Open Letter Concerning the CCSD's FY 2011 Budget

Below is the text of an “open letter” that I had hoped to present to the Clarke County Board of Education before it adopted the CCSD’s FY 2011 budget. Unfortunately, the gremlins struck my computer yesterday morning and I was unable to finish, print, or email the letter before the special called meeting convened at noon. So, I have dispatched the completed letter today.

Be that as it may, however, the actually timing of my letter is completely irrelevant. To the best of my knowledge, not a dime was changed in the FY 2011 budget on the basis of any public comments received at the CCSD’s three TBOR hearings (besides which, I have been making these same observations and arguments in person, in print, and in the blogosphere for years – to no avail whatsoever).

24 June 2010

Clarke County Board of Education
240 Mitchell Bridge Road
Athens, Georgia 30606

Members of the Board

First, let me acknowledge some of the good things that I see happening in the Clarke County School District; I fully support the creation of the Athens Community Career Academy, the move toward neighborhood schools in elementary school attendance zones, the closing of SOAR Academy and the transference of those responsibilities to Ombudsman Educational Services, and the implementation of a Uniform Dress Policy at some of the District’s schools. Also, I will note that the District has done a better job compared to years past insofar as making its budget documents available for public review. On the other hand, though, I am not nearly so complimentary regarding the District’s budget itself.

My first concern is something of a philosophical one. Back in 2006, the public was assured that the District would adopt zero-based budgeting due to the requirements of the so-called “65% solution” dictated by state law. In the years since, I have seen no evidence of this. The District’s presentations at public hearings on its budget invariably run thus: using the previous fiscal year’s expenditures as a “Starting Baseline Budget,” the District introduces “Must-Do Additions,” “Recommended Deductions,” and “Recommended Additions,” so as to arrive at a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Such practice is, obviously, baseline budgeting by definition as opposed to anything even remotely resembling zero-based budgeting. Be that philosophical concern as it may, though, my others are much more concrete.

The most recent expenditure figures available from the Georgia Department of Education are for FY 2009 (the per pupil expenditure figures specific to Clarke County have been available since December of last year; the District’s web site still lists the figure for FY 2008; I thought that the issue of publishing outdated figures had been rectified a couple of years ago, but apparently not). According to those figures, the State of Georgia average for per pupil expenditures in FY 2009 was $8907.82, a decrease of 0.64% from the FY 2008 figure of $8965.24. Conversely, the corresponding FY 2009 figure for the Clarke County School District was $11,248.22, a 0.61% increase over the FY 2008 figure of $11,180.05. Thus, even as the current economic downturn took hold, as evidenced by reductions in both state and local tax receipts, the District’s average per pupil expenditure rose from 24.70% above the state average in FY 2008 to 26.27% above the state average in FY 2009. Though the percentage differences involved are admittedly small, the fact that the District’s spending increased is noteworthy, especially given the incessant cries of many concerning the District’s supposed paucity.

A look inside the FY 2009 figures reveals the following per pupil expenditures for the Clarke County School District in the seven categories tracked by the Georgia Department of Education:

Pupil Services $288.28 (minus 3.29% of the state average of $297.77)

School Administration $634.96 (plus 14.35% of the state average of $555.27)

General Administration $494.86 (plus 14.43% of the state average of $432.45)

Instruction $7460.97 (plus 24.03% of the state average of $6015.38)

Maintenance & Operations $952.93 (plus 32.77% of the state average of $717.72)

Staff Services $669.22 (plus 45.68% of the state average of $459.38)

Transportation $747.01 (plus 73.78% of the state average of $429.85)

This high level of per pupil expenditures places the District in the 94th percentile among school systems statewide, eleventh highest of the 184 school systems reporting, a ranking that has not varied appreciably over the last several years. Of the ten school districts that had higher per pupil spending in FY 2009, nine are much smaller districts that have to spread fixed capital and administrative costs over far fewer students, thereby driving their per pupil expenditures up due to a lack of economies of scale. The only school district with more students that outspends Clarke County on a per pupil basis is that of the City of Atlanta.

By way of comparison, the FY 2009 per pupil expenditures of the school districts that surround Clarke County were:

Barrow County $7987.92

Commerce City $8582.85

Jackson County $9689.45

Jefferson City $7592.71

Madison County $9037.65

Oconee County $8577.80

Oglethorpe County $8369.55

Note that by every measure available (graduation rates, test scores, AYP rankings, etcetera), these other school districts perform as well – and actually as a matter of course substantially better – than the Clarke County School District, and yet do so at considerably less cost.

The rationales consistently given for this high level of spending, the poverty rate among the District’s students and the relative number of special needs students, amount to nothing more that useful canards. According to figures from the Georgia Department of Education, during the 2008-2009 school year, the District’s student population included:

Students with Disabilities 13%

English Language Learners 12%

Economically Disadvantaged 74%

Again by way of comparison, the corresponding figures for those neighboring school districts listed above for Students with Disabilities ranged from 9% to 14% (with an average of 11.57%), English Language Learners ranged from 2% to 8% (with an average of (3.71%), and Economically Disadvantaged ranged from 29% to 53% (with an average of 43.43%). Thus, the District’s percentage of Students with Disabilities is comparable to that of the surrounding districts, while its percentage of English Language Learners is somewhat higher than that of the surrounding districts. Only its percentage of Economically Disadvantaged students is markedly higher than that of the surrounding districts.

Notably, though, when measured against other districts with higher percentages of English Language Learners, such as the Gainesville City district at 30%, and Economically Disadvantaged students, such as Warren County at 88%, those other districts consistently achieve superior results with much lower per pupil expenditures.

I am not without sympathy regarding your plight as you plan the District’s finances. I realize that the District’s budgeting is a complex matter, involving federal, state, and local funds, each of which imposes its own requirements and parameters. That said, however, I had hoped that the budget reduction dictated by sagging tax revenues would have prompted a fundamental revision of the way the District conducts its finances. Unfortunately, this does not appear to have been the case, as the FY 2011 budget makes disproportionate, and I daresay comparatively easy, cuts to frontline classroom personnel, some 80% of whom had been “rehired” by the time the Board passed its budget anyway, as opposed to rethinking the high expenditure paradigm that dominates locally. The reduction in force proved to be a chimera only.

Even if one accepts the premise that a higher level of spending is required to educate poor students, a premise espoused by several sitting members of the Board in their various campaigns for office, that premise has been empirically, and repeatedly, disproved by the District’s own experience. Simply put, the higher expenditure per pupil model has been tried for any number of years now – with no appreciable positive affect.

The truth of the matter is that the District has been overspending for years and the upcoming fiscal year’s budget presented the opportunity to address that overspending in a meaningful manner. To my mind, that has not happened.

Respectfully

James Garland

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Impertinent Observations

For what it may be worth, someone on the Overview Commission called yesterday to chat about the Clarke County Airport Authority, one of the aspects of the Unified Government’s Charter on which I have harped since my 2006 campaign for the District 1 seat on the Athens-Clarke Count Commission (see here, here, and here). At least it would appear that my rants are having some effect. In the words of C. Montgomery Burns, “Excellent.”

Yes, I am trying a new color scheme here on TOA. I periodically get complaints about the original red on black scheme from folks who say that they find it hard to read. I kind of like the original because 1) I am a two-time UGA alum (B.S.Ed and A.B.) and 2) I found it to be fairly unique in the blogosphere. However, I want TOA to be reader-friendly so I will try something different for a while and see what feedback I may receive.

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The Quick And The Dead

This post is a quick (pun intended), though well-deserved, “shout out” to local attorney Regina Quick. In addition to being a fine attorney and upstanding citizen, she has developed slaying the Unified Government into a fine art. To wit, see:

•The empty chair tax appeal case

•The undevelopable, sewage-infested property case

•The stoplight camera case

There may well be other examples that escape my memory at the moment. Be that as it may, at some point the folks who run the Unified Government – or better yet, the voters – should start paying attention to these sorts of things, as they are starting to add up.

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Both Witty And Wise

Thanks to Banner-Herald Editor Jim Thompson for his kind words regarding TOA in yesterday’s “The Editor’s Desk” feature. The genesis of Thompson’s mention can be found in my latest letter to the editor lamenting the obvious disdain in which the Unified Government holds the Charter. That letter to the editor was, in turn, a follow up to this letter to the editor which, in turn, led directly to this editorial.

As I have noted before, my recent series of letters is drawn directly from issues I tried to raise during my 2006 campaign, unsuccessful though that attempt may have been. It appears, though, that they are having the desired effect this time around, namely that of (at least partially) driving the political debate concerning the relationship between Athens-Clarke County’s citizens and the Unified Government.

As an aside, after I submitted that most recent letter via the Banner-Herald’s web site, Thompson contacted me to ask if I objected to him including TOA in his “The Editor’s Desk” feature (naturally, I responded that I did not), but I took the opportunity to comment on my rationale for the letter:

“I've always found Kelly Girtz to be a likable sort of guy (and I even agree with him for time to time) but, to me, this latest moratorium and Charter business is symptomatic of all that is wrong with our local government.”

I want it to be clear that I hold no personal animosity against Girtz.  Even so, I honestly think that the Unified Government has run roughshod over the Charter, not to mention existing zoning and development ordinances, on the basis of "progressive" ideology for a long time  - and I have years worth of examples on which I base that opinion.

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Fire Station No. 6 Update

Long after the snowstorm that closed Fire Station No. 6 faded into memory, meaning some 15 months, the apparent demolition of the station began last week. I suppose that this marks progress of some fashion, but just what is transpiring there remains a mystery as the Unified Government still has made no public pronouncement on the matter whatsoever (certainly not on its web site and neither has there has been any such mention in the Banner-Herald or Flagpole).

Of course, that may be because the folks down at City Hall have been too busy imposing another development moratorium without any public notice (yet again) and devising ways to alter the Charter so as to deny those residents to whom water and sewer services were promised two decades ago (also yet again).  More on those to follow.

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Bracketed

Here is my third salvo against the Unified Government; to use an old gunnery term, I now have City Hall ”bracketed.” This third effort, concerning turning control of Athens-Ben Epps Airport over to the Clarke County Airport Authority (be sure to read the comments underneath the online version for the context of my rejoinder below), follows closely on the heels of my first concerning extending water and sanitary sewer lines into the formerly unincorporated areas of the county and my second about instituting a lower millage rate in the general services district. Those readers who are perceptive will note that all three missives concern the Unified Government’s Charter. Those readers who are even more perceptive will note that all three issues are lifted directly from my 2006 campaign platform.

Regarding the current broadside, I fully anticipated that some would (rather intentionally I suspect) not get past the word “may.” However, as used in the Act (and hence the Charter), the word “may” gives the Clarke County Airport Authority the legal basis to request control of the airport from the Unified Government, and similarly gives the Unified Government the legal basis to transfer control of the airport to the Authority. Besides, any question as to the intent of the Act (and hence the Charter) is clearly answered thus: “It is declared that the conveyance of such property is necessary and essential in order to accomplish the purposes of this Act so as to secure the public welfare, safety, and convenience." So much for the “may” argument.

Regarding my interest in the matter, I flew through Ben Epps a couple of times on US Air and took my wife to an air show there years ago – and that is it. I have never owned an airplane nor had occasion to deal with any of the businesses located at the airport. So much for “hidden vested interest” argument.

The issue is important because it shows, yet again, the Unified Government’s approach to what is supposed to be its foundational document. Namely, that of ignoring it whenever City Hall finds the provisions of the Charter to be inconvenient or in conflict with whatever progressive shibboleth to come down the pike. And, of course, now is the time to discuss such matters if ever there was one, because the Overview Commission is in the process of its once per decade review of the Charter. At least in theory, anyway – quite frankly, given the (scant) press coverage of that which the Commission is concerning itself, I have little faith that the group will come up with much of value (but we shall see).

When I first became aware of the matter back in 2005 or 2006, I spoke to various folks who should have been in the know about the Authority – and got completely differing versions. Some thought that the Authority should be content with the status quo and let the Unified Government exercise its superior administrative and financial control of the airport; others lamented the fact that the airport turned a profit and that the Unified Government was siphoning said profit out of the airport for its own purposes (and as the Authority lacked its own attorney or control over its own funds, it could not fight the Unified Government in court). I do not claim to know which, if either, if the truth.

So why not put the matter forth for public discussion instead of City Hall simply stonewalling?

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Second Salvo

As a follow-up to my initial installment from earlier in the month (see the letter to the editor and the corresponding blog post), here is the second in the series of broadsides against the Unified Government.

Those who live in what is euphemistically called the “general services” district, meaning the formerly unincorporated area of Clarke County, have had the screws put to them in a variety of ways since city-county consolidation. It is high time that they started getting compensated for being treated as second-class citizens for two decades.

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Who Didn't See This One Coming

The mayor’s proposed FY 2011 budget includes a property tax increase of 0.5 mills. On top on the 0.25 mill increase for FY 2010. On top of all of those assessment increases over the past couple of years. Gee, what a surprise.

The schedule for legally mandated TBOR hearings and public comment is as follows:

• Hearing #1 – Wednesday, May 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the Planning Auditorium at 120 W. Dougherty Street [followed by a Mayor & Commission Work Session on the FY11 Budget]

• Hearing #2 – Thursday, May 13 at 5:30 p.m. in the Planning Auditorium at 120 W. Dougherty Street [followed by a Mayor & Commission Work Session on the FY11 Budget]

• Hearing #3 – Thursday, May 20 at 6:45 p.m. in the City Hall Commission’s Chambers at 301 College Avenue [followed by a Mayor & Commission Agenda Setting Session]

• Public comment – Thursday, May 20 (Agenda Setting Session) - 7:00 p.m. - City Hall Commission Chamber

• Public comment – Tuesday, June 1 (Regular Voting Session) - 7:00 p.m. - City Hall Commission Chamber

See the full proposed FY 2011 budget here (large PDF).

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Music, Juleps, & Roses

Athenians will have the opportunity to experience the run for the roses first hand at the Classic Center this May as the Athens Symphony Guild presents “Music, Juleps and Roses: A Kentucky Derby Event.” As the horses race for the coveted garland and trophy, Athens revelers won’t miss a hoof beat -- all while raising money for talented University of Georgia students.

“We have done fundraising events every year,” said organizer Libby Hollett of the Athens Symphony Guild, “but we wanted to create a single event that the community could look forward to each year, and that offers an option that Athens has never had before.”

Saturday, May 1st from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., guests will find themselves transported to Churchill Downs with red roses decking the Classic Center and preliminary races, the big race and the post-race parade broadcast on wide screens. Those who enjoy the excitement of betting will have the opportunity to place “faux bets,” with none of the risk of actual betting but the chance to win prizes for picking the winning horse.

A large derby-themed buffet inspired by the famed cuisine of Churchill Downs’ sumptuous Chef Tables will feature traditional tastes of Kentucky, complemented by the race’s signature drink, the mint julep, which will be offered in both the traditional and non-alcoholic version for guests to sip as they watch the races and take in the derby day fashions around them.

Ladies particularly will be rewarded for stepping up their derby fashion at the event, with a chance to take one of the Derby Hat Competition’s categories, ranging from the most elegant hat to the most outrageous.

The winners of the “Win, Place and Show” cash raffle will be announced, with prizes of $1,000, $500 and $100 respectively. Raffle tickets are available for $10 each and winners are not required to be present the day of the event. Additional door prizes will be given to some of the event’s lucky attendees.

There will be no shortage of entertainment as musicians from the Athens Symphony provide music throughout the event. Guests will enjoy the sounds of a brass quintet, a woodwind quintet and a string quartet, as well as multi-instrumentalist Joe Causey, a violinist in the Athens Symphony who will be tickling the ivories during the races.

All proceeds from “Music, Julep and Roses: A Kentucky Derby Event” will benefit the Athens Symphony Guild’s scholarship program for students at the University of Georgia’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music. Since its creation in 1992, the guild has offered four to seven scholarships each year to deserving students, who in turn share their gifts with the Athens Symphony.

“Our scholarship recipients play such an important role in the orchestra,” said conductor Albert F. Ligotti. “They bring their talent, musical knowledge and leadership to the group, often serving as section principals.”

Tickets for “Music, Julep and Roses: A Kentucky Derby Event” are $75 each and available for purchase at Aurum Studios, Appointments at Five, Cofer’s Home & Garden Showplace, and Elizabeth Ann Florist, or by mail at Athens Symphony Guild, P.O. Box 726, Athens, GA 30603. Cash raffle tickets are offered at $10 each.

More information on Music, Julep and Roses and the Athens Symphony guild may be found at Athens Symphony Guild or at the symphony’s Facebook page.

About the Athens Symphony Guild

The mission of the Athens Symphony Guild is to promote and support the activities of the Athens Symphony in all appropriate ways, including education, public relations, fund raising and other ways deemed necessary. Since its creation in 1992, the guild has promoted awareness of the Symphony through educational projects and fundraising events, and has sponsored scholarships for four to seven University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music students each year.

About the Athens Symphony

The Athens Symphony was founded in the summer of 1978, when a group of local musicians convened following a survey by the Clarke County Office of Cultural Affairs that determined a strong desire within the community for a symphony orchestra. Early on, it was decided that the orchestra should be a not-for-profit organization, that its members should be unpaid volunteers from Athens and the surrounding communities, and that its concerts should be both free of charge and appealing to general audiences. Al Ligotti was immediately identified as the ideal conductor due to his wealth of musical experience, enthusiasm and high musicianship, and continues to lead the orchestra as it completes its 32nd season.

The non-profit organization operates through the generosity of private donors and the support of its sponsors: Athens Area Health Plan Select; Athens Banner-Herald; Athens First Bank & Trust Company; AT&T; Blasingame, Burch Garrard, Ashley, P.C. Attorneys at Law; Chick Music; The Classic Center; Georgia Power; Jackson Spalding and WGAU 1340 am.

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Opening Salvo

Though I will not be running for office, I fully intend to remain engaged in the doings of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County and the Clarke County School District. To that end, consider this recent letter to the editor as my opening salvo in this year’s election cycle. To reiterate innumerable such letters and blog postings, the residents who live in the formerly unincorporated area of Clarke County have been treated like dirt by City Hall since city-county consolidation – and it is high time that they start raising Hell about it.

Which leads me to this. Given my political proclivities, it comes as no surprise that I am inclined to support Charlie Maddox for mayor of the Unified Government. Had there been any doubt whatsoever, though, it was allayed by this concerning last Saturday’s mayoral forum sponsored by Common Ground Athens, a self-styled “community resource center for groups and individuals working for progressive social change” (kind of tells you all you need to know right there, doesn’t it?):

Athens-Clarke officials should follow through on their 20-year-old promise to offer sewer service to the entire county, mayoral candidate Charlie Maddox said Saturday at a forum on environmental issues.

The Athens-Clarke Commission voted Tuesday to strip sewer line extensions in Northern Clarke County from a $91 million plan to upgrade the system. Alone among the five candidates, Maddox said it was the wrong decision.

"We need to go back and look at some of the promises that were made in that area," he said.

Damned right we need to go back and look at some of the promises that were made – in quite a few areas.

So, instead of talking honestly about real issues (yes, I realize just what may constitute “real issues” is subjective – but it is my blog), we will get treated to yet another election cycle steeped in the usual progressive shibboleths: more deletions from the Service Delivery Plan (the Charter be damned); TDRs (we have neither “sending” zones nor “receiving” zones because the development potential of the former has been gutted and any proposed density increase in the latter is fought tooth and nail by the NIMBYs and BANANAs); affordable housing (any lack of which we may have is due to its being zoned out of existence through ordinances that intentionally drive up the cost and regulatory burden of development); bike paths (on which hardly anyone rides); the hallowed Green Belt (which merely serves to drive development further out and results in people being in their cars more, not less, and transfers our sales tax dollars to neighboring counties); and assorted “green” this and “sustainable” that.

As I have written elsewhere, the core services that a local government is supposed to provide are but an afterthought here in Athens-Clarke County, especially for those folks living in the hinterland, though we seem to have plenty of money to placate progressive interest groups.

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