QUESTION ANY LEVY OR BOND
CUT ALL ADMINISTRATIVE & PERSONNEL BUDGET BLOAT!
SPEAK UP FOR THE KIDS & ALSO SAVE ON YOUR TAXES
Your School District collects the lions share of your property taxes. You can view your new property taxes online in January and before the SKSD February 11, 2025 levy vote. The levy ask this time is $133 million over four years, at a cost of $250K to put on the ballot. They refused to put this EM&O levy on the ballot this past November when the cost would have been a fraction of what "we" end up holding the tax bag for the District running their levy in a special election rather than a general election.
So man times there has been an absence of accountability and transparency with the District and the board. They must do better at showing us where they are spending our tax dollars; how those dollars are actually improving the academic outcomes for the students. So far the stats are not encouraging - down rather than up. SKSD must show better results and progress in student academic achievement and graduation statistics. They should be required to earn this levy, but now it seems to late. We can work together to achieve these dysfunctional dynamics, but the district must start listening and attending to our requests. It's called COMMON GOALS.
WHAT ABOUT FUTURE LEVY & BOND REQUESTS?
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SKSD BONDS
When will the "NEXT BIG ONE" come?
- The answer is twofold. First, they are waiting for the legislature to change the 60% super-majority to a 50+1% so that they don’t have to worry about it. That will allow a very slight majority to tax everyone else for 30 years for buildings most will never see completed. More on this as the legislature meets and the district decides that taxes don’t matter to them since they all get a 7% pay rise every year and you, the taxpayer, pay their taxes for them.
- The second reason is that the levy is more important than any old bond. Why; because that is the money that they use to give all district employees their pay and perks with. Can’t use bond money for pay and perks but levy money is the gravy train of the district. District employees are all state workers and get the state “COLA” as other state workers get. However, the unions have put into their contracts an additional 3% raise for themselves. This makes the total raise for SKSD employees at 7% every year. Do you get a raise like that? If you are on social security, you will get a 2.5% raise in 2025. Are you willing to give your raise to some person in the school district so they can have their state COLA raise plus your raise- just for being in the school district.
- With the almost 300 extra employees the district tells you that you wanted them, you pay the entire cost for them. The state only funds about 1100 employees for the size of this district. So, the levy is the money they use to fund the additional 300 people plus all the extra benefits that all district employees get (higher than authorized pay scales and higher benefits packages). You, the taxpayer pay for this through the levy. If the state has fully funded education, then why do we need a levy?
SKSD LEVIES
- The district has a policy where no none in the district can speak ill of the district. So, you will never hear of any problems in the district because no one is allowed to mention them. So, according to the district, everything is perfect with everyone, every day, forever.
- Given that the pay and perks of the district now consume 90% of the budget, the levy is vital to them; not the kids. Of the $31M levy, pay and perks will consume $27.9M; leaving $3.1M “for the kids” but in reality, will go for some deferred maintenance, higher utility bills, etc. The district will cut student programs to fully fund their pay and benefits.
- So, what is the solution? It will take a double levy failure to allow the state to come in and make changes. These would include a new district staff, a request to recall the board members, terminate the superintendent(s), and put the district on the OSPI “help” list. This will allow the salaries to be reset to what they should be and also eliminate the 300 extra employees so that the money is used for what it should be- “for the kids”.
- SKSD plans on running its next “necessary” EM&O levy in a special election period in February 2025. Superintendent Winter went on the record a few months ago saying there was not enough time to get that ballot measure on the November 2024 ballot. He told us it would to difficult (confusing) for the voters. Isn’t that just a bit insulting to you? He also said that capital levies were not big enough to build more than one school, so that would not work for them. For them it is truly go big or don’t bother I guess. Wouldn’t building one or two schools at a time be better than continually failing bond issues?
- Why levies and bonds during special election periods? These elections actually cost us taxpayers more. These special election period ballots rely on low voter turnout. The District says all school districts run their ballot measures (tax increases) this way. The District "rigs the system" by running them when they know there will be lower voter turnout rather than running the levy (or bonds) in general elections because they bank on voters not turning out. They rely on this voting pattern where the majority of yes voters turn out, thus stiffing the no voting vocal minority. The District banks on their 1400 plus employees (they want those pay raises) and their voter age family members who will also vote yes to ‘bring in the bacon in’ for the District. As stated before, they all want our legislators in Olympia to change the current SUPERIORITY rules.
- It currently takes just 60 percent to pass bonds, but only 50 percent (plus one) yes votes to pass levies. Expect to see more capital levies. They want it all, they want to pass every levy and every bond they put on any ballot. Let's be honest, these are all 'new' tax hikes. They want to show us "Poor & Confused” voters who's really in charge here.
- Here's a not so funny fact: It costs ($250K per ballot measure for the District to run these ballot measures) far more for us (TAXPAYERS) to fund a ballot measure in special elections unless there are many other ballot measures appearing on special election(s) ballots. November is almost always cheaper for the taxpayers, but the District just doesn't care about cost efficiencies. They can’t help themselves to ‘gamming’ the system, going out of their way regardless of the costs to us to put these ballot measures on special election ballots. Election periods which historically always favor them with lower but more determined yes voter turnout. It is all less than an transparent. It is unethical, dishonest, and a disgusting "money game" these taxing districts play! Yes, there are certain things they will not do to get your tax dollars, but at the moment I’m failing to remember any of them.
STATE FUNDING
- And what about public education funding the State also taxes us on on? All 295 public school districts in the State of Washington continue to lay claims that our State doesn’t fully fund education; and let us not forget; “it’s all for the kids”, right? Wrong!! Their mantra is that “it’s for the kids”. They always claim that the state that continues to fail to fully fund education. Excuse me, the state only has to fund basic education by law, so the District(s) continue to stuff all the bits and pieces of sausage bits they think “make up education” and then stuff all that into the sausage sock and call it ...all necessary and basic education.
OSPI AND MR. REYKDAL
- Mr. Reykdal has requested another $2 Billion for education. That would give each district $6.8M more. Again, why do we need a levy if the money truly goes “to the kids”?
- A good example here is the promise that the community pool would cost no more than $4,750,000. At this point they are exceeding costs of at least $12,000,000. SKSD burned through COVID money (ESSER FUNDS) by calling the pool a classroom. They used that money to replace AC&R (air-conditioning and refrigeration) components that were stated to be “supposedly” necessary classroom construction line items. They did this because they found the COVID loophole on what a classroom may or may not be. So, they used COVID funds that were intended to fix some of the learning loss due to COVID, the proceeded to build a “Taj Mahal” community pool. All this in efforts to essentially bribe some of the voters into voting yes for the last $271,000,000 bond request that failed. SKSD had the worst showing for SKSD in history on the voting numbers failing a bond.
- You may recall they came up very, very short on the “Yes” Votes, in fact it was the LOWEST PASSAGE RATE EVER.
- The pool was intended to be “the Jewel in the Crown”, so to speak. It was more like the cheese on the trap to glean more yes votes for that ill-fated, poorly planned and DOA $271,000,000 bond. You can bet some of the past and current board Director’s cheese slide off their crackers on that one!
- They (SKSD) hoodwinked The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) (see Reykdal up or re-election) by calling the “community pool” a remodel and “a classroom”. As It was former finance director Jennifer Farmer who told this whopper! Later the official at OSPI confided in a former school board director telling them that “they wished they had not approved that funding (COVID funds) for SKSD for their “pool classroom”.
- Fund fact (2). SKFR brags now and then how great it was and will now again have the community pool to train their fire-fighters. Hmm, did we see SKFR contribute any money for this new $12,000,000 plus pool? No. Do they pay to use the pool? No. Do we have more people using the pool now? No.
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS
- And what about SKSD Administrators and Superintendents (yes, there are more than one superintendent at SKSD) (Two) and let’s not forget abundance of senior highly paid executive directors, directors, assistant directors (all with their own executive secretary)who all feast on our tax dollars. They never miss a pay raise!
- With two board members (the chair) who are long time district employees with incredible retirements paid for by local taxpayers, don’t expect anything to change as they protect the system that was so good to them.
ROOM FOR ACADEMIC IMPROVEMENT
- As discussed earlier, the district will only tell you “great” news. Usually this success is limited to the first three elementary grades. Wouldn’t you expect the youngest to make the most progress? And they do so the district uses this to show how “fabulous improvement” is abound in the district. State figures as well as several outside agencies show the SKSD in the lower third of all school districts. The superintendents unspecified “Priority Plan” and “Top 5” plan were just rues to get hired and have proven failures since he has been here. What is important is how your student will succeed when they graduate and look for a job to support themselves. The SKHS continues to show miserable math, science, and reading skills which have never gotten above the scores in 2015.
- It doesn’t matter if all of it is for naught, which it is, since academic success has never improved to any measurable degree, no matter what model this district uses to gauge it. And no matter how many tax dollars the District throws at the kids’- The District will say it is a State-Wide Problem, thus they are not the only “Johnny on their Left Foot(s)”. It is just one more “Johnny Left Foot” of the 294 other public school district in our state. 295 school district all doing the same, “failing the kids” and raking in great pay raises and generous benefits. What do we have to show for this?
- SKSD is clearly gamming the funding and tax system(s) to enrich the administrators and very senior and over paid teachers and staff. Is that even ethical? They just say they must remain competitive in the teacher market to get the best ones. And of course they say all of the other districts do it, and that the Washington State School Board Director Association (WASDA) guides them, that WASDA has all the answers so they just cite WSSDA and that all of the others District’s (left foot Johnnies) “do it”. And then there is the rule of the land with SKEA and the other local and the national teacher/education unions reaping and pillaging our property taxes for the districts, and themselves of course.
- And again, these Districts and the current Superintendent of Public Instruction continues to lobby hard to get the bond passage rate threshold lowered from 60% down to 55% or 50%. Watch for it...
SKFR INFORMATION
- More to come but just one piece of Trivia. Did you know SKFR Chiefs and sub-chiefs (when they retire) do not see a reduction in their retirement pay? In fact, they are paid the same retirement pay level when they retire, as they were paid while in the fire service. Let’s also not forget those cost of living increases and other big money perks which are of course for life!
- The “regular” firefighters work 48 Hrs on and 48 Hrs off. Guess how many have a “side” gig; given that they have so much time off; yet all make over $100K in pay and perks in SK (paid by you through their levy).
- Also, they bought a van with a very expensive custom paint job to run around in so you don’t forget who they are.
- A ladder truck and we don’t have any buildings that it would be used on. Yet, they wanted one so they bought one with your money.
- Another Example of Abusing Taxing Authority: Kitsap fire and rescue. They are reading from the same sheet of music and using the same game plan as school districts, but that is another story that will soon come!
NOW BACK TO SKSD
- We are aware that the district, the fire district, former school board chairs with court admitted mental problems. Some SKSS officers MAY BE under investigation at Keyport by the NCIS, and others use this website to glean information about what is being said so that they can “counter” it with “the real facts” versus the “misinformation” that is sent out.
- As stated earlier, district and board policy only allow the district to tell you how great things in the district are. Do you not feel betrayed that they are afraid to tell you the truth about what you fund in the name of “kids”? What “facts” can they tell you since they can only say how good things are? What can they say other than “it isn’t true” but can’t say what the real truth is since it may actually be “bad news”.
- In addition, the newspapers also use this as they don’t have time to actually investigate what is going on in the district. So all they use is what the district leads them to believe versus what the reality really is. What happened to actually investigating both sides of an issue instead of just printing a biased article with no facts or opposing comments just because they decide what will sell papers or show what they think is right for the public to think and know? This is is just the TIP OF THE ICEBERG many of us have not been seeing .
THE BACKSTORY ON THE SKSD BUDGET ICEBERG
A story about: "HOW YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING MISSPENT"
2018
Remember that $21,000,000 Capital Levy money that a simple majority (50%) o f the voters approved.? Ripe with waste, fraud, and abuse how they spent (frittered away) our tax dollars. WASTE - FRAUD - ABUSE
*SKSD did build the middle school tracks but not enough lanes to hold a track meet. They only started this project after several vocal members of our community challenged them on how they were spending those Capital Levy dollars.
*Computer upgrades were not completed.
* Replaced High School Chiller using non-voter approved loan
*The school board had concerns regarding the low District fund balance. They said this 'necessitated' taking out a non-voter approved loan to pay to replace the SKSD High School Chiller. (Chilled water is pumped through a piping system that runs throughout the building to absorb heat in the air. Chillers are used in several types of facilities, including hotels, hospitals, schools, warehouses, manufacturing plants, restaurants, sports venues, and other large buildings).
*Scrapped all the furniture during COVID. These were tables versus individual desks mandated by the State & Feds to provide proper social distancing during COVID. Waste Fraud Abuse for sure!
*All HS projects went over budget.
For those of you that remember the last levy, a few reminders of what they did with that money. Keep in mind that once the money is given to the district, they feel they can do anything they want with it.
* The "World Class Pool". The $5.4M pool became a $13.1M Pool. What this means, besides the district cannot manage a project, is that $7.7M was not spent on what you thought it would be spent on. The district also spent $3.3M of your COVID money on the pool. Wasn't the purpose of that money to help kids catch up for school they missed?
*. Marcus Whitman Schools Tracks (MS). Yes, they were constructed. However, they are 6 lane tracks which means they cannot be used for competitive meets. They have to use the SKSD HS track for those. Why not build one of them with 8 lanes so the MS track meets can be held there? Obviously, money that should have been available for this was "gone". However, the district tells you how great the tracks are; even though they fail to mention that they are practically useless. Another over budget project due to poor planning by the district.
* Sports. The state already funds sports. However, if you want more, then that is on the district. The Associated Student Body (ASB )fees that you pay are for the "more". This is just an emotional appeal so they can use the money elsewhere.
* Band/Choir/Orchestra. Again, already funded by the state. But if you want to go out of state, that is on the district. Is there not enough places to play (Seattle- Tacoma- Spokane, etc) versus funding a trip to play at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, etc where a week is needed but it is a one day presentation. Do all the other students get a "paid for field trip" or just a select few? It's your money they get versus the needs for computers, building repairs, curriculum, etc., which benefits all students, just not a few.
* The NJROTC ( Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps) 44 foot racing sloop. Again, only NJROTC uses it and only 9 at a time. Given that the sailing weather here is limited to a few months, keeping this boat for just a few at a cost of $10K a year could be better spent with small sail craft for the entire student body versus just a few. They have a retired military person being paid $180,000 a year who is essentially on "hot standby" should the kids want to going sailing.
(link to the SKSD Racing Sloop "The Lively" https://youtu.be/UsSFb0J5NpM?si=8A7_yNn1-_NyZ-kT
* Computer upgrades. The district fails to plan for computer upgrades because they know you will fund the levy. So, instead of budgeting every year for replacements, they just wait until levy time. Unfortunately, the bill that will come due this time will be in the millions. A necessary expense but easily budgeted for without the "urgency " that the district has manufactured to get your vote. (Did the theft of 41 Chromebooks costing $12,000 from Manchester Elementary have anything to do with lack of sufficient physical security and video systems for surveillance?
* Security Cameras. Never spent a dime on them but told you they were coming. Why? Union Jobs. We pay for a 9 person security force that only works school hours and has two cars. We have had numerous break-ins that could have been seen and action taken; but jobs are more important than fixing the problem. The Sheriff and Port Orchard Police are responsible for our safety. So why do we spend $1M+ for "school day security" when cameras are much cheaper that pay and perks. So, this is another example where your levy money goes. Not cost effective at all but it's taxpayer money and "for the kids" so no ones questions whether it is smart business usage and a valid and efficient use of taxpayer money.
* Nurses. OSPI says we need one nurse and several health room assistants. What we have is 10 nurses (at $110K + perks) at a huge cost. No one may touch your student other than to put a band aid on them. The district by law must call the parent or 911. So, what are we paying all this money for when they can do nothing more than a health aid could at a huge cost savings to the taxpayer.
* SEL people and counselors. Does your first grader really need a person to talk with and solve their problems? Does your first grader really have that many problems that you cannot help them solve? Do you really want someone else telling your student how to solve their problems their way versus your way? These folks call cost over $100K so this is expensive therapy. And, if few use them, what are they doing when they have no students to talk with?
* Contractors. The district does not contract out very much except for big projects (pool, etc). So, the taxpayer pays people over $30/hr to mow grass, plant plants, etc. There are many services and tasks that could be contracted out much cheaper than paying inflated union wages. The entire district business office could be contracted out to businesses who specialize in payroll, record-keeping, pay/benefits, etc at a considerable savings to the taxpayer. Yet, we have 9+ people to take care of only 1200 valid employees. Most businesses do this with 4 or less people and are fully automated to make it faster and better.
* Big Projects. There has not been one big project that has come in on or under budget. The pool was estimated at $5.4M but came in at $13.1M. The science room renovation was estimated at $1M but came in at $1.5M. The culinary room project was $400K over budget and the ventilation failures make the HS smell most of the time. The district office roof project was $200K over budget. The district moves money around so that these cost over runs are not apparent and cleverly disguised as "change orders" to make them look like the district changed the plan. What it really is that the district did a poor job at articulating the needs and the boundaries of the project and the contractor did what they asked; not what they meant or wanted. Again, a failure of the district versus the project.
* The district delayed the science curriculum due to being over-budget on so many projects. What is important here; the right curriculum or a pool that few of the community even use and sits idle most of the time.
* The district took the reserves down so far that they could not even use them for the $2.2M chiller that the HS needed. So, they took out a loan for routine maintenance. Is it a surprise that the 30+ year old chiller would need to be replaced? What happened to the maintenance money that should be there for things like this? You guessed it, 300 excess employees the district has to "help" your student. Yet, OSPI shows our math, science, LA testing scores trending lower despite all the "help". Exactly what is the priority of the district- teaching kids or keeping people employed for life.
* During COVID, the district threw away most of the furniture because it was not "individual". So, long lunch tables were replaced with desks suitable for one student. When COVID ended, the few tables in storage were found to be damaged from sitting in CONEX boxes ( A CONEX box is a type of shipping container that is used for storing and transporting goods) and unusable. So, we bought new stuff, again. This is a multi million dollar expense for a district. Was there no other solution other than to allow the furniture to sit in leaky CONEX boxes and mildew and rot?
There are more examples of how the district says the levy money is necessary but they cannot manage it. The 300 extra employees alone cost over $27M a year of the $30+M levy money. So, not much left "for the kids"
Bottom line- think carefully about how you vote as the district will just promise you anything you want "for the kids" and then use the money "as they want". Remember, it costs you to get any information from the district through a PRR (Public Records Requests) since they often hide something when other agencies give you all the data you want for free. They intentionally make it difficult to obtain records and information. Is that ethical, transparent , or honest?
Beware of any of the 295 school districts in the State of Washington saying "we are transparent" and "it's for the kids".
Bringing you new FACTS & INFORMATION unfiltered and UN-adulterer about SKSD now, and in the future. Stay tuned
By the way: Ballots must be mailed to you no later than January 22nd.
K-12 Student Performance & Success is Revelent to Funding
Most recent statistics gauging how increased funding has not moved the needle on academic improvement
Unchecked Administrative Growth Strips Away Funding For The Kids
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VOCAL MINORITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS
WHO THE MAJORITY CLAIMS DON'T CARE ABOUT "THE KIDS".
GUT CHECK MECHANISM CERTAINLY BROKEN HERE
South Kitsap School Supporters (SKSS) is a Political Action Committee registered with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission. SKSS produced and funded these signs.
SO WHAT'S THE CONTROVERSY?
All of the donors listed on the white card on their signs, are employees of the South Kitsap School District. This includes Mr. Tim Winter, SKSD'S Superintendent, and Mrs. Amy Miller, SKSD'S Public formation Officer, and Derry Lyon, SKSD's IT guy.
These employees are contributing money to a political action committee (SKSS) since the District cannot, by law, form up or be a political action committee per Washington State Public Disclosure Commission law and regulations.
OBVIOUSLY if this SKSD Levy were to pass, these employees will all be benefit monetarily. Just how more incentivized can you be to buy, buy, buy signs for SKSS? IS THIS EVEN ETHICAL?
Seems like it is far to late now for these SKSD employees to do a GUT CHECK!
YOUR RIGHTS TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS
ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIODS
We are now permitted to speak at school board meetings only once per month. This appears to be return to a policy that got them in trouble for the last board. To intentionally limit opportunity for public comments is tantamount to an attack on or rights of free speech. It appears that the new board is no different than thew old board. They really don't want to hear from us as they cycle up to ask for their EM&O levy in 2025.
We must remain vigilant, hold them accountable to abiding by the tenants of the open public meetings act. This is not the kind of open and transparent public process they have promised us. The new board members may be unaware of what the past board tried to do to limit public comments. We need to let them know that their current policy on when public comments are allowed could have unintended / undesirable consequences regarding passage of the next levy.
For detailed information on the State Laws on Open Public Meetings Act go here:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=42.30&full=true