Drop of state income taxes to hurt schools

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Hume's School District superintendent has a simple description for legislation that will eventually do away with Missouri's income tax.

"It is bad legislation," said David Quick of Senate Bill 125, "It's going to have a big impact on every school in the state."

Quick briefed the school board on the bill -- predicted to result in a 33 percent drop in education funding -- and other legislation he said will hurt education during the board's meeting Thursday night.

Quick said the Missouri legislature appears to be trying to make a level playing field with Kansas, but if legislators will wait another year, they will see the Kansas system fail.

Kansas passed new tax legislation that, among other things, eliminates the state income tax on owners of sole proprietorships, limited liability companies and corporations organized under Subchapter S of the federal tax code. Analysts from the national magazine Governing have labeled the new Kansas law as "the worst in the country."

The Missouri legislation calls for the income tax to be replaced with a sales tax, with the idea that people who keep more of their money will spend it, thereby making up the shortfall left by the defunct income tax.

Quick said that will never happen.

"People who pay income taxes aren't going to buy any more," he noted. "You can't raise enough sales tax unless it is directly earmarked for education."

It's the doing away with revenue streams for education that's the biggest concern for school districts, especially small ones like Hume. Those who talk about wastes in education "don't sit where I sit."

"My people take it personally," he said, with many of them spending money out of their own pockets to buy supplies for their classroom, to benefit students who can't afford them.

The economic recovery politicians keep talking about has eluded Hume.

"I don't know where the recovery is," he said. "It's not here.

"I have more families living with other family members than any other time in this district."

Quick predicted a governor's veto to be the only salvation and that's if the legislature doesn't get enough votes to override it, Quick said.

The superintendent didn't have anything good to say about proposed legislation that would have changed the way teachers receive tenure, but that legislation has since failed.

"It was a horrible piece of legislation," Quick commented.

Some of the more egregious requirements to which Quick objected were the requirement that 33 percent of a teacher's evaluation be based on students' test scores, and requiring districts to wait two years to remove an ineffective teacher, regardless of tenure.

"Why does the legislature think they need to decide how much of a teacher's evaluation should be based on test scores?" he asked, explaining that all students would have to do to get rid of a teacher they did not like is do bad on tests.

Quick supports the Hume faculty, which he described as people who do not take their responsibility lightly.

On another matter, Quick voiced support for the Common Core Standards that are being considered.

"It's not a replacement for No Child Left Behind," he said. "It's not a federal program."

Forty-six states have joined a consortium that basically creates a common ground in subjects so that what is taught in one state will be accepted in other states, should a student move.

"It's not really all that new," Quick added. "It's just making sure the things that are taught here are like they are in other states."

In that realm, Missouri is a leader, the superintendent pointed out that Missouri is among the leaders with students receiving the third highest scores in the nation on standardized tests.

"We are leading in Common Core rather than catching up with Common Core," he said.

The board also passed a resolution allowing it to take money out of district reserves to pay for capital projects that need to be completed before the next school year begins.

Quick said the district is buying a metal building and constructing the interior to be a new library. The current library is "not even close to being modern."

Hopes are to have a building built in such a way that the community can use it when school is not in session. Hume currently does not have a public library, Quick said.

The capital projects also include new bleachers in the gymnasium. The current bleachers are at least 20 years old and unsafe, Quick said. The steps also have an 12-inch rise for each step, which makes them particularly hard for senior citizens to maneuver.

Quick said 70 percent of the people who attend ball games at Hume are senior citizens.

The district also needs to replace the floor in a metal building and hopes to make a safe room for students to seek shelter during turbulent weather. At one side of the gym, there is narrow concrete block hallway that has a wood deck over its top. Putting a concrete cap on the hall will make it safe for students during storms.

"We are not building a lot of new buildings. ... We are remodeling and repairing," Quick said.

The board's resolution will allow the district to borrow the money from it's reserves, provided project costs do not exceed $100,000.

In other business:

* Quick reported that the senior class will be taking their senior trip to Key West, Fla., May 1 through 8. He said eight students -- four males and four females -- will be going on the trip, along with three adults. Three other seniors elected not to go.

*Two new school board members, Stephen Yarick and Gail Yarick, were sworn in. The board also reorganized with new officers being Stacey Swickhamer, president; Stephen Yarick, vice president; Kristy Books secretary; and Lesa Berry, treasurer.

*The board heard a report from Principal Kenny Otto that May 13, 14 and 15 will be make-ups for snow days. Finals will be give on May 13 and 14 and school will be dismissed at 12:40 p.m. School will be in session during regular hours on May 15.

*Otto also reviewed sports for the 2013-14 school year. The high school will continue to have a co-op agreement with Rich Hill for students who want to play football. Also, it is unlikely that the school will have a baseball team next fall because of grades. The school will have a volleyball team. Junior high basketball will include sixth through eighth grades and while the high school will have boys and girls basketball, there will be no junior varsity teams. The school won't have track, but will have a softball team in the spring.

*Otto announced that preschool promotion and kindergarten graduation will be at 7 p.m. May 15.

*Quick recommended that a health insurance benefit for all full-time faculty be increased for $300 to $400. The board unanimously approved the $400 cap.

*Following a 15-minute executive session, board members voted to renew probationary teachers, Scheryl Rupprecht, Pam Yarick, Cindy Belcher, Colby Sisson, Rebecca Robison and Brandi Vandenburg.

*The board accepted the resignation of Tena Heckadon,

*The board agreed to hire Jaleana Thompson for the 2013-14 school year.

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