Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 26, 1989 Page: 3 of 32
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Editorials, Opinions
Letters to the editor
Citizens differ on tax rollback
Burleson Star, Thursday, January 26, 1989—3A
Advocates of a tax rollback
have recently been complaining
vociferously about the alleged
unfairness of the school board’s
throwing out of the rollback peti-
tion. I cannot speak to the
legality of the school board’s
decision, although I do assume
the board’s attorney is capable of
reading the statutes. I am writing
because I fear that the com-
plaints of "unfairness" have
diverted attention from the real
issue involved.
My neighbor Ed Lyles is ap-
parently the prime mover behind
the rollback effort. Let me quote
from Mr. Lyle’s interview in the
Star Telegram, Nov. 4, 1988. "I
feel that expenses can be cut in
areas that will not affect teacher
salaries. I don’t know where, but
I think the school board and ad-
ministrators are not being res-
ponsible in spending.”
"I don’t know where." That is a
damning admission from a man
who proposes to gut the school
system. Why has no rollback ad-
vocate indicated any knowledge
of where cuts can be made?
'Claims of too much administra-
tive costs defy the facts of com-
BISD
TAXES
Lyles a one-man crusade
Ask the pertinent question
After much thought concern-
ing the volatile issue of a tax
rollback, the pertinent question
the citizens of Burleson need to
ask themselves is, “Do I want a
tax rollback?’’
In order {o answer the tax
rollback question, several issues
should be considered. What will
the rollback save the citizens of
Burleson, and what will the
rollback cost them?
The tax savings per month on a
home valued at $50,000 would be
approximately $7.50; for an an-
nual saving of $90; or .0018 of
the value of the home. The tax
savings per month on a home
|valued at $100,000 would be>ap- ■*
munity spirit.
How high does this price have
to go before this issue is put to
rest? Do we destroy the credibility
of this community as one un-
suppportive of the school dis-
trict? Do we sacrifice the.
academic excellence of our
schools because a few mistrust
the board and Mr. Cockerham?
Do we say to all the teachers and
administrators that call Burleson
home that their contribution to
this community is not good en-
ough? And most of all, what are
we saying to our children? Is
money so important that nothing,
else matters?
Welovethis- community and
ijpi;pxijnj>at«eAy.,($!& Jos. .an annual\irmoved Jreee. fo.»< the fine Schopl
^savings of $180; or .0018 of the
value of the home.
If the tax rollback is successful
and Burleson is unable to com-
pete with the other communities
at the same educational level, the
resale value of homes in
Burleson is not going to in-
crease, but decrease. A decrease
in home value of just 5 percent
would result in a decrease in
Value of between $2,500 and
$5,000.
Just ask yourself this question:
“Would you move into a com-
munity where a tax rollback
issue is being debated and the
full effect on the school district is
unknown?” Or would you choose
to locate where there is a proven
record of academic achievement
and community support with no
question of future compromise
in programs offered?
Much negative publicity, name-
calling, and accusations are
already dividing this community.
In the zeal to be “right,” sincere
people have lost sight of the
whole picture. Facts have been
disregarded and no one is trust-
ing in the basic integrity of a very
fine school district that has con-
tinued to focps on its purpose:
offering the very best education
possible in a fiscally responsible
manner.
How many citizens of Burleson
have stopped to consider what is
happening to our dedicated
teachers, principals, adminis-
trators, and our beleagured
school board? When is the last
time you read or heard anyone
commending them for a job well
done? How many of you would
continue where you were being
maligned in a manner similar to
the school board or Mr. Coc-
kerham, the superintentdent?
During the last school board
election, the possibility of a tax
rollback was raised. Those elec-
ted to the board expressed their
hope that the citizens of Burleson
would be supportive in the hard
decisions necessary to maintain
the current level of academic ex-
cellence in our schools. But what
has happened? Have we worked
together to find positive solutions?
No. The situation has been
allowed to escalate to the point
where each and every citizen in
this community stands to be im-
pacted in a negative way.
Those in the commuhity who
support the tax rollback are say-
ing to themselves, “How can any-
thing negative result if I succeed
in achieving my goal?” No one
wins if the whole community is
hurt in the process. But, those
who feel so strongly for a tax
rollback seem to have forgotten
the price already paid in corn-
district. We have respect for and
appreciate the dedication of the
leaders in this community. We
can, as a community, go forward
if everyone will resolve to work
together for the betterment of all,
not just the betterment of a few.
We are praying for a resurgence
of the feeling of shared dedica-
tion and commitment to our
beloved Burleson.
Where are the people who sup-
port the Burleson schools? Now
is the time to stand up and be
counted. There are those who
want you to be uninvolved and
unconcerned. Don’t let your in-
action^now cause you to regret
your* inaction in the future.
CHARLES AND JEAN KIRK
Burleson
It would seem that Mr. Ed
Lyles, after losing his bid for
school board membership, has
set out on a one man crusade to
undermine the educational foun-
dation in this city.
He seems to feel that he is pay-
ing too much in taxes for what
he is getting. What will he get for
his money if he is successful in
his lawsuit calling for a rollback
election seeking to lower school
taxes, and his current petition
seeking a $25,000 ad valorem tax
Homestead Exemption for those
who are disabled or age 65 and
over, is completed, voted-on,
and passed?
If the schools lose the money
that this suit and petition would
take away from them, it would
become necessaiy to cut person-
nel, teacher pay, custodial ser-
vices, curriculum, and all phases
of the educational processes.
These cuts would force many
teachers to look for jobs in other
districts that pay more. Burleson
would have to find teachers will-
ing to work for minimum pay.
This would mean that only the
beginning teacher, with no ex-
perience, would be most likely to
apply. The result would be' a
lowering of the quality of educa-
tion that Burleson has come to
>e afrWT- years,, Dj?
we really .want to lose some, iof
our fine teachers and lower the
standards that Burleson is so
proud of?
The cuts would necessitate a
reduction in the custodial force.
This would result in poorer
maintenance, dirtier classrooms,
poorer grounds-keeping, and a
general lowering of the property
value of the schools. Do the peo-
ple of Burleson want this for
their kids?
Certain courses would have to
be cut. While it is true that the
primary purpose of schools is to
teach the basics, ie: “readin’, rit-
ing', and 'rithmetic,” there are
other elective courses such as
chorus, band, and foreign langua-
ges that enrich the student and
make for a well-rounded adult.
‘Good guys’ speak now
I have been thinking about
writing this letter for a long time
and have decided that it is time
for the good guys to be heard
from. It is time to put to rest all
of this brainwashing that is going
on among our elderly citizens.
First, let me say that somebody
has the wrong idea about a
rollback election. They do not
realize what it would do to our
school district, money wise. It
would be a real good idea for the
people who are not informed to
get the right information before
they start misleading a bunch of
people that are also uninformed.
The best way to do this is to go to
the source. That is the school ad-
ministration building.
I know for a fact that if you go
out there and ask in a civil tone
and not with a chip on your
shoulder, you will get some right
answers. You have got to try it
first. The court case pending
which allows the governing body
to control the tax rate is just what
the doctor ordered. You people
that are not associated with the
school system know exactly
nothing about what it takes to
run one. I know because I was in
the school business for 15 years.
You are not thinking about your
children or your grandchildren,
but only of yourself.
That is very selfish. Other than
my family, there is nothing more
dear to me than the students of
Burleson, I will put the educa-
tion that our students get in our
school system up against any
school in any state. Just look at
the stats; that will prove to you
that I am right.
I would like to point out that if
it were not for the old folks down
at the city hell, the district would
not be in this monetary shape.
Several years ago, Harbison-
Fisher wanted to build their
plant in Burleson, but the old
man (who thought he controlled
everything) said “no” because it
would be too expensive for the
city to run water to these people.
When my wife was working at
the chamber of commerce, a
company came into that office
and asked them to help them lo-
cate in our district, but the same
old fossil said “no” to them. The
irony of the situations was that if
one company were to settle here,
there would be another company
to follow. If there is any blame to
be put on anybody, then you can
blame the old man in city hall.
He did not want Burleson to
grow up to be a big city. Well,
there is not a thing he can do
about it now.
The most disgusting thing
about this situation is that if you
elderly people had let those in-
dustries come into our district,
there would be no fight over
taxes. I guess that some people
just have to stir up the people all
of the time.
The last thing I would like to
say is, “Mr. Lyles, don’t you see
by the recently-finished court
cases that you’re butting your
head against the wall? Anybody
with the least bit of common
sense would hang up his
jocky.”
ACE PARKER
Not about to
reason together
Mr. Moody, if you think
COURT is going to “reason
together” away the right of the
citizens of this community to
vote, you are nuttier than a Texas
pecan orchard of the large
type-
ED LYLES
Charter member of COURT
Burleson
There are courses like auto
mechanics, small engine repair,
agriculture, etc., which students
who may not be going to college
can take to prepare them for
some sort of trade after high
school. Would we like to see any
of these eliminated?
Our form of government is the
best there is. Unfortunately, it is a
government by committee. The
school board is basically a com-
mittee which is forced into com-
promise frequently in order to
get anything done. Those of us
who have served on committees
know that there are many times
that things which should have
been done haven’t been because
of the need to compromise. This
same built-in inefficiency some-
times results in spending too
much for the little that is
received. However, cutting the
funding is not the answer; it
would merely mean that even
less was received for what was
spent.
If Mr. Lyles wishes to tackle
waste, he should begin with the
federal government that is send-
ing $8 billion a year to Israel so
that they may use rifles to shoot
at Palestinian kids throwing
rocks.
CHARLES E. MARSH
wh b.u. Burleson
parison with other districts.
"J don’t know where." I am
sure he doesn’t. And here’s an
unpleasant fact, folks; there is no
place to cut such an amount
from the school system bud;
without serious impact on
quality of education. No one likes
taxes, but education may be the
most important function of
government Without good educa-
tion, we have no future.
“J don’t know where." Anypne
who proposes such cuts owjjjs it
to those of us who value edHfca-
tion to know where and to laj&iis
proposed cuts on the table. 5as
any advocate of rollback spdttd
out any way to cut $1.3 miS>n
from the budget, reasonable~or
otherwise?
"J don’t know where." Does he
know that costs of changes re-
quired by the state exceed the in-
come from the tax increase? And
that state funding has dropped at
the same time? Cutbacks have
been made even with the tax
increase.
“J don't know where." Mr.
Lyles stood on my front porch,
petition in hand, and had no
answer when I told him it was
his responsibility to know where
cuts could be made before he
petitioned for a rollback. His
pnly reply was to imply that my
opposition to the rollback was
motivated by my wife’s being a
teacher in the Burleson school
district. He was wrong about
that, but consider where his own
logic leaves him. He has no
children in school. Can we con-
clude that he simply doesn’t care
how much he damages educa-
tion?
"J don’t knew where." Do you
know how little money we are
really talking about? If your
house is valued at $60,000, the
tax increase amounts to about
$45; if $100,000, then $75. To
save 21 cents a day in taxes on a
$100,000 house, those behind
this rollback move would convert
our first rate school district to,
not a second rate, but probably a
third rate district.
j iff
"J don’t know where." Does he
know that Mansfield, Everman,
Keller, Grapevine, Birdviile, Cro-
wley, White Settlement, Fort
Worth, A/.le, Eagle Mountain-
Saginaw, Castleberry, and Lake
Worth all spend more per stu-
dent than does Burleson? Does
he know that we spend 17 per-
cent below the state average
per student?
We have an excellent teaching
staff. When my son graduated
with honors from Burleson High
school two years ago, I wrote a
letter to the superintendent com-
pending all of his teachers
generally and certain of them
specifically. If this rollback
should succeed, we will be in
danger of being able to hire and
keep only those teachers who are
not wanted in other school sys-
tems. My son definitely received
a first rate education and gained
admission to a highly regarded
university as a result. My
daughter is now a sophomore at
BHS and I resent the effort to
reduce her educational oppor-
tunities. But write this down if
you want to check on me later: I
support education; I believe
education is the most important
function of any civilized society.
When my children have graduated
and my wife retired, I will never
take the position that cuts must
be made but "I don’t know
where.”
If you really think there is
significant waste in the operation
of the district, start attending
board meetings. Get a copy of
the budget and study it. Ask
about any costs you don’t un-
derstand. While there will always
be disagreement about details, I
really believe anyone who knows
where the money is going will
not believe there is significant
waste unless he feels that educa-
tion is a waste.
“I don’t know where." If you
don’t, at least don’t give support
to those who don’t know and
don’t care.
J.A. “JACK" ELLIS
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Moody, James. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 32, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 26, 1989, newspaper, January 26, 1989; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth761492/m1/3/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Burleson Public Library.