Vote 2002
Question 3A: Bloated bureaucracy wants more money
School district has been careless with cash
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by Staff (Editorial@boulderweekly.com)

YES NO

Boulder Valley School District is asking for a mill levy increase, with question 3A, that would generate $15 million in additional revenue to spend for specialized staff and teacher/student ratio reductions.

Without the increase, BVSD school board president Bill de la Cruz says the district will have to lay off staff and close buildings. How about some staff layoffs that start with the highest paid school district executives, many of whom perform the needless tasks thought up by an overgrown bureaucracy.

Amendment 23 was passed in 2000 to guarantee increases in funding to each Colorado school district by at least the rate of inflation. BVSD has already spent that money on extremely specialized teachers for ESL instruction and special education.

It would be irresponsible to recommend increasing the BVSD budget in a period of economic downturn and shrinking enrollments.

Furthermore, if district administrators are sincerely interested in not closing buildings or laying off staff, they'll trim fat from the bloated school district's central bureaucracy of six-figure executive salaries. Vote "No" on BVSD Question 3A, and tell the administration to trim the excess before trying to raise taxes.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com