News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The campaign to convince voters to continue the Sisters School District's "local option" tax is ramping up.
The school district is seeking a continuation of the 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation tax that has sustained the district over the past four years.
"We have a very active campaign beginning to really gear up into the public information phase," said school board chair Christine Jones.
Brian Witt, chair of the Sisters Local Option Committee, a registered Political Action Committee (PAC), sent out a letter to all school district patrons this week seeking votes in favor of the tax, which allows local districts limited ability to supplement education funds allocated by the state.
Jones said the district projects $1.179 million in revenue from local option in 2009.
"Local option provides about 9 percent of our operating budget," Jones said. "That nine percent buys smaller class sizes, which is obviously important; it buys supplies and it buys a broader menu of educational options and electives."
Jones' estimates of impacts on class sizes have come in for criticism from Sisters-area resident Mike Morgan, who has crossed swords with the district repeatedly in the past two years.
"Data on the Oregon Department of Education Web site claims the Sisters School District has an average class size of 20 students.
The District forecasted an 18-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio for 2008 in the statement in support of the $2.1 million bond issue," Morgan wrote in an online comment to The Nugget.
"Given either number, how can a nine percent reduction in staff result in every class increasing by five to seven students? This would be a minimum 30 percent increase in average class size resulting from a 9 percent reduction in staff.
This is equivalent to saying that if I reduce staff in my restaurant from a total of 10 to nine employees I should expect a 30 percent reduction in the number of meals I can serve.
I think district management needs to look harder at cutting costs."
Jones defended the numbers.
"Our average class size is about 24-25 students per class in the core instructional classes - smaller at the elementary school, larger at the higher school," she said. "Were we to eliminate one teacher per grade, this would raise class sizes overall by an average of about seven students (not taking into account the need to possibly regroup classes, split classes, etc.).
"This looks at teachers in core instruction," Jones noted. "We are not counting (in our calculation of class size) special ed. teachers, title teachers, etc. Class sizes would be lower if we did, but bear little relation to what a parent thinks of when he/she thinks of the number of children in his or her child's class."
Jones emphasized that class size numbers are only a handy mathematical illustration of the impact of local option. The actual impact lies in the programs that are available to students.
"People in Sisters want quality education and I think the local option allows us to buy the things that make us the successful district that we are," Jones said. "One could live more cheaply, but you give up some very good things to do that."
Jones said that, so far, the PAC has received a favorable response from the public - even though people are nervous about the economy and money is tight for many.
"It's not a new tax and we're not raising the rate," Jones said. "That's point number one."
Critics of local option argue that an increase in assessed valuation across the community means the tax brings in more revenue than ever and that the district should look at more ways to economize.
Jones said the district's budget is actually quite tight. As for places to make significant cuts? "Boy, I don't see them," she said.
Jones said that the committee is not taking favorable votes for granted, especially in tough times. But she is confident that the community will continue its financial support.
"I think people in Sisters appreciate the impact of, the link between, dollars from local option and the success of the schools, which in turn has payoffs for the community at large."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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