MYTH # 2: We pay the lowest annual school taxes in Hennepin County.
FACT: This is very misleading because Westonka uses a hypothetical example of a $300,000 home. Home values are so diverse from one school district to another that an ‘apples-to-apples’ comparison is impossible. Furthermore, Westonka’s chart was not prepared by Hennepin County Taxpayer Services, as Westonka claimed.
True value is measured by comparing taxpayer provided revenue per student with neighboring school districts.
FACT: As you can see below, Westonka receives a very high amount of revenue per student compared to neighboring districts.
Furthermore, when we review the annual school taxes chart supplied by Westonka Schools,
we find it to be incredibly insulting to infer that Westonka taxpayers do not adequately support our schools.
The facts show that Westonka taxpayers do generously support our schools, currently providing
$ 1,489.67 per student, per year, in voter approved excess levies.
The facts: A few districts are higher, but significantly more districts operate with much less.
Significant school issues often fly under the radar of the local media because they have limited resources and thus, utilize the Westonka District’s spin-generated ‘facts’, which are often misleading and sometimes even false.
If you don’t start with the correct facts, you’ll get the decision wrong. We hope our research and analysis of publicly verifiable data will allow voters to make an informed decision.
On November 8th, 2011, voters go to the polls with two very clear choices. If voters vote for David Botts and Ann Bremer, they choose to continue the path of the Board putting forth bonds that voters reject, turning a blind eye to known problems in certain areas of academic achievement, of not allowing the public to vote on $5.4 Million of OPEB tax increases and marching lock step with school administration.
There is a better choice! We strongly encourage voters to elect Gary Hejna, Don Mailey & Tom Notch for data-driven school board actions to improve student achievement while respecting the tax impact of all decisions made.
MYTH #1: [The bond] “Is only $9 a month”
FACT:
This site is maintained by Board Candidates Gary Hejna, Don Mailey & Tom Notch for the residents of the Westonka School District.
Welcome
MYTH # 3: Westonka Schools are under-funded.
FACT: Last year, Westonka School’s received nearly $29 million in taxpayer money to educate
2,246 students, or $12,748 per student making it, by far, the largest employer in our local community.
MYTH # 4: School funding is going down.
FACT: Westonka’s revenue history:
MYTH # 4.1: Westonka School District claims this chart was “Prepared by Hennepin County Taxpayer Services”
FACT: This chart was NOT prepared by Hennepin County Taxpayer Services.
Here’s what ken.rowe@co.hennepin.mn.us said on 10-12-11 at 8:31pm: “The attached graph was not "prepared by the Hennepin County Taxpayer Services" as indicated under the title. While the data supporting the graph may have been provided by our office, it is inappropriate to attribute the graph to Hennepin County Taxpayer Services.”
WestonkaBeSmart.com Data Sources:
Minnesota Department of Education, Ehler’s & Associates,
Westonka Public Schools, Hennepin County Taxpayer Services,
St Paul Pioneer Press, http://dreambigwestonka.blogspot.com/
Some charts assume district wide flat market value tax base for analytical purposes
The Committee to elect Gary Hejna, Don Mailey & Tom Notch to the Westonka School Board November 8, 2011
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