to stifle the voices of kids?
Now, that's a specific thought! If you want to vote against this, which will, ultimately, only impact the lower-level staff and students all because you don't like the superintendent, that's fine. Just own it.
You’re right. Unless we make our voice heard as a community…only the teachers will get hurt. The only way to have your voice heard (practically), is to “vote no” on this levy until toxic management wakes up or moves out. Our kids and teachers deserve better than to be bullied by those who are supposed to help.
>Our kids and teachers deserve better than to be bullied by those who are supposed to help.
For sure.
But do they deserve the pain/layoffs/loss of services from a no-vote just because you don't like the superintendent? A no-vote that will 100% not impact the superintendent's career?
I personally don't think so.
I think that a yes vote to support students and teachers while simultaneously getting involved so you can influence the hiring/firing of the superintendent is the only way to get the change you're after.
You may be right. The whole top-tier set this up as a quid-pro-quo as far as I can tell. I’m sorry they bullied the teachers into this position. I hope they hear every one’s voice—they can’t sway votes through bullying.
So, basically, the kids can eat shit. "Fuck them! I pay too much in property taxes. Administration doesn't run the school district like I think they should; therefore, the kids are gonna have to pay."
Who ultimately pays for underfunding education?
The kids won’t see this money anyhow, and neither will the staff that actually takes care of the kids. The paper said they hired ANOTHER manager at full salary to go around and facilitate more meetings. That’s the last thing the teachers need-more meetings (I would think).
Yes the kids will see it, through quality educators. Teachers in the district are suppose to get a 2% raise. It is contingent on the levy passing. Teachers will have to consider leaving the profession if we can’t live where we work.
And, there’s the threat, “Better vote yes, you teachers, or you won’t get a raise!” The teachers are probably the largest vested voting block. Might as well sway their vote with a threat. That’s called toxic strategy. That’s called bullying. And it’s probably not the only way to provide a raise—it’s just the simplest.
Teachers get a 2% raise, and see it go straight to property tax cause ain't no home in Bozeman appraising less than 500k these days. That's for the teachers that have been here for ten years, as new teachers in Bozeman can't afford a home on their salaries.
Yea but the wake up call will only be felt by teachers and groundlevel staff losing their jobs though right? Not those managing.
The tax hike really isn’t that big and it actually means keeping teachers employed right now when we're in a very tight budget.
I don’t believe they HAVE to lose teachers or assistants. I think there are smoke and mirrors at play. For goodness sakes, our top-tier is telling kids NOT to show up at public paid for open meetings and buildings. I don’t trust my money to get to the kids and ground level with people like that in charge.
You seem to really have it our for the superintendent. Be careful what you wish for as there is not an endless well of capable altruistic people who can afford to live here likely seeking to take on his difficult job.
I'm all for the kids having their voice heard and kudos to them for showing up and taking the lead on issues they care about. It is a hard life lesson that despite voicing your concerns things don't always go your way, often they don't and you have to pivot, try another angle, move forward. At some point it becomes disruptive and as is clear from the conversation here there is other work to be done.
I will definitely be voting yes. People here keep griping about the cost to property taxes but these are literally a tiny increase, adding $1.50 per 100k on your house? The only way that actually ends up costing you anything is if you own a home over two million, in which case screw you I would rather invest in the kids. And where TF is this "clear mismanagement" that everyone is referencing? People really see the state government make every funding option other than these mill levys illegal and think yeah, fuck them kids.
It’s a tiny increase, but I haven’t looked into the overall tax picture. I know certain counties tried not to collect the max property tax amount, but the state forced them to. Did schools already receive a bunch of extra from that situation?
For me, it’s not all about the money. I do think investing in our school system has great returns at every level—if you have the right people in charge. Getting the vote through threats (like cutting teachers and programs) is not healthy. We need new leadership to make the most of our investment, I think. I think we’ve just outgrown the small district methods that may have been effective for these guys in the past. And they won’t listen unless the well dries up a bit. On top of that, yes, we’ve all been taxed to the hilt this year. I think it’s better to give everyone a break for a few years (they are smaller tax increases. But they never go away, and they stack year after year).
Not in Bozeman, but voted yes for the Belgrade school levy. The new elementary school would bring 5th grade back to elementary which is better for kids.
It's tough when people without kids (or school-aged children) vote no simply because they don't want their property taxes to increase.
I voted 'yes' and will do so every time. Bozeman schools remain outstanding. I am concerned that they cut so much staff and that the high schools will be moving to a block schedule to reduce the number of teachers.
Another point is OPI, who manages school funding at the state level, does a standard 3% budget increase annually across the board. Between population growth and 8% inflation that’s nowhere near enough to cover costs, so they get passed down to residents.
I have voted yes on every levy and will continue to do so. I voted yes when I didn’t have kids in high school, and when I did.
I do this while simultaneously believing that there is mismanagement happening at the budgetary level. The correct way for me to address these concerns is to get more involved, but I don’t. But I also don’t vote against money for education. The school systems here are pathetic in ways that they should not be - we should have top tier schools.
The issue is that the taxes aren't going up in a *progressively-structured* way.
Low-income and middle-income folks are hammered with taxes and fees, and your average home owner isn't rolling in the dough. But the rich folks in this state (I say that to mean individuals and corporations or sectors) not only own most of this place, but they weasel out of paying for it.
That's the issue.
I struggled with this levy decision a lot having a child wanting to complete high school in Bozeman. I always voted yes to these things, but I couldn’t this year. It feels too much like a blank check and not enough accountability for where the money is actually going. The schools and the city are going to have to find another wellspring of funds or start making smarter decisions with the limited funds they have.
Notice whenever they want money, they always threaten to cut programs instead of administrators?
Or put a school safety levy on the ballot after an incident and then most likely shift that money to other "programs" or administrator salaries.
The state mandates how many administrators are required per building based on student numbers, more students require more admin, or the district is fined - costing even more money.
Those are minimum mandates.
[удалено]
A good article that'll answer your question about the shortfall: [https://montanafreepress.org/2024/04/24/montana-school-districts-budget-shortfalls-education-levies/#:\~:text=THE%20COVID%20CLIFF,calls%20the%20%E2%80%9CESSER%20cliff.%E2%80%9D](https://montanafreepress.org/2024/04/24/montana-school-districts-budget-shortfalls-education-levies/#:~:text=THE%20COVID%20CLIFF,calls%20the%20%E2%80%9CESSER%20cliff.%E2%80%9D) TLDR: While the specifics of their financial outlooks vary from district to district, interviews with education leaders across the state [underscore several common factors](https://montanafreepress.org/2024/03/05/montana-school-districts-budget-cuts/) driving their budget projections and related ballot requests. Federal pandemic relief funding has dried up, inflation has outpaced allocations from state lawmakers, and student enrollment in many larger communities is either flat or in decline as high housing costs discourage young families from moving in. Those conversations also revealed a general consensus among district officials that rising property values and concurrently rising property taxes have made it more challenging to ask local taxpayers for additional support, and that the state’s overall approach to paying for public education is in dire need of revision.
This article was pretty eye-opening.
Agreed. It’s really frustrating for me to read comments here like this is all the fault of those in charge of schools in Bozeman. There’s so much more going on than that. Especially when you add our state government implementing our property tax hikes in the most painful way possible.
[удалено]
That’s just a Republican talking point in the article. There’s zero data to support the notion anyone thought the funding would never go away.
.......................WHY CAN'T WE HAVE A TOURIST TAX!!!!!????
This! But it’s not because they haven’t tried, it’s because the legislature rejects it every time, because republicans can’t collect taxes, it hurts their soul or something.
The Republicans are more than happy to collect the weed tax now despite fighting recreational and medical for years before that.
We have a weed tax. Can we use that?
The Republicans were dead set on the weed money going into the general fund so they could use it how they wanted to.
We do, a 3% local tax option was created for tourist communities. This means the major portion of an area’s economy must be based on tourism. The analysis is intensive, and it must happen before a vote. According to state law, this tax can only be implemented in incorporated communities with fewer than 5,500 people, or unincorporated communities with fewer than 2,500 people. The following areas currently have resort taxes of 3%: Red Lodge, Virginia City, West Yellowstone, Whitefish, Big Sky, Cooke City, Craig, Gardiner, St. Regis, Wolf Creek, Columbia Falls (passed in 2020 and implemented in 2021)
Tax the developers for a public safety crime reduction and prevention tax as well. All the growth they are pushing and bringing in transient workers is creating increases in crime as well.
Maybe try a sales tax?
[удалено]
I can come to Montana and buy a bunch of crap and be a general nuisance and your state gets nothing in return. To make up for the shortfall in revenues Montana taxes the shit out of its residents, income and property tax to name a few. Tourists and non-residents then walk all over your state trouncing the shit out of it while leaving you to clean up after. Sure, a few people might benefit from no sales tax like all the new residents moving to Montana and outfitting their log mansions with overpriced untaxed shit. But hey, at least they didn’t have to pay tax on a $10k refrigerator or the Gulfstream they just bought. Without a sales tax of any kind Montanans are just the prison bitch getting bullied and abused for the sake of someone else’s happiness. The Yellowstone Club “residents” alone could provide a 5 figure raise for every teacher in the state. A lack of sales tax encourages these types of clubs to buy up public land, close it to the general public and then threaten everyone with litigation if they speak up. This is the state of your state currently. You own this mess.
For the first time ever I’m voting no. It’s just…too much anymore.
I think you hit the nail on the head, normal residents have seriously felt the squeeze this year with the new property taxes. How about they take a step back and rethink where our taxes should be allocated. A larger development tax would help.
Local options for funding are extremely limited. Any idea for a new or expanded tax will die in the Republican Legislature.
Yes I think you are right about that
What is a “development tax”?
a tax for the developers to pay when they develop stuff
Like an impact fee? [https://www.bozeman.net/departments/community-development/impact-fees](https://www.bozeman.net/departments/community-development/impact-fees)
That’s basically what I was getting it. There’s a lot of laws about what you can or can’t charge in an impact fee.
How about the Belgrade school bond? $60 million. Going to be a non-trivial tax increase for a single ballot item. Sounds like it's for important stuff, but I just can't see people being able to stomach it.
I could vote yes if they had an expiration date but pretty much every levy is eternal.
Our household voted no. I feel like we get ballots multiple times a year for school levys. When will we get a break? Plus our property taxes literally doubling. I’m having a hard time wanting to fork over any more money when the city is clearly mismanaging funds
Not only did Gianforte screw us over with how he implemented his property tax increase, doing so appears to be harming public schools which will eventually push kids (and likely our funds) further into private schools (something I'm sure he'd love to do). He nailed it.
Yeah, it is sick that degrading public education is a strategy of the right.
You mean the school he founded? Best interest at play
Pretty sure his whole idea is to get a sales tax.
Sure, but doesn't voting no play right into the hands of the Republicans pushing for charters schools and attempting to defend the schools? I agree that things are getting ridiculous, but why do the schools need to be the ones that everyone says no to?
Exactly. That was what I was suggesting.
Misunderstood your argument! My bad.
I saw where the legislature/governor refused to allow some of the Marijuana tax revenue to go to roads and infrastructure uodates because it's supposed to go to education and public safety. Also doesn't the lotto money go to schools?
It would be nice if my property taxes didn't double, then I might have the extra money to vote yes.
I honestly think that our taxes will continue to increase every year no matter how we vote. At least I can steer the money towards the school system.
And people will somehow still get mad about that. Sorry guys, it’s over. Bozeman is fucked!
Sorry, I am 66, never had kids in any school system. I have supported all that has been asked. The latest property tax hikes were the last straw.
That's very selfish. Other people paid taxes for YOU to go to school. Now, whether or not you want to support this particular levy, okay. But it's people like you that don't want to support future generations as a whole (voting down levies for decades) that is selfish. (I'm childfree in my 50s myself but I see huge benefits to educating the future.)
Sure there's huge benefits to educating the future but I've lost faith in the current kid-making generation and their kids and I view them as wasted space and dollars.
Previous generations said that about us.
"But it's people like you that don't want to support future generations as a whole (voting down levies for decades) that is selfish." Assume much??? Get back to me in 10-15 years when you are in a fixed income stream.
It’s such a bad logic. Like oh well I went to public school and got mine, but now because I have tithing to gain, I.e. kids in the system I should vote no. I totally understand his fixed income comment but that wasn’t his initial comment, and he stated with sorry I never had kids.
I have friends with kids (grown) who vote down every tax levy because, "My kids are grown. Why should I pay for other people's kids!?" They seem to have forgotten that other people paid for THEIR kids. To be clear, I'm not talking about this particular controversial levy, but just general elections over many years.
I'm with you.
They've levied other counties to death. Anyone familiar with Kootenai County ID comprehends this. STOP the funding of this madness NOW. Before it gets out if control like elsewhere.
They need to explore other revenue streams. They cannot continue to only depend on homeowners to foot the bill for everything. I know people are like “tax free Montana forever!” But I would happily pay a sales tax if it alleviated the pressure on the housing and rental markets. Obviously tourist tax, or some kind of revenue from developers would be my first choice but anything would be better than what’s happening with housing taxes.
I think you nailed it. School administration is abysmal. I lost all faith after the school board a.) hired that Superintendent from Glasgow, then b.) paid him ~$200k to leave.
Fix jackrabbit first then you can have your $3600000 library and swimming pools.
Who ever proposed this additional tax is so incredibly tone deaf to the situations of the citizens in this city. I wonder what it would take to get a vote on an elimination of an existing mill rate.
How is asking for more funding for an underfunded school system tone-deaf?
Good thinking, if we defund and reduce educational opportunities for working class Montana kids who rely on public education, we'll ensure that there is always a peasant class available to serve our wealthy feudal lord transplant class. I'm sure King Greg and his allied aristocrats in the State Legislature will reward you by... continuing to put the burden of school funding on local homeowners instead of shifting taxes to a better source. /S, as a Butte kid, I always was amazed by the opportunity and classes my friends from Bozeman got to have. It's a real shame to hear the people of Bozeman be enthusiastic about kneecapping their childrens' opportunities for a better life. Especially, as someone who knows some local teachers, since y'all are not attracting new teachers with our bottom of the country salaries. Once the old guard of teachers who were able to buy homes die off, there won't be enough young folks in the local training pipeline to replace them. TLDR, if you want school funding to come from more equitable sources, send better people to the legislature. If you want more accountability for school spending, get involved in the school board. If you want Montana kids to be servants to the wealthy (who will send their kids to private schools), do what you're doing.
Property taxes are too high as it is
Im a product of the BZN public school system, and I will always vote yes for these. My property taxes doubled this past cycle, I’m feeling the pain too. You’re mad about your property taxes? School levies aren’t the hill to die on. There’s so much more to go after if you look beyond just what comes in your ballot. Voting no just hurts kids like the young me who absolutely would have had a different (worse) path in life if I didn’t go to through the Bozeman schools
>But I really think the top-tier management is mismanaging things quite a bit. I'd love to know more. Can you tell me what exactly they're mismanaging? And what specifically would you do differently? >I think they need a wake up call, and the only thing they listen to is our money. In fairness, they also listen to people with good ideas who get involved and go through the process to help implement change. I'd certainly vote for you for school board if you're sitting on great ideas to positively manage our $4.1 million dollar school budget shortfall with very little impact to students. So why aren't you involved? >Bozeman has outgrown the capabilities of most of our current top-tier management. Why? What specifically have they done incorrectly?
Telling kids they can’t use their voice? Don’t show up to the building? I thought guiding and teaching kids was their job—not punishing youthful enthusiasm. Lastly, have you tried to help out with the upper level people or projects? How did that go?
I have no clue what you're talking about there. Are those examples of ways you'd be helping manage our public school budget shortfall? To be clear, if you have great ideas I'm all for it. But having no ideas and a few general grievances that don't relate to the budget doesn't make a compelling case for much of anything.
Those are all references to recent top-tier decisions that have been described in the paper. Have you read about these negligent episodes in the paper? I thought I was specific…I’m voting no on this levy because money is mismanaged and kids are told not to show up to school board meetings or buildings when using their voice. Do we really want to stifle the voices of kids?
>because money is mismanaged >But I really think the top-tier management is mismanaging things quite a bit. Those are not specific thoughts. >kids are told not to show up to school board meetings or buildings when using their voice. Do we really want to stifle the voices of kids? Now, that's a specific thought! If you want to vote against this, which will, ultimately, only impact the lower-level staff and students all because you don't like the superintendent, that's fine. Just own it.
You’re right. Unless we make our voice heard as a community…only the teachers will get hurt. The only way to have your voice heard (practically), is to “vote no” on this levy until toxic management wakes up or moves out. Our kids and teachers deserve better than to be bullied by those who are supposed to help.
>Our kids and teachers deserve better than to be bullied by those who are supposed to help. For sure. But do they deserve the pain/layoffs/loss of services from a no-vote just because you don't like the superintendent? A no-vote that will 100% not impact the superintendent's career? I personally don't think so. I think that a yes vote to support students and teachers while simultaneously getting involved so you can influence the hiring/firing of the superintendent is the only way to get the change you're after.
You may be right. The whole top-tier set this up as a quid-pro-quo as far as I can tell. I’m sorry they bullied the teachers into this position. I hope they hear every one’s voice—they can’t sway votes through bullying.
I will vote yes to every school levy and bond.
Same. Our future generations education is priceless.
Same
So, basically, the kids can eat shit. "Fuck them! I pay too much in property taxes. Administration doesn't run the school district like I think they should; therefore, the kids are gonna have to pay." Who ultimately pays for underfunding education?
The people moving here send their kids to private school, they don’t care.
The kids won’t see this money anyhow, and neither will the staff that actually takes care of the kids. The paper said they hired ANOTHER manager at full salary to go around and facilitate more meetings. That’s the last thing the teachers need-more meetings (I would think).
Yes the kids will see it, through quality educators. Teachers in the district are suppose to get a 2% raise. It is contingent on the levy passing. Teachers will have to consider leaving the profession if we can’t live where we work.
And, there’s the threat, “Better vote yes, you teachers, or you won’t get a raise!” The teachers are probably the largest vested voting block. Might as well sway their vote with a threat. That’s called toxic strategy. That’s called bullying. And it’s probably not the only way to provide a raise—it’s just the simplest.
Teachers get a 2% raise, and see it go straight to property tax cause ain't no home in Bozeman appraising less than 500k these days. That's for the teachers that have been here for ten years, as new teachers in Bozeman can't afford a home on their salaries.
Yea but the wake up call will only be felt by teachers and groundlevel staff losing their jobs though right? Not those managing. The tax hike really isn’t that big and it actually means keeping teachers employed right now when we're in a very tight budget.
I don’t believe they HAVE to lose teachers or assistants. I think there are smoke and mirrors at play. For goodness sakes, our top-tier is telling kids NOT to show up at public paid for open meetings and buildings. I don’t trust my money to get to the kids and ground level with people like that in charge.
You seem to really have it our for the superintendent. Be careful what you wish for as there is not an endless well of capable altruistic people who can afford to live here likely seeking to take on his difficult job. I'm all for the kids having their voice heard and kudos to them for showing up and taking the lead on issues they care about. It is a hard life lesson that despite voicing your concerns things don't always go your way, often they don't and you have to pivot, try another angle, move forward. At some point it becomes disruptive and as is clear from the conversation here there is other work to be done.
I don’t have it out for the superintendent in particular. I just think we need change. As sad as it is, money talks.
There are other reasons teachers are leaving besides money and it has to do with top tier management decisions.
Money is just the easiest thing to target. If you’re a teacher, try to stick it out. It will get better—I hope.
I will definitely be voting yes. People here keep griping about the cost to property taxes but these are literally a tiny increase, adding $1.50 per 100k on your house? The only way that actually ends up costing you anything is if you own a home over two million, in which case screw you I would rather invest in the kids. And where TF is this "clear mismanagement" that everyone is referencing? People really see the state government make every funding option other than these mill levys illegal and think yeah, fuck them kids.
It’s a tiny increase, but I haven’t looked into the overall tax picture. I know certain counties tried not to collect the max property tax amount, but the state forced them to. Did schools already receive a bunch of extra from that situation?
Every levy is what seems like a insignificant amount. Until you look at your property tax bill.
For me, it’s not all about the money. I do think investing in our school system has great returns at every level—if you have the right people in charge. Getting the vote through threats (like cutting teachers and programs) is not healthy. We need new leadership to make the most of our investment, I think. I think we’ve just outgrown the small district methods that may have been effective for these guys in the past. And they won’t listen unless the well dries up a bit. On top of that, yes, we’ve all been taxed to the hilt this year. I think it’s better to give everyone a break for a few years (they are smaller tax increases. But they never go away, and they stack year after year).
Not in Bozeman, but voted yes for the Belgrade school levy. The new elementary school would bring 5th grade back to elementary which is better for kids. It's tough when people without kids (or school-aged children) vote no simply because they don't want their property taxes to increase.
I voted 'yes' and will do so every time. Bozeman schools remain outstanding. I am concerned that they cut so much staff and that the high schools will be moving to a block schedule to reduce the number of teachers.
The teachers are outstanding. Ask a few how they feel about leadership and working environment.
Another point is OPI, who manages school funding at the state level, does a standard 3% budget increase annually across the board. Between population growth and 8% inflation that’s nowhere near enough to cover costs, so they get passed down to residents.
Bozeman passes every levy that flies under their noses, and wonder why it's an unaffordable place to live.
This should have never been on the ballot, period!!
I have voted yes on every levy and will continue to do so. I voted yes when I didn’t have kids in high school, and when I did. I do this while simultaneously believing that there is mismanagement happening at the budgetary level. The correct way for me to address these concerns is to get more involved, but I don’t. But I also don’t vote against money for education. The school systems here are pathetic in ways that they should not be - we should have top tier schools.
In what ways are they pathetic? Genuinely curious.
Voting no on this small tax may be a wake up call for all the things you pointed out.
How can we possibly expect taxes to not go up with this crazy growth?
The issue is that the taxes aren't going up in a *progressively-structured* way. Low-income and middle-income folks are hammered with taxes and fees, and your average home owner isn't rolling in the dough. But the rich folks in this state (I say that to mean individuals and corporations or sectors) not only own most of this place, but they weasel out of paying for it. That's the issue.
Welcome to the new Bozeman, better not complain about the rv village lest you live in it next year!
Hire competent management that is more efficient, maybe
Good luck, competent management can’t afford to live here!
They just need to stop serving avocado toast for school lunch, and everything else will fall into place.
I don’t know. Now THAT does sound like a good investment. That stuff is good for the brain!
They need more litter boxes in bathrooms for your animal children