Does The Mason-Dixon Line Exist In Henderson County?

The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Letters to Editor

Dear Editor,

To those of you who have decided to vote "yes" in the upcoming election for the Southern-Union School Consolidation, I am glad that you have taken the time and consideration to make that decision.

For those of you who are still undecided, please attend a SUCCESS meeting or get information from your local Committee of Ten member.

For those of you who have decided to vote "no" based solely on the fact that you cannot stand the "north" or the "south", please consider what benefits you will be denying your children because it is truly about the children and their education.

I have just as much "southern pride" as the next person. Yes, I will admit that I waved my Rebel flag when we wanted to stomp the Yankees in a high school football game, but times have changed. I now have a little girl that I want to have the best opportunities that she can possibly have. I want her to have the curriculum that she needs to excel at a career.

Our county has already suffered substantial "brain drain" because college graduates know how they struggled in college from the high school education they received and that schools can no longer provide the curriculum needed to advance students to college or the technical programs to place graduates right into the workforce.

If you have attended a consolidation meeting, you would know that the average ACT score for high school juniors at both schools fluctuate back and forth between 18 and 20. No wonder students get to college and struggle with their classes because the average ACT score at major universities are in the high 20s. I wish I would have had the proposed curriculum when I was in high school.

I know it would have made my life and my parents' lives easier, and I know several other graduates in this area that feel the same way.

It saddens me to know that some people are basing their decision on wanting their children to play sports with schools that offer a better sports program.

How many of our students have went on to play pro-ball and how many students have went on to become doctors, accountants, lawyers, business people, agricultural leaders, engineers, etc. that have come back to support our local economy? Do we give our children a better curriculum or do we want them to play a couple of ballgames that will soon be forgotten?

The other thing that concerns me is what this will do to our local economy.

Why would you want to take the taxes and jobs out of Henderson County?

Where do you think our students will buy their gas, get their haircuts, pickup a pizza to take home, buy their sweetheart something? They will buy them where they go to school at. Do you want those dollars to go out of Henderson County? We already suffer from the lack of economic and development support. Why wouldn't we offer an education that people will want to move to Henderson County for?

Other people feel that the Union School District is wanting help to get out of debt. Do you think that the proposed budget for Southern is balanced this year either? If you do, you need to ask more questions. The tax referendums will not be able to keep up with what Southern needs to keep its school going, and who is to say that those tax referendums would even pass by the voters. I understand that some are concerned about losing their jobs, and I know we do not need anymore of that in our area, but how many more jobs do you think will be lost when each school does not have the money to pay out the salaries or when the state steps in and does away with whatever they want, not what the local school board proposes.

My main concern is what my child will face in the years to come because that is truly what it is about, the CHILDREN. It is not about who likes who or who likes what. I will do my best to teach my child about diversity and not to hate others who are different than herself. I think this would be an outstanding opportunity to have the programs available for our students, bring our county together, and allow our children to SUCCEED in this challenging world.

Jessica Booton, M.B.A., Parent, Alumni, Taxpayer, RR Stronghurst

Dear Editor:

At first appearance, Southern and Union have budgets that would make a taxpayer feel at ease. Both districts put on work gloves and set out to find the best financial outcomes for their districts.

But once you dig into the heart of each, it is clear that each district is heading for harder times.

Southern is projecting to have $1,015,157 in all their funds at the end of this fiscal year. The fiscal year ends on June 30, 2005 for each district.

Union is projecting to have $606,932 on June 30, 2005. This looks like both districts are doing well and going into the next year with plenty of money. But I would disagree.

All school districts have several funds in which they keep their money. These funds are set up with specific uses.

Therefore, transferring money between funds is limited or not possible. Money that is to be spent specifically is restricted. The school auditors track this money to make sure that it is spent correctly.

The Education fund receives the most funds and pays the most expenses. It will receive local property taxes, IL State aid payments and federal government payments. It pays for teachers, support staff, administrators, books, supplies, athletic and non-athletic extra-curricular activities and any other costs that can be considered within school law an education expense.

The Operations and Maintenance fund is used to pay for facility and ground expenditures. Custodial salaries, repairs, renovation, cleaning supplies and utilities would qualify as expenses.

The Transportation fund is used for transportation costs. Southern contracts their busing. Union owns their buses and must oversee the day to day running. Both districts receive state reimbursements for curricular costs (the regular routes, field trips). Non-educational trips (to games) receive minimal reimbursement.

The Life Safety fund can pay expenses meeting special requirements for the safety and protection of children, staff and property.

The IMRF/Social Security fund is used to pay mandatory retirement costs ONLY.

The Working Cash fund is used as a savings account and that money is available to be transferred to other funds.

When the Boards set the tax amounts (levy) to be collected for each fund, they also levy for money for Special Education and Tort (insurance/liability). Union levies for Lease and their Bonds as well.

Southern has been fortunate to have a Working Cash fund. However, the rising costs and lowered revenues have taken a toll on the balance. FY years 2001-02 and 2002-03 took significant decreases in Working Cash fund money available. District's funds decreased over $900,000. The prior Board of Education battled with expenditures and cut approximately $180,000. This meant staff reductions and decreased curriculum. Southern once again started to see increases in their fund balances. The budget for this year (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005) is projecting expenses over revenue by $131,746.

That can only mean balances will go down again. The expenses exceed revenue in the Operations & Maintenance fund, the Transportation fund and the IMRF fund. To add more concern is the revenue over expenditures in the Education fund.

The budget predicts revenues to exceed expense by $16,750. But the true picture is deficit spending-expenditures over revenue. In the Education fund, $223,556 of the $2,771,449 revenue is from the Tort levy (restricted funds).

Approximately, $140,000 of the $223,556 is earmarked to be spent. The balance of approximately $83,500 is restricted from general expenses in the Education Fund.

It can only be spent on specific expenses and the full amount will not be used.

Examples of qualifying expenses are insurance and portions of salaries for PE teachers, administrators, Special Ed teachers and recess duty pay. This extra amount actually gives the Education Fund the perception of revenue over expenses, but the reality is expenses over revenue by approximately $66,750. If the Tort levy had not been raised above needed money, then the projected expenses over revenue would have been approximately $198,496.

Southern's balance of $1,015,157 may look very healthy but only $272,969 is in working cash and $334,510 is in Education with about $83,500 restricted for use. So approximately $524,0000 is available. This may seem like a great cash horde, but remember other funds are seeing deficit spending. Yes, maybe Southern can survive a few more years alone, but AT WHAT COST TO THE CURRICULUM. With deficit spending, additional programs cannot be added.

Union refinanced their bonds in 2003. This lowered their interest rates significantly to under 2.5%. They were able to refinance the remaining debt and borrow an additional $700,000 for an extra cost of $350,000. By doing this, they actually gained $350,000 through their savings. The $700,000 was deposited in their Working Cash fund (the equivalent to a savings account). This money has helped them maintain their current spending. But after June 30, 2005, only $63,956 will remain.

In order to keep the Education fund with a positive balance, $450,000 of Working Cash will be permanently transferred to the Education fund. Remember that funds can't give money to other funds without specific uses.

Working Cash is the only fund that can transfer to other funds. Except for a two year window, the State of Illinois has allowed excess money to be transferred without repayment from the Transportation fund to the Education fund.

Union is planning a one time permanent transfer of $100,000 between these funds. Perfectly legal.

On June 30, 2005, the Education fund balance is projected to be $36,770. For this year's budget,the expenses over revenue will be $46,560. In order to keep this fund in the black, $550,000 of transfers and a little over $200,000 will need to be cut in their spending from their plans this summer.

In order to keep the fund balances positive and revenue over expenditures in the Operations and Maintenance fund and Life Safety fund, projects have been put on hold. Of the $606,932 balance that will carry to next year, $141,591 is restricted to the bonds and $213,613 is restricted to IMRF/Social Security. That money cannot be put in the Education fund where the majority of expenses occur.

Both districts are doing things to make their money situations better in their present states of property tax revenue and state aid revenue. But it can't go on forever.

Southern is dwindling on the reserves. Union is going to run on empty. They will be forced to cut and cut hard.

Remember this at the voting booth on November 2, 2004. Vote yes.

Karen Jack

Former Southern School Board Member-Committee of Ten

Rural Smithshire

Dear Editor,

Voters of Henderson County

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and we got on the topic of the upcoming consolidation vote. She said she was against it because of a raise in property taxes.

Fellow voters and tax payers, our taxes are going to increase with or without this consolidation passing.

The only difference will be if we have a school district that is healthy and strong with the consolidation or if our taxes still rise and we have to cut music, band, ag, chorus, and then start on sports.

These are real cuts that will have to be made. Please think of all the children that will be affected by this.

The other aspect is if the state steps in and takes over the school district.

This is a real threat to our school and our ability to make choices for our children.

The state can raise taxes without any cap to get us back in the black. So when you are voting think of the impact this will have on you.

MELISSA WALLACE

Dear Editor,

I am writing in support of Southern School District. Voters interested in continuing a good education for children in the Southern School District should strongly consider voting NO on consolidation.

Southern Elementary class sizes are small, allowing students to get individual attention and instruction from a professional and caring teacher. Southern does not depend on classroom aides for mainstream instruction.

Southern has coordinated its junior high and high school academic curriculums so students may have five years of college prep math (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Trig/Stats, Pre-Calculus).

There is also a full offering of math for the non-college bound students.

Southern offers Spanish I, II and III and five science courses including Physics and Chemistry. Southern has computer technology that may be the best in this area.

Eighty-two percent of Southern graduates go on to attend college. Many of our graduates have attended some of the most prestigious colleges in the country.

Southern has ten or more students in the upper level math, science and English course-more than enough to justify offering the classes.

A full vocational curriculum is offered for all students including building trades, small engines, drafting, auto-CAD, computer technology, health occupations, agricultural courses, etc.

Consolidation may mean that your sons and daughters will have to sit in a classroom for an hour and a half! Southern class periods are 44 minutes long.

The 8-block system that Union offers is an hour and half class period. Can you imagine yourself sitting in a desk in a classroom and listening to lecture and working on the same subject like Calculus or American History or English for over an hour?

Consolidation DEFINITELY means higher property taxes. If you have to take additional money out of your household budget for taxes, you will have less available for personal educational and family costs of your children.

Consolidation means Southern could lose all of its students from 5th grade through 12th grade and have over half of our students bussed out of the area.

Actually, it seems silly that thousands of dollars are being spent on the costs of billboards, mailings, signs and advertising to support consolidation when either school district could put that kind of money to good use! Signs don't vote - YOU DO.

Many of the support staff (secretaries, janitors, special aides, cooks) may not have jobs in a new consolidated district. Does that make good economic sense for a county already feeling pinched?

Mrs. Paula K. Clark
Stronghurst