From Jansen Robinson
Tea Party Republicans through their actions said to the president/democrats and the nation that unless we get our way, we are going to allow the government to shut down and the country to default on its financial obligations (resulting in harmful impacts on this nation). Their goal was to pressure the president/democrats into giving in to their demands.
Harford County Board of Education (the majority of whom are appointed by a democratic governor) through their actions have said to the County Executive/Council and taxpayers of Harford County that since we did not get the funding that we’ve asked for, we are going to inflict certain harmful impacts on children and parents. Their goal is to elicit outrage and pressure the County Executive/Council into giving in to their demands.
The Tea Party Republicans failed in their effort to extort concessions from the president/democrats and it appears that this is a failed tactic on behalf of the Board of Education. But there is way forward provided the Board of Education is willing to take it.
First, both the school board and the county executive/council have acknowledged that because of the state of our economy, revenues will at best remain flat-the county is not going to take in much more that it did last year. In addition, both the Board of Education and the county government acknowledge that the county will be picking up additional costs to fund the school system’s personnel retirement program.
Second, by all accounts, to include the school system’s numbers, Harford County is growing older. The school-age population is gradually decreasing while the non-school age population is increasing.
With flat lined revenue projections at the state and local level, coupled with a declining school-age population, and increased obligations, there seems to be a few options available to use public funds to fund the school system at the requested level: 1) County Executive/Council would have to reduce or eliminate funding provided to one or more of the remaining county agencies; 2) raise property taxes or 3) work with the County Executive/Council to reduce costs and seek savings/efficiencies within the school system’s budget by doing business differently.
If funding is reduced or one county agency is eliminated, then other county functions/communities will be adversely impacted. In addition, it will be extremely difficult for elected officials to encourage taxpayers, who may not have children in Harford County Public schools to incur higher property taxes to pay for the same services that they are already getting-especially under the already heavy tax burdens we all find ourselves.
So let me suggest to the BOE that the best way forward starts with option 3. And, if the BOE wants to start shaping public opinion behind their efforts to obtain additional local funding then they need to stop pissing-off the very people (parents) that they need to help make their case.
Jansen Robinson
Edgewood, MD
Rather then address the issue with out of control deficit spending (IE we have no money because congress and the president(s) have pissed it all away) You choose to attack those who attempt to point out the obvious, and at least suggesting something be done about it. Jansen, your house is being foreclosed because you could never afford it. They are coming to take your truck because you blew what little you had at the casino. Do you blame the repo man and the banker? Or do you attempt to figure out why the repo man is coming in the first place. Until you and your cronies realize this, I hope you take the bus, and live in your neighbors shed. But, knowing your kind, you will blame the neighbor for not having a big enough shed, and demand the government make your neighbor install heaters and wheelchair ramps.
While I do not agree with everything he said…..You miss the point. Congress and the President have no impact on the LOCAL school budget situation. The BOE can not run a deficit.
Well Cdev we would not expect you to understand or agree with anything logical, since you seem to thrive on emotional arguments rather then facts.
Mr. CDEV
Actually, Sir, the President and Congress do have a significant impact on the “LOCAL” school budget situation. No Child Left Behind, Commor Core, were/are not local issues, but they certainly drove budget decisions. Distribution of federal dollars to local school districts is driven by the Executive Branch and Congress, not locally. Liekwise distribution of dollars by the State influence local budgets.
I would also commend Mr. Robinson for proposing solutions to a very serious porblem facing Harford County and Harford County Public Schools. Perhaps others could propose solutions as well. My proposal would be to advise the State that Harford County cannot absorb all of the additional funding requirements and funding decrements that they seem all to willing to pass out. It makes absolutely no sense to attempt to gain efficiencies if the State decrements their contribution to education , or raises Harford County’s contribution requirements in other areas.
I also strongly disagree with comments on TEA party Republicans and the approach taken by the Board of Education to solve its budget problem. That seems to detract from the point of the article.
John P. Mallamo
True but they are not setting the funding amount and spending money for us. How Congress and the President spend money is not the impact on the local school system. I disagree that in our case the solution as suggested is a mix of 2 and 3 not just all three. You are not going to find all the savings needed to do what needs to be done by changing the way we do business.
Oh yea. You bought a house you cant afford, and you blew the rest of your money at Hollywood Casino. Lets blame the repo man lynch the banker and refuse to acknowledged the fact that you pissed the money away.
Hey, there is some chemical soaked land on Water Street in Havre de Grace. The county can get it for 3.5 million and maybe another 1.65 million to clean it up. Who needs education when we can build a new walkway?
Or give Mary anne Lasanti another 20K raise from the tax money she funnels through the greenway.
Since you cannot afford to live in Harford County any longer. Please move back to Baltimore City from which you came and take your liberal vote and ideology with you.
We believe in personal responsibility up here. We refuse pay more to support your dumb ass.
Redneck is as redneck does, asshole.
Same to you future criminal.
Believe me if the headline were true – Tea Party Republicans and the BOE Use Same Tactics – then HCPS would be in a heck of a lot better shape than it is. But if J. Robinson is saying they are expected to live within their means then what is the big deal? We should all be living within our means. And that includes Harford County, HCPS, State of Maryland and the Federal government. Every one of us.
I know it is a hard concept for some to understand but that is how it is going to be. You don’t spend it unless you have it.
Mr. Robinson, May I introduce you to Mr. Comma. He is a very useful fellow and should replace your good friend, Mr. Forward Slash.
Mr. Robinson is once again trying to make himself relevant in advance of the next election. He was handily defeated during his last run for a seat on the BOE and later rejected for one of the appointed seats by the Governor. There is a message in those decisions – neither the voting public nor the Governor’s Office feel Mr. Robinson is up to the job.
The Tea Party Repubs are just trying to bring some sense to a out of control government and a politically dumbed down population. Much like the BOE everyone wants their free stuff. But didn’t your parents make it perfectly clear that nothing is really free. Does anyone really believe we can just keep printing money and increasing our debt forever, without any consequences?
Hydesmann, Someone said you can’t fix stupid. I find that to be more and more true the longer that I watch government try to work. And stupid coupled with hypocrisy and arrogance is lethal.
Mr. Robinson’s comments philosophically sound very Republican. That is because he is a former Republican who not all that long ago changed his party affiliation. Sounds suspect for someone who lives in a community overwhelmingly populated by Democrats. I wonder how the Democrat voters in his community will feel about that?
Changing parties from Republican to democrat is not uncommon these days. Lots of people feel the GOP has left them.
As are people leaving the Democrat party. The extreme elements of both parties are driving people away. This explains the reason for the surge in people registering as Independent. The question is whether Mr. Robinson’s conversion was philosophically based or a calculated move due to the demographics of the voters in his community? Based on this letter and previous statements coming from Mr. Robinson I am inclined to believe the latter.
Or they’re strategically positioning themselves to vote in the primaries, since MD is a closed primary state and you can only vote in your registered party’s primary. Since the Democrats have a stranglehold on many areas, some voters may decide to change R to D to be able to influence the D candidate so the R candidate has an easier time in the general election or so they can settle for a D candidate who is more friendly to their views.
MD doesn’t determine if the primary is opened or closed. The state party does. The MD GOP once had an open primary. I personally would like the California Jungle Primary system.
California would welcome you with open arms, and many here in Harford County would be delighted to help you pack for your move.
HAte to burst your bubble but I am not leaving.
The GOP has left us so we turn to the Democrats??? There must be a better option.
The Libertarians might have a chance if they field some serious candidates. They have an uphill battle, though; it’s easier to run a “What I’m gonna do for you!” campaign like the two major parties than the Libertarian “What I’m not going to do to you” platform.
Though not a Libertarian, I heard Jesse Ventura (former Governor of Minnesota and professional wrestler/Navy Seal) was considering running in 2016, provided he got Howard Stern to go along with him.
And there you have it ladies and gentlemen. Cdev has provided you with the irrefutable facts and you can now rest easy as being totally informed. No one is leaving the republican party to go to the democrats because of any philosophical shift. Many of us have reregistered as independents or even liberterian. This l;atest from Cdev is just another case of a man talking through his paper A..hole!
Actually bro, the big thing now is called “DINO” and that stands for “Democrat In Name Only” and people who belong in Democratic swayed counties usually get together and attempt to vote out the incumbent, or the vote for the weaker person who would help with their particular issue.
Wouldn’t you know, there is something called a “RINO” as well. Care to take a guess what that stands for and those people do?
While I do not agree with everything he said…..You miss piggy.
School age numbers are decreasing? Is this just trumped up word smithing from the gradual decline for public education enrollment? Nice one.
Do some of you really think a government that can’t even get a web site up and running after spending at least $675 million dollars on it can actually change the habits and attitudes of people who don’t want to work because the government pays them and who spend what they are given on totally nonsensical things given their economic condition? Help those who can’t help themselves or who need temporary assistance by all means, but never enable a life style of generation after generation of government expectation.
To be fair that was contracted out to a private contractor. That is the private sector for you. Take the money and run!!!! BTW it does work it simply has glitches. Luckily Maryland’s exchange does work since we decided not to rely on the Federal government to run our exchange like other states!
@Cdev writes – “To be fair that was contracted out to a private contractor. That is the private sector for you. Take the money and run!!!! BTW it does work it simply has glitches.”
No it’s the government that is incompetent and irresponsible.
The private sector knows how to build web based service platforms that work for a lot less than government paid for one that doesn’t work.
I guess the $100K portable toilet the government bought is good to.
You’re a tool if you think the government can do anything efficient. Private business is accountable and has to work within budgets. The government just borrows more money to hide it’s inefficiency.
I could have written a better website for 1/1000th of what those morons paid.
Obama tried to hide the cost of the premiums until the end of the process and put in links to obtain voters cards upon filling out applications. Nothing more than to try to buy votes with our tax dollars. This man is a troll and you are a drone who drinks his Kool Aid.
When all you drones realize that ObamaCare isn’t FREE medical care as promised my the president, this turd will collapse under its own weight. The ACA will go down as a colossal failure just like the Obama presidency……………… see you November 2014 loser.
If the claim is the website doesn’t work ergo _________ is incompetent….that is the contractor, a private sector contractor who failed to do what they got hired for.
At this point, What Difference Does It Make? I do not want to answer any questions about what went wrong or who might be responsible. All that is necessary is to move forward. What happened is no ones fault and no one is responsible. Anyone involved will be promoted and get a bonus. I have assigned people to look at this and make sure it never happens again. This is good for everyone. It makes no difference that you no longer have your insurance, what I have in store for you is so, so very much better.
Please vote for me in 2016, as only I can succeed this wonderful man who is our current President. He didn’t know anything about this and he is not responsible. Even if he did know, at this point, What Difference Does It Make!!
It was contracted out on a no bid contract to foreign based companies who wrote the statement of work for their own benefit. And the Secretary of HHS had to sign off on it and almost certainly the White House as well. The government did retain for itself final testing and acceptance. So they did the final testing and accepted it, pronounced it fit for service and turned it on – all against the advice of the companies who created it. In government contracting you NEVER, NEVER, NEVER allow the contractor to write the statement of work and you no bid a contract (direct award) only when it is a national emergency. Or when the president’s advisors direct you to do it in writing.
And then you put that written direction in a safe deposit box and give a copy to your attorney because that is your get out of jail free card. Right, Lois Lerner?
Yes, Keesha, that is precisely what PTBL thinks. And if it doesn’t work then the answer is never that it was the wrong thing to try and should be stopped but that it just needs more time and more money and a broader scope. PTBL thinks that given enough time and enough money the government can fix everything that is wrong in every individual’s life. Not only can fix it but should fix it, actually is mandated to fix it. And to hell with unintended consequences such as a high rate of unemployment among young black men because of the Lib/Dems approach to letting any and every illegal alien in to take their jobs. A racist policy if I ever saw one. But PTBL is fine with that. I’m not.
I’ll be back……………….. I need to go use the restroom to take an “obamacare”.
“they need to stop pissing-off the very people (parents) that they need to help make their case.” Is this really the kind of language we want to hear from someone who wants to represent us on the school board? Couldn’t Mr. Robinson have chosen other words to make his point? The use of such common language should give everyone pause and to evaluate if this is the example of leadership we want for the school system and our students.