I don't think it matters who is on the school board. Regardless of its members, the board is handcuffed by the state budget situation and a constricting teacher's union contract that currently does not have any retirement or health insurance concessions. In a couple years, when that contract expires, the district will be fine. It's the next two years that are going to be painful beyond belief for its younger, less veteran teachers/staff. Good luck to all you applicants. I hear John Burt is a good guy but don't know him personally. I sure hope they all know what they may be getting themselves into!

There is no easy answer to budget woes. The only thing Sodemann/Walker come up with as a fix/shared sacrifice, is lowering the quality of education - via layoffs, suspect privatization, and salary cuts. To completely rule out a referendum as part of the budgetary fix... that is part of the extremist ideology.

Throwing tax dollars alone at the situation is not the fix, but nobody here believes that.
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For those that think you can close schools, cut teacher salaries and not affect the quality of education: I put my kids part way thru private and I still could afford it. But we chose to switch to public school because we feel the quality of education is much better. The main reason I sense that it is better is because the teachers are more highly qualified, assumedly because they pay more than the parochials.

I say raise it. Even if we only raised taxes 150 per year for the next 20 years it would still only be $3000 per year. Keep the taxes rising and we'll keep working and paying them. Don't worry, none of us will ever eventually just throw in the towel. :)

Sodemann and Walker are not extremists and they are not out for any type of revenge. They are doing what is necessary to bring our fiscal house in order. It may be painful, but it is necessary. Please take the time to look at budget projections and you will see that things are unsustainable if we maintain the current course.

jodymac:
Outsourcing indirect SD jobs does merit consideration at times. However, can we trust such a financial decision to an ideologue such as Sodemann/Walker? How much of the decision in their hands would be financial versus a political vendetta on the behalf of privatizers that often profit personally from such moves?

Yes, the business perspective should be welcome on the board. The election has several other candidates that can provide this perspective, without the extremist slant of Sodemann/Walker.

theone - so when a Walker/Sodemann/Koch are voted into office, it is "The people have spoken!- now let them do as they please." However a vote on tax referendum is a violation on the sacred taxpayer? I do not understand.

Again, passing a tax referendum is an uphill battle for the school district, considering the anti-tax, every man for himself that dominates our culture. If a tax referendum passes in spite of this, then the people have truly spoken- for the education of our children and future of our community.

I thought about that Mike.

But, the bottom line is...no matter what the reason... the fact that they pay taxes...that's what gives them the right to be a legitimate voice in this.

"If it's only the voter that counts.
Then where does that leave the taxpayer?"
Wondering why they didn't take the time and make the effort to be a voter too?

But...and it's a big but...Abe_Lincoln..is either making an assumption..or intentional misdirection...by stating..."It gets voted on by the public-does it not?"

That statement by itself professes a truth.
But, as we all know, unless it's the whole truth, it doesn't tell the whole story.

If it's only the voter that counts.
Then where does that leave the taxpayer?

Why are we afraid of a tax referendum? It gets voted on by the public-does it not? And the public has been fed a steady diet of no-tax utopia ideology for quite some time. So if a tax referendum manages to pass in this climate, perhaps the community is looking past self-interest over a small sum, and views the investment in education as worthwhile.

Correction...the taxpayer SHOULD be the boss.

In reality...MONEY is the boss.

The bottom line is....

The taxpayer is the boss.

The teacher works for the taxpayer.

The school board works for the taxpayer.

If you have a problem with that.

Too bad...so sad.

dtb: Thank you for correcting me and at the same time proving my point.

wando, actually they are employed by and paid by local school districts (who do get some of that money from the state and fed gov't). They answer to a principal who answers to a superintendent who answers to a school board elected by the citizens of the district.

916: Where does your sense of entitlement come from? Yes, teachers are public employee, but that does not mean they literally work for YOU. They are employed by and paid by the state of Wisconsin.

sluggo...your comment, "Two wrongs still don't make a right - I'm sorry that some of you have crappy jobs that take advantage of you and make you pay more and do more. It is not the teacher's fault that you are in the predicament you find yourself in." makes you sound so naive.......
You're absolutely right--it's not the teacher's fault at all that the economy is a mess and the private sector has to deal with higher expectations and lower pay.......but considering it's the private sector that employs the public school teachers, you can't possibly be clueless enough to think that the public sector isn't going to have to make concessions as well........Nobody wins--deal with it......

916 - I take issue with this part:
"Knowing their district was facing a $15 million shortfall,"
First, they didn't know - this is recent news
Second this number has gone from 9 to 15 and is now back at 13.

Maybe all these "fantasy land" teachers can get a free education out of it like gm and lear... oh wait, they've already paid for one! Most of them BEFORE the economy tanked.
You won't listen, but, teachers have done their share - back when a high school grad. could walk out of their grad. ceremony into a job that paid more than a teacher who had 10 years experience. Nobody cared about paying pensions then.
Two wrongs still don't make a right - I'm sorry that some of you have crappy jobs that take advantage of you and make you pay more and do more. It is not the teacher's fault that you are in the predicament you find yourself in.

I've been accused of hating children because I don't want tax increases either. The thing that all those in favor of them don't realize is that there are too many hands in everybody's pockets.
While a referendum may "only" cost $10 a month you have to remember that the school board is only one entity. BTC needs money? raise taxes, city's broke because it wants a new ice arena? raise taxes, want a new school gym or two? raise taxes. By the time everybody gets the amount they need that extra $10 balloons to a lot more.
Then they do it all again next year because everybody spent what was given to them and more.

Educators do live in fantasy land. Most have never been exposed to the real world of labor -- unless they waitress while in school. The reality is -- I do not want educators on the borad or in the leadership roles -- without a significant mix of real world employees, that have college educations, but have also worked in private industry on practical real world solutions. -- And yes -- I may hire a person with little or NO IT background to manage an IT company. Its the management skills that matter, not the IT background.

916WI, I don't know who you are but I like your thoughts. It's all about choices and lets face it many chose wrong!! To many are afraid of what they will have to give up, well get ready because now it will just be taken from you! They will soon realize how easy it really was. Now more will lose their jobs because nobody wanted to sacrafice and that goes for both sides.

Educating kids isn't a fantasy land at all....Your ignorance is blinding you when it comes to the issue at hand. The "fantasy land" is the teachers' union expecting that simply because this contract was passed that the money to cover its terms would just magically appear, knowing full well how in the red the school district is....you would have to agree with this.....no??? There are plenty of us who are college educated with great jobs who have had to deal with much more than the teachers have as far as salary freezes and increases in responsibilities. We have managed to survive this mess of an economy by adjusting our budgets accordingly. Instead of demanding more pension contributions/HC premium payments/salary increases, the teachers will have to to modify their budgets as well. Sorry but that is the REALITY of the situation. No tax increases or referendums will be passed in this district any time in the near future. That is a very good thing......

li713 well put! I also have a college education and will be paying for it. We do what is necessary for survival. I guess cuts get made just like a majority of us had to do in order to survive. Sometimes we need to sacrafice. I refuse to give anymore. I have nothing more to give. Nobody gave my family a handout when things headed south. We wrote up our expenses and decided where cuts could be made. We gave up alot of our leisure activities and have tried to keep things as normal as possible for the kids.

fearandrhetoric4dummies: The fact that you focused on one ignorant comment made about teachers not being in the real world to say that these posts keep getting dumber and dumber really says a lot. I don't see you addressing the valid points made by others. I'm college educated and I'm still paying for it. I could not have gotten my job without it, but my employer didn't fund it. The taxpayers didn't fund it. I support teachers and education, but times are tough. I think that 916WI hit the nail on the head. Teachers got a hell of a lot more than the rest of us are getting with their most recent contract. They asked for and agreed to those things all the while knowing what kind of situation the district and this community are in (not that the school board doesn't hold a good portion of the blame as well). Well, there these are the consequences. Suck it up and deal with it. They all got exactly what they asked for and I do not believe for one second they were stupid enough to think there wouldn't be cuts to pay for it. I don't support teacher wages being cut. I don't support collective bargaining being taken away. But it is undeniable that the collective bargaining was quite irresponsible in the last contract given that money doesn't grow on trees. They all got their raises and kept their benefits, unlike the majority of the rest of us. So these teachers can just go cry to someone else for money to keep their jobs. I've paid every penny I'm willing to and I will not support a referendum or vote for any candidate that does.

Well fear, looks like you were not very well educated. You can not spell and did not punctuate correctly. I guess I can understand why you are for the hike in taxes. Small minded are we? Do not classify all posters as making 30 an hour and getting intoxicated on their lunch! Some of us actually work and put an effort into our jobs daily, so just back off unless you have some serious facts to back you! Here is a something to think about. If they can get a referendum to pass, how many of the current taxpayers who already struggle to keep their homes will fall to foreclosure? What good would that had done? They can't make money if people lose their homes!!

What? The Real World? Educating kids is some kind of fantasy land? That just shows how little some actually know about the "real World". So because you don't work at Stoughton Trailers its not real. That has to be one of the most stupid, insulting things I have ever read!
Would you hire a marketing major to run an IT business? or would you rather have someone with an IT degree and training? Some people are just so biased they can't see beyond their own face! Every single teacher went to college to get an education in order to have a career, that is not real? The posts in here are getting dumber and dumber, but hey what else should I expect from a city full of real world workers that used to get intoxicated at lunch and make upwards of 30 bucks an hour! Those are the ones that give unions a bad name, not teachers that jut want some security from corrupt politicians and greedy businesses that would just assume to pay their employees 10 bucks an hour and see how REAL their world can be. This whole premise is a joke!

If I don't have to fund the teacher pensions, then I'd be more than happy to vote yes on a referendum. But then again, if the district didn't have to pay for the pensions then they might not need a referendum. I'm not getting a raise this year. My health insurance costs went up. I owe what is not a small amount into my escrow account for the increase I've already had on my taxes (or of course I could take a 6% increase in my monthly mortgage), despite what I'm sure was a decrease in my property value. My job responsibilities have also increased due to cost saving cuts. My company doesn't fund any part of my retirement costs. I can barely afford to save a pittance for myself, why should we have to pay for 100% of the teacher pensions? I don't think we should, and I'm not going to vote yes on a referendum as long as we have to. Welcome to the reality of the rest of us.

916WI how right you are. They knew how bad the budget was and the economy status and yet they kept digging their heels in and causing more and more of a shortfall. Now they look at us and want more money. Why, so it can be mismanaged like the city has done? Both keep coming back to the taxpayers for more money and those of us who have stayed in Janesville are expected to keep throwing in more to make up for those who left? Some of us have no choice but to stay. There needs to be a happy medium. Tough to find, I get it but lets make it happen.

Ante up $4K a year??? What reality do you live in?......Knowing their district was facing a $15 million shortfall, they demanded that taxpayers fund 100% of their pensions, 97% of their HC premiums and gave themselves a 2% raise as the icing on the cake. This is from a city whose manufacturing base has all but left and whose residents are struggling to get by suffering with nearly double digit unemployment......

My favorite thing is the same people who expect teachers to ante up 4k per year are fighting against 100 per year for themselves. There are many teachers living check to check also, just like your "real world" that they apparently aren't part of.
It's all about sharing the pain, but only if it doesn't count you in. A lot of teachers have spouses that were hit hard the last few years.
If Walker's plan was to divide and conquer- he won.

tj57 thanks. The bottom line is that the city and the school board need to start working within their means and stop going after the taxpayers. We are not as populated as we use to be and those of us who were once upper middle class are barely middle class. We work hard to hang on to what we got and I refuse to lose everything without a fight because our school board cant pull their crap together. Close the charter schools and make those kids conform and deal with life in a public or private school. If you dont like it then leave or sign up for virtual school and the parent can pay for their childs education in full and out of pocket. Some parents need to pull it together you are a counselor and an advocate for your child. Dont always rely on somebody else to do it for you. You know your child best, sometimes we just need a little direction.

In a city council candidate forum back a few years ago, the candidates were asked "yes or no, would you consider raising taxes to cover the shortfall in shared revenue from the state". Only two candidates answered yes and finished in the last two spots. All the others, including those that won, answered no. The next fall, when looking at the budget, they voted to increase taxes. So I guess those that answered No to the question were lying and were rewarded while those that were honest and realistic are penalized.
Does it really matter how the candidates answer this question since no one holds them to it?

Landlords also would pass on the increase to their tenants. Can you who are renters pay $20 yo $50 dollars more a month?

Outoftime, it is nice to hear from folks like yourself. Too often on these boards many who favor just increasing taxes don't realize that there are many people in this community who are paycheck to paycheck just holding things together. Nobody bangs a drum or has a candlelight vigil for them. No sign carrying, megaphone wielding, or chanting for the taxpayer. Because folks who want to continue raising taxes don't care.

I would say a BIG NO to a referendum. I am barely a property owner and no way could I afford a tax increase. It took me over a year to get a modification on my home loan. A tax increase would undo everything. So for those of you who ask "would 20.00 more hurt your budget?" My answer would be...you bet your sweet a@# it would!!! Our income was cut about 50 to 55 thousand and trying to rebound from that is hell. We lived comfortable and now we struggle to get caught up. I want my kids educated but they need to work with what is available and parents need to participate a little more. Just because your child goes to school does not mean you no longer have to teach them anything!!!

All you have to do is get the farmers to pay their fair share of taxes.

Fear -- I do not want educators that have never worked in the real world on the board. Their sense of reality is skewed. The board needs to be a balance for the left wing educators that seem to live in this fantasy world.

If they pass a referendum it won't be $10 or $15 dollars a month. It will be at least $50 or $60 dollars a month. I think Feldt and Henry just took themselves out of the election.

Cut all athletics and extra curriculars and then have a referendum to keep them. Then we'll see if a referendum passes. Does our school board have enough JUEVOS to do this? Doubt it, but I'm sure it would work.

Fund 10! Raise the tuition for schools. Raise the price for athletics. Consolidate the charter schools. Then tell me how short the school district is. Then it will be time to talk about raising taxes.

I have to agree with fearandrhetoric. I'd much rather fork over another $10 or $20 a month than see over 100 staff get laid off. The support teachers and guidance counselors carry a heavy load - who's going to carry it without them?

Haven't you people hear of 'tuition'. If you aren't charging enough for your 'product' then you raise the price (from business 101).

100 divided by 12? So all of you "property owners" cant afford an extra $8.33 a month? Not saying that is all it would be, just responding to another post. Are we as property owners that far gone that even an extra 20 dollars a month is worth laying off a hundred teachers? What does anyone think that will do for the local economy? I would argue that the GREAT majority of "property owners" in the area are that far gone that an extra 20 bucks a month is going to change their lifestyle AT ALL! Some are so damn greedy and short sighted it really makes me wanna puke!
Personally I don't want ANYONE on the school board that is not a qualified education professional. I do NOT want the district to have an open checkbook, but the enrollment is NOT that much lower! I would like people in charge that have a CLUE on how to run an efficient , QUALITY district. Unfortunately the people there now are just , partisan, out of touch, TOOLS as the governor would call them.

DTB is correct. It would be a resounding NO. Probably not for the reasons DTB thinks but make no mistake, NO would be the answer.

Why increase the levy? Because it's easy. It is the easy answer and they can always say, "well, its just another $100 per year." If you disagree with that you must hate children or be a miser of some kind. What it really is about is having a government body at any level finally realize they must live within a budget the citizens can afford for once. Just once. The taxers finally realize they do not live independently from the rest of us lowly working Joes. When our income goes down we don't have a levy to increase as it is not possible to work more than 24 hours in the day. Yes you have to cut. Make an executive decision in your professional careers to say no. No increase. Have some gaul, equipment, courage to stand up and hold your ground.

"Yes three of Janesvilles largest employers bring zero wealth to are area.
Those three are the Janesville School District, City of Janesville, and the County of Rock."
Mercy employs more than those 3 combined.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janesville,...

With student enrollment continuing to drop and people leaving Janesville in droves, why are we even considering increasing the tax levy?!

As anti-education as Janesville is (judging from these posts) any referendum is sure to fail.

They will jam it down our throats just like they did those two white elephants called Craig & Parker.