Voters saying no to more taxes means less law enforcement

[Mach1Run]

Probably. Are you saying those who went to private schools should be able to opt out? I agree. However at what point is that debt repaid? If I went to school K-12 that's 13 years of class. 13 years in which my parents paid into the system and when I started working I did too.

So, like road spending bills, at what point have I paid my dues? How does it make sense for a 60 year old who hasn't been in school for 40 years to be paying school taxes? Have they not paid what they owe?

I would have to own my property for 42 years to pay my debt not accounting for inflation. Not a math whiz so here's the logic I was following.

It would be nice if after x years you could have been considered to have "paid your dues". However, the problem I can see that creating would be that basic education could easily get as out of control cost wise as higher education. Last info I can find is for the 08-09 year and suggests it cost between 10k-11k per student that year. Without even accounting for inflation a basic k-12 would be at nearly $120k per student before college if you had to pay up front like college. That would be unsustainable for most of us. As far as being out of school for 40 years, again with out adjusting for inflation, in my case it would take about 42 years for school taxes to equal my "debt". More if my tax rate is reduced by homestead, over 65, etc exemptions.

120k*.024 = 2880 hypothetical yearly school tax, though i think with homestead exemption its a bit lower.

120,000 / 2880 = 42.8 years to repay.

Most folks don't buy a house until mid 20 something, lets say 25.

25 + 42 = 67, I will be 67 before I have my debt paid off, again without inflation or counting years I may have to rent an apt for some reason.

At 65 Collin county does have another exemption you can apply towards school taxes, though I have no idea what effect it has on your rate. I would think the whole reason they have this exemption is that like you suggest, at some point you have paid your debt. Though I doubt the 65 exemption absolves you from all school taxes.

[Forever_frost]

I would have to own my property for 42 years to pay my debt not accounting for inflation. Not a math whiz so here's the logic I was following.

It would be nice if after x years you could have been considered to have "paid your dues". However, the problem I can see that creating would be that basic education could easily get as out of control cost wise as higher education. Last info I can find is for the 08-09 year and suggests it cost between 10k-11k per student that year. Without even accounting for inflation a basic k-12 would be at nearly $120k per student before college if you had to pay up front like college. That would be unsustainable for most of us. As far as being out of school for 40 years, again with out adjusting for inflation, in my case it would take about 42 years for school taxes to equal my "debt". More if my tax rate is reduced by homestead, over 65, etc exemptions.

120k*.024 = 2880 hypothetical yearly school tax, though i think with homestead exemption its a bit lower.

120,000 / 2880 = 42.8 years to repay.

Most folks don't buy a house until mid 20 something, lets say 25.

25 + 42 = 67, I will be 67 before I have my debt paid off, again without inflation or counting years I may have to rent an apt for some reason.

At 65 Collin county does have another exemption you can apply towards school taxes, though I have no idea what effect it has on your rate. I would think the whole reason they have this exemption is that like you suggest, at some point you have paid your debt. Though I doubt the 65 exemption absolves you from all school taxes.

Then you handle it like this. Can't afford to pay for your kid to go to school? Either home school them or get together with a few others and pay a tutor. You're paying for a service for your kids to be used by your kids and you're placing the burden on no one else.

[Mach1Run]

Then you handle it like this. Can't afford to pay for your kid to go to school? Either home school them or get together with a few others and pay a tutor. You're paying for a service for your kids to be used by your kids and you're placing the burden on no one else.

I see that argument but do not believe it would work. I can only see that causing education cost to grow even faster. And you would have to either bill every one who's out of school already for the remainder of their debt or give them a free pass.

I don't see a good answer either way, much like the income taxes, the government has just made a big mess out of it.

Either every one ponies up and pays for schools or we all go back to living in 1600s or worse where only the elite can read and write.

[46Tbird]

Either every one ponies up and pays for schools or we all go back to living in 1600s or worse where only the elite can read and write.

I would love to agree with that, but statistics prove otherwise. Take a gander at some of these: http://www.begintoread.com/research/...tatistics.html

[Sean88gt]

Less police = more better.

[mikec]

I would love to agree with that, but statistics prove otherwise. Take a gander at some of these: http://www.begintoread.com/research/...tatistics.html

That is an interesting link Danny, and I have to say that I had no clue such a large number of women couldn't actually read. Goes a long ways toward explaining why so many wreck out while trying to text!

[mikec]

Less police = more better.

Ha! My grammar is gooder than yours!

[Mach1Run]

I would love to agree with that, but statistics prove otherwise. Take a gander at some of these: http://www.begintoread.com/research/...tatistics.html

Ok so take away basic education, or make it difficult to get, and what do you think all these statistics would be? Certainly not any better? How much better a country will we be when 3 of 4, or 9 of 10 kids grow up not knowing how to read instead of 1 in 4?

-copied from http://www.begintoread.com/research/...tatistics.html

Many of the USA ills are directly related to illiteracy. Just a few statistics:

Literacy is learned. Illiteracy is passed along by parents who cannot read or write.

One child in four grows up not knowing how to read.

43% of adults at Level 1 literacy skills live in poverty compared to only 4% of those at Level 5

3 out of 4 food stamp recipients perform in the lowest 2 literacy levels

90% of welfare recipients are high school dropouts

16 to 19 year old girls at the poverty level and below, with below average skills, are 6 times more likely to have out-of-wedlock children than their reading counterparts.

Low literary costs $73 million per year in terms of direct health care costs. A recent study by Pfizer put the cost much higher.

[Forever_frost]

No, it wouldn't make education more expensive. You'd actually have people held accountable. You're physically handing money to a tutor to teach your kid. Don't like what they teach or dont' feel they're doing a good job? You replace them. No bureaucrats, no administration.

What is the magic number that will ensure our children are well educated? We keep dumping more and more into the teachers and we're sitting at 14% of graduating seniors who can't read or write. 14% of GRADUATING seniors who can't read or write.


If a parent is writing a check directly to a teacher, do you think they're not going to stay on top of their child's education? Now compare that to people who pay zero for their kids to go to school and the group who pay nothing outnumber the people who pay for it

[Forever_frost]

I see that argument but do not believe it would work. I can only see that causing education cost to grow even faster. And you would have to either bill every one who's out of school already for the remainder of their debt or give them a free pass.

I don't see a good answer either way, much like the income taxes, the government has just made a big mess out of it.

Either every one ponies up and pays for schools or we all go back to living in 1600s or worse where only the elite can read and write.

Why? If you've paid your taxes you've paid for your education. And your parents paid, grandparents and so forth. Your bill is paid. Cut it off immediately, bill each parent based on the number of children they have and if they don't pay, dont' teach them beyond basics. You can even do payment plans, work out volunteering to help differ costs and so forth.

[mikeb]

I look at school taxes as the price that i have to pay to live in a nice community. How many of you want to move to wilmer-hutchens, where the school district went broke? What's the quality of life and the crime rate down there now?

A good school system attracts quality families to the community. Quality families means less crime, a broader tax base, more businesses that cater to those families, and a nicer community to live in overall.

Poor schools will NOT attract the same type of quality people. Just paying for your kid to go to school and then stopping paying for school will not provide the necessary funds to operate a quality education system.

[Forever_frost]

I look at school taxes as the price that i have to pay to live in a nice community. How many of you want to move to wilmer-hutchens, where the school district went broke? What's the quality of life and the crime rate down there now?

A good school system attracts quality families to the community. Quality families means less crime, a broader tax base, more businesses that cater to those families, and a nicer community to live in overall.

Poor schools will NOT attract the same type of quality people. Just paying for your kid to go to school and then stopping paying for school will not provide the necessary funds to operate a quality education system.

If you're getting your money's worth then you're right. If you're Detroit spending 13,500 per student and has almost a 25% graduation rate, you're not. And those who don't have kids in schools shouldn't be paying for those who do or at the very least, not the same rate

[ceyko]

If you're getting your money's worth then you're right. If you're Detroit spending 13,500 per student and has almost a 25% graduation rate, you're not. And those who don't have kids in schools shouldn't be paying for those who do or at the very least, not the same rate

As a person who hated kids until he had one and hated not having tax breaks and having to pay taxes for "other people's kids." I strongly agree with the last part of the last sentence.

I always felt like everyone should contribute something to youth/elderly. However, not as much if you're not using as much.

[Forever_frost]

As a person who hated kids until he had one and hated not having tax breaks and having to pay taxes for "other people's kids." I strongly agree with the last part of the last sentence.

I always felt like everyone should contribute something to youth/elderly. However, not as much if you're not using as much.

It's like getting a light bill when you aren't on the grid or being sent a bill for a car you bought 30 years ago or a meal you had last week and are still being told to pay it or they take your property

[EW]

Many of the USA ills are directly related to illiteracy. Just a few statistics:

Literacy is learned. Illiteracy is passed along by parents who cannot read or write.

One child in four grows up not knowing how to read.

43% of adults at Level 1 literacy skills live in poverty compared to only 4% of those at Level 5

3 out of 4 food stamp recipients perform in the lowest 2 literacy levels

90% of welfare recipients are high school dropouts

16 to 19 year old girls at the poverty level and below, with below average skills, are 6 times more likely to have out-of-wedlock children than their reading counterparts.

Low literary costs $73 million per year in terms of direct health care costs. A recent study by Pfizer put the cost much higher.

heh