Passage of SB 539-Donor Towns

[donnamatrix]

So, I read in the Concord Monitor that SB 539 passed on Wed, and I guess that means we will endure the Donor Town syndrome again. Rats.

[BlackCatIslander]

According to Meredith News of last week, Moultonborough would have to donate 3.7 million dollars. Does anyone know what the percentage increase we would see in our tax bills?

[phoenix]

gov said he would veto any bill with donor towns

[Long Island Baba]

Let's say it goes through. Simple math.

The last town doc I have shows the Total Property Tax Commitment at $20M

Donor Town potential impact at $3.7Mil would increase the $20M by 19%.

So, figure a 20% increase in your property tax bill should be a good sizing.

Tax rate of $6.99 then goes to $8.40 or another $1.40 per thousand.

[phoenix]

whole system makes no sense. laconia found out it might get 3M more and instead of looking at education they want to repair an old opera house . Highest income towns like Amherst get more money . Governor should keep his word and veto

[phoenix]

latest vote in House finance committee would delay any donor town requirement until 2010- that is wait until next legislative session to decide

[tis]

I sure hope they get rid of that!!!!! At least it is delayed.

[phoenix]

looks like the donor town concept was stripped from the bills approved yesterday by the house and senate

[twoplustwo]

I thought it passed the House Finance Committee, and the full vote was next week? I certainly hope it goes through, I donate enough, thank you very much.

[phoenix]

was in the union leader today

[phoenix]

actually it was in the concord paper see below

Property-rich towns would also be "held harmless," with none required to send the state extra money from the property tax. Lynch had said he won't support a plan that creates "donor" towns.

[twoplustwo]

The amendment passed the House Finance Committee last night. It's not done quite yet... From the Concord Monitor: "If the House passes the amendment next week, it would return to the Senate, where a different amendment proposal passed earlier this year. If this new version clears both chambers, it would go on the ballot, where it would need the approval of two-thirds of voters. Even with the changes to the proposal, it will likely face opposition in the House.

Yesterday, members of the House Finance Committee voted 20-5 to recommend that the full House support the compromise proposal. The five opponents included four Democrats and one Republican."

The Union Leader reports the same, it passed the House Finance Committee last night, full house vote is Wednesday.

[phoenix]

i think we are talking about two separate votes and issues. the one you are talking about is the constitutional amendment which will need to go to voters. i was referencing the scholl funding vote which was fully approved and headed to the Governor without donor town funding. This is how the 2009 school year will be funded if the amendment doesn't pass. The article was written by Lauren Dorgan of the Monitor.

[twoplustwo]

Doh! I think I need you to give me a good, hard, dope slap Phoenix

[phoenix]

we all have the same interest. But this is not over yet since if the amendment doesn't pass they will still need to fund this mess and the donor town zealots will be back.

[phoenix]

according to today's Union leader the democrats inserted the donor town requirement into a kindergarden bill last week over republican objections. It now is in the hands of the Governor who needs to sign by tomorrow. My suspect he will sign it but it won't go into effect until at least next year so in my view if the legislature stays overwelming democratic next year this will happen and Moultonboro will have to raise another $3+M to send to other towns

[phoenix]

good news Gov. Lynch signed a bill yesterday that prohibits donor towns through Fiscal 2011. They expect that the legislature over the next two years will figure out how to pay for the added education expenses that were approved beyond these next two years (which have caps in added funding to many towns), so up to who gets into the legislature this November

[tis]

That IS good news! Thanks for letting us know phoenix!

[phoenix]

both house and senate have bills that will stop donor town assessements at least for two years. Looks like they will pass and save Moultonboro residents a lot of money

[fatlazyless]

Property tax payers in Waterville Valley can maybe breath a sigh of relief if the donor town system has really been put to rest.

Waterville Valley has a small elementary school with grades k-8, and spends over $26,000/student/year, and the school has a big banner out front announcing it just won the highest academics/ NH elementary for reading and math in NH or something like that.

With all the non-resident condos and homes, each individual student must have about 50-million dollars of assessed property value on a per student basis, and it could be that the school actually has more teachers and staff than students? Every elementary student gets their own teacher(s), guidance councilor, administrative assistant, driver, and ski/tennis coach.

Rich or poor, students are probably better off in a rich town!

[Pineedles]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Rich or poor, students are probably better off in a rich town!

That's why we have law suits that create magnet schools. Your statements indicate that you must be joking.

"50-million dollars of assessed property value on a per student basis"

Come on, be real.

[fatlazyless]

I betcha in an uneducated guess that the actual dollar amount for assessed property value/per student is somewhere between 25 and 50 million/per student. The school, grades k-8, has only maybe 30-students, and Waterville Valley has something like 1100 condos and 150 private homes, a golf course, a tennis center, an athletic club, a small retail square, plus a ski area that was just purchased for 12-million dollars or so. Do the math?

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Property tax payers in Waterville Valley can maybe breath a sigh of relief if the donor town system has really been put to rest.

Waterville Valley has a small elementary school with grades k-8, and spends over $26,000/student/year, and the school has a big banner out front announcing it just won the highest academics/ NH elementary for reading and math in NH or something like that.

With all the non-resident condos and homes, each individual student must have about 50-million dollars of assessed property value on a per student basis, and it could be that the school actually has more teachers and staff than students? Every elementary student gets their own teacher(s), guidance councilor, administrative assistant, driver, and ski/tennis coach.

Rich or poor, students are probably better off in a rich town!

You're missing the one major fact here: there's only about 30-33 students in this school system (it's a K-8 school.) The teacher to student ratio is 1:8 - the State average is 1:12. Their spending is almost $10,000 more per student than the state average. I have to wonder why they don't send the students to a private school, another district, or whathaveyou - I'd think it was cheaper.

Their banner is celebrating their success of high scores on NECAP testings - which determines if the school will make Annual Yearly Progress (AYP). In a school population that small, one student failing the test can bring down the whole school's rating.

What's not stated in your post about that district, is that their 9-12 students are tuition out to Pemi-Baker Cooperative in (Plymouth Regional).

WVSD would receive federal tax money revenue because 9% of their students receive free or reduced lunch. The property tax rate in that town is like $11.38 (2009) - not bad.

And rich or poor.... if you're basing the NECAP test scores on success it really doesn't matter. The way No Child Left Behind is set up in NH (and remember - each state has their own way to measure progress) - all schools will fail to meet the level of Proficient by 2014 because all students (100%) will be expected to be Proficient. The program does not take into account that there are some students that will work their hardest and do their very best - and only be able to achieve a C or a D. The tests are a one-size fit-all type of test and are given ONE day. There's no chance for a re-take, make up test, etc. (SAT's, The Bar Exam, etc. - can all be taken again if someone fails - not the NECAP!) And the NECAP test is a New England based test - there's five other states' standards included on it. NH bought into it to save money because No Child Left Behind is underfunded - to the tune of about $12 billion.

[SIKSUKR]

Facts? We don't need no stinkin facts AW!

[robmac]

While I have a school aged child and believe money spent on education is very important, I not only don't want nor can I afford my tax dollars to be sent out of my city. Simple math I am making less now than I was 3 years ago yet my tax burden is higher. I have paid these taxes longer than I have had a school aged child and salaries of teachers is growing at a rate higher in my community than the average. It is important our children get a quality education our school districts must also tighten their belts as we have and work within a budget. JMHO