The Buck Stops Where?

Dear West Chicago taxpayers,

I was there Thursday Jan 27th. I listened to the school board. I listened to the district 33 superintendent. I listened with an open mind to the budget crisis. I listened to the proposed budget cuts. I listened to the ramblings of a few fools (Those who sound like they just want to hear themselves talk, but have no idea what they were talking about). I listened to a few individuals who seemed greatly concerned. I listened to some who had some well thought out ideas for change. I listened to the educated and uneducated alike express there concern for district 33.
Still one common theme kept presenting itself throughout the course of the evening.

IT'S NOT OUR FAULT.

If district 33 is not responsible for the budget crisis then who is? Is it me as a taxpayer for not giving even more of the money I don't have? Is it really the states fault for the way they structure monetary involvement? Is it the vendors fault for trying to make a profit on goods and services? Or is it the administrations fault for not doing what they were hired to do (be fiscally responsible)? Why are so many scared to face the real issues? The buck stops where?

For the record I am wholly against less teachers and larger classroom sizes. Why does the district constantly threaten to fire teachers if they don't get more money? Where is all the money they are getting now going? The district now gets 3.7 million more a year aside from the allowable yearly increases. I don't know about many of you, But I can't take another tax increase. In the last three years my taxes have almost doubled. I am a working man trying to support a family amongst an administration bent on overspending. The buck stops where?

The administrations main job should be to make sure our children receive the education they deserve. They didn't start this budget crisis so why should they be the ones who have to pay for it with lower grade education. The second should be to come up with a reasonable solution to overspending. I say overspending because that's the way I see it. I myself am a commissioned employee who doesn't get yearly raises. If I want to make more money I have to work harder. So if I can't pay my bills this year, can I blame my employer for not raising my commission rate? Can I blame the city for raising the water rates? Can I blame the gas company for raising their rates? Can I blame the dairy farmers for raising the price of milk? The list can go on indefinitely. And a prime example of this is the administration of district 33. Who is the district accountable to? If it's the tax payers then why not listen to us? The buck stops where?

As a homeowner I must thoroughly evaluate my spending and make cuts where cuts are needed. ie: Maybe I really don't need the $100.00 cable package,  The $12.00 basic will do fine. Yes I might not have all the channels and I might have a harder time finding something to watch but the $88.00 monthly savings can help pay the grocery bill, the water bill, or the increase in taxes. I don't have the option of telling my employer that he is going to raise my commission rate. I don't have the right to tell my employer that my ins. should come out of his pocket. I must step to the plate and be fiscally responsible with what I have. Why should the administrative school board constantly be allowed to make us pay for their incompetence? The buck stops where?

It seems to me that we have a communication problem between the school board and the school administration. Why does it seem as though the school board is always trying to pick up the pieces of a broken administration ? And why are the tax paying citizens the ones who have to pay? Or why are the ones whose cost is the highest (the children) the ones who ultimately pay by receiving poor education? The buck stops where?

Maybe the answer lies in replacing the administration every three years so that intimidation isn't a factor in considering staffing changes. Maybe the administration could have their pension and ins. deducted from their paychecks. Maybe a 2% pay cut across the board. It seems to me that the answers that hit to close to the belt of administration gets overlooked. Why? The buck stops where?

Another consideration would be to sell all existing properties that the district owns with stipulations on the purchaser like, a contracted lease to the school district for an indefinite time period, it's conclusion determined by the school board alone. All maintenance and upkeep to be provided by purchaser. this could save the district many many thousands per year in upkeep and depreciation. The funds from sale could be used to invest (professionally, outsourced not salaried) for future district short falls.

This was brought up by someone else but adding $100.00 to the registration fee would bring over a quarter of a million dollars a year.
Or lets not do anything and let the state make all those decisions for us.
I know that probably none of these will even be considered, But it bothers me that our children will ultimately suffer for the decisions of a few over something you can't take with you.

R. Dieter BSBA
(lifelong resident, husband, father, minister, employee and business owner)