$.25 Billion. Yes, this is the approximate total cost of the Cave Creek Unified School District No. 93 upcoming override and bond. $.25 billion for 5,000 laptops and a new high school. Amazingly, not one penny of this boondoggle is set to be spent on improving teacher salaries, rewarding teachers performance, recruiting and retaining experienced teachers, or enhancing the curriculum. $.25 billion is going to pissed away on yearly computers leases, and an extravagant high school in a district where enrollment has stagnated. Pathetic. Stay tuned, there is more to come shortly…
$75 million is going to be spent on paying interest on the $123 million bonds, so the desired bonds could be more properly called a $199 million bond issue. CCUSD plans to spend another $30 million on such intangibles as "contingencies", "adjustments", "permits", etc. Is this the best use of taxpayer money? Only about $3 million will be spent in the classroom for textbooks.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point. Also don't forget all the costs associated with issuing the bonds such as fees underwriting, marketing, administration, and legal. Add all these things up and the total cost of the bond and override are around $240 million.
ReplyDeleteExtravagant High School? Have you been in Cactus Shadows recently? It is in deplorable condition,,,how can the students excel when they can't use the bathrooms, lockers and basic computer services. If the schools aren't up to par, who do you think will move into the district to pay the taxes? You would think more residents would be concerned with their property values in our downward spiraling economy if not the future of our children.
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point but not the one you think...
ReplyDeleteHow can we entrust the district with more new buildings and tons of fragile technology if they cannot properly service and maintain the current plant and equipment?
Isn't CSHS only 12 years old. How could it be in such a horrible state of disrepair without some sort of fiscal irresponsibility or gross incompetence?
For your information, the first eight buildings in Cactus Shadows HS were constructed in 1995 (about 120,000 square feet). The second eight buildings at CSHS were constructed in 2000 (about 80,000 square feet). District taxpayers are still paying off the bonds which funded the second phase of construction.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great information!
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