The Public Opinion Soapbox

postaff · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Chambersburg

To get a discussion started, here a post from Haloscan:

"You have to realize there is not one member on the Board that is middle income or on a fixed income. They are all what we call upper crust, remember the next election. It is time for change. "

My question: How do you define upper income (anyone who makes more than me?), and why should the board have members of all income groups? Should there be a member who is unemployed? What about having people of different ages too?

postaff · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 123 Location: Chambersburg

Cheryl Stearn who is running for commissioner has been criticized numerous times by PO online readers for arguing that, as a woman, she would bring an additional perspective to the board of commissioners.

But isn't that the same argument the Halson post is making -- that there should be diversity on elected boards?

OK, I'll quit arguing with myself now -- somebody else, please weigh in!

A Talking Horse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 143 Location: Cove Gap

A Talking Horse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 143 Location: Cove Gap

A Talking Horse · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 143 Location: Cove Gap

Dave · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 162

TH, Those with money are not necessarily smarter than the guy who works hard at an hourly job.

I find that you have to try to weed out those who run for the school board because they had an issue with the board in the past, those all education & damn the cost people, and those that don't want to spend any money.

Perhaps we need more blue collars & retirees that appreciate a good education yet feel the pain of a tax increase.

Having spent time on a school board, after salaries, federal mandates, and state mandates, the board has control over very little expenditures. A lot of the waste is out of their control and to try to save money means to take away programs or paper.

apple · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 27

This isn't about who makes more money, lives in a nicer house, etc. This is about educating our children the best we can for our dollar. CASD needs a lot of repairs, renovations, new buildings. Massive amounts of money are going to have to be spent, BUT on CASD buildings and CASD projects NOT the YMCA's building and projects. The taxpayers paying for a new pool for the YMCA is so fiscally irresponsible I cannot even believe we have to discuss it, But we better pay attention and keep the discussion going because Orndorf IS going to give the YMCA the money. They are just putting it off for a while in the hopes that they can slide it through later when the furor dies down. I know my taxes are going up because we do need so much in our District, but come on, fulfilling Dave Matthew's legacy at the Y is a little much!

me · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 119

The issue is not about who is smarter, has more money, lives in a nice house, it's about the level of education our students are getting.

The monies that are being wasted on Taj Mahal projects, the YMCA pool study, the Gettysburg Retreat, the rediculous increase for the Superintendant, etc ALL should be directed to education resources. Our students are fialing because our school district is failing.

We must place Board Members in office that are in touch with the students and their needs, the needs of the citizens and WITHIN the limits of what the district can afford.

ravenboy · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 2

Got on this morning to reply to the topic of the pool...to my great surprise what was there last evening is now gone. The PO has seen fit to delete this topic. WHY!?! This is exactly what we should be discussing. Why censor it?

Taxpayers have a right to know the pitfalls of the "verbally" agreed upon project.

We will be paying rent to use the pool. Pool built with our $4 million. YMCA says no. OK, if we don't pay rent on the $4 million we already gave away, how is the Y going to pay for maintenance and upkeep on our $4 million?

Apparently Dr. Michael is on the Y board. CASD says doesn't matter he has no vote at CASD meetings. OOOKKKKK, but let's not insult our intelligence by saying he has no influence.

What is Dr. Joe paying for his YMCA membership?

YMCA family membership starts at over $700 per year. Tell me again how much the community is going to benefit from the $4 MILLION POOL.

.45chel · Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 3093 Location: Chambersburg

Income group: Economies are divided according to 2006 GNI per capita, calculated using the World Bank Atlas method.
The groups are:
low income, $905 or less; Yearly: less than $10,860
lower middle income, $906 - $3,595; Yearly: $10,872- $43,140
upper middle income, $3,596 - $11,115; Yearly: $43,152 - $133,380
and high income, $11,116 or more Yearly: $133,392 +

Bold entries are my own

Source: The World Bank website Data & Statistics

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/DATASTATISTICS/0,,contentMDK:20420458~menuPK:64133156~pagePK:64133150~piPK:64133175~theSitePK:239419,00.html

Unfortunately, according to websites that list Franklin County's income breakdown: