Maplewood Richmond Heights School District is holding a “town hall” meeting on Feb. 10 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the MRH Elementary School gym, 1800 Princeton Place, Richmond Heights, to answer questions about Proposition Y, set to be voted on in the April 5 election in the school district.
The school district announced the meeting online. From the announcement:
A panel of MRH administrators and Board members will be available to answer your questions about our District’s growth and how it is outpacing our available revenue.
In just over 10 years, enrollment (Pre-K-12) has increased 37.8% and continues to grow. This growth is the key factor that drives the District’s operating budget needs, as student enrollment has a direct impact on staffing and expenses.
To meet the needs of this growth the District has closely monitored its budget by reducing expenditures in all areas for the past three years. In the 2015-16 budget, salaries have been frozen for all staff, positions have been eliminated, and much-needed maintenance projects have been deferred. While these efforts have helped, we are still faced with a student population that is outpacing our resources.
To preserve our level of academic excellence, maintain small class sizes, retain our highly qualified teachers, and fulfill the goals set by our community, the Board has placed Proposition Y, an operating tax levy, on the April 5, 2016 ballot.
Proposition Y calls for an additional $.55 per $100 of assessed valuation of property. Of the $.55, $.10 will be dedicated to capital improvements and the remaining $.45 to general operating expenses.
If Proposition Y does not pass, the Board and administration will be forced to make additional budget cuts to maintain the fiscal health of the District. These cuts will likely negatively impact student achievement and the many improvements made at MRH over the past decade.
Free child care will be provided (with advance reservation). Please contact Erin Jackson at [email protected] or (314) 446-1730.
Does anyone know where to find the MRH school budget? I would like to see how our current tax dollars are being spent before I decide to give them more.
Jeff – You may know, there’s an informational meeting on Prop Y Wednesday (Feb 10) at 7pm at MRH Elementary. bit.ly/20m39qj
Thank you for your response Ian. I realize that MRH receives funding from several different areas – property taxes, state and federal funding are just to name a few… I also know that better schools make better communities. According to the census from 2013 only 40.3 % Maplewood residents and roughly 57.7% of Richmond Heights residents are actual homeowners. The remaining percentages from both cities live in housing units in multi-unit structures. Can you tell me if all residents (whether they are homeowners or not) are taxed for this proposition in the same way? Do those who live in the multi-unit structures see an increase in their rent due to these tax levies? I am asking because I sincerely believe everyone must have some “skin in the game” of making our school(s) and therefore our communities a better place to live. I don’t believe that homeowners should be the only ones responsible for bearing the brunt of these levies for the betterment of our schools and communities. I also know that there is a large percentage in all 3 schools within the MRH school district where the students receive free or reduced lunches. This would lead to the conclusion that some of those students (and their families) also live in some sort of housing paid for through government (otherwise known as taxpayers) backed funding. Where is their contribution in the betterment of our schools and communities? I am asking these questions sincerely as I have children that attend MRH and would hate to see anymore programs cut due to the funding not being available. MRH is an excellent school with great teachers and great parents who only want the best for all of the children at MRH.
Taxes are based on the assessed property value. So renters do not directly pay the tax. However, to think that renters aren’t paying more money in their monthly check because of the tax would be naive. No landlord is going to just accept that loss of money. Renters pay one way or another.
As for cases of government subsidized housing, I don’t know what happens. But then again, I just don’t care. Mostly because if I see that you are struggling to feed your own children, I’m not going to stand in front of you with the offering plate until you put a dollar in.
Being that you must be a resident of Maplewood and Richmond Heights in order to go to MRH schools, can someone please tell me where this growth in enrollment is coming from? Are residents having more children? Are those who once sent their children to private schools now sending their children to MRH? Are more houses/apartment complexes being built in the MRH district?
@Joy – Those are great questions related to the demographics of the school district. If you just go by the census, both Richmond Heights and Maplewood lost about 8% of population between 2000 and 2010. So why the increase in enrollment?
If you look around, the residents have changed demographically. Many more young couples and families have moved into the district. I continually see new strollers and babies walking by my house, so I know things are changing. Along with that, the improved reputation of the schools has likely decreased private school attendance, but that is a hard one to get statistics on, I’m sure.
@Joe S. Valid point as I don’t think anyone would stand with an offering plate nor a request for a dollar in front of someone who is TRULY struggling to feed their children. However, have you ever walked into Wal Mart or Shop N Save and someone in line was paying for their groceries with food stamps all the while talking on the latest iPhone 6s and wearing brand new Nike tennis shoes? You aren’t that naive, are you?
While I don’t shop at Wally world, I do go to Shop N Save. The times I have come across someone there using stamps, they typically have not wanted to make eye contact with anyone. Maybe they had an Iphone or new Nikes or something you would consider excessive given their finances and I didn’t notice it. I get why you would want to roll your eyes, but I’m just not looking for it. The first thing that happens in my brain when I see that situation is not to become scrupulous. Rather I am sympathetic because I realize the complexity of poverty and don’t try to form opinions from extremely limited sample sizes. So while the word naive might apply, I think the better word is judgmental. And no, Im not.
That is beautiful Joe. I am weeping. I work in social work and I can assure you that the complexities of poverty aren’t as complex as you think. But keep living (and paying your taxes) in your world.
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