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Comments by Huntsville Citizens
I disagree that opposition to a school tax increase is a copout. The real copout is thinking that adding millions of dollars to the school system is a fix-all for the problem of poor test scores. The problem stems from mismanagement and people who don't know what they are doing. The citizens of Huntsville shot themselves in the foot when they changed from an appointed school board to an elected one. When board members were appointed, they were usually persons with management experience and financial expertise. They also had a concern for quality education. The Huntsville school system says they can't handle additional proration because most of the system's budget is in salaries. They should remove counselors at schools where there are two, and some of the assistant principals. At one time we had only one principal and one counselor. Now we are overloaded with extra people. The reason for a special election for the school tax is to limit the number of voters. They think their supporters will vote in large numbers. I will vote against both taxes until the system makes better use of the money it has now. If the Alabama Education Association wants to help students, why don't they give money to the schools instead of buying expensive TV ads and paying exorbitant salaries to lobbyists? There is no need to vote for additional taxes for the school system. The Legislature just gave the schools in Alabama more than 160 million dollars in new taxes. With declining enrollment, why do we need three new high schools? If the developers want them, let them pay for the new schools. The threat to discontinue sports is just a scare tactic to get voters to approve higher school taxes. The Crimson Tide will turn orange and blue before football is dropped in Alabama. If the school tax passes, you won't see a change in the Huntsville classrooms. The same old problems will continue and the cost of the new tax will be passed on to those who rent their homes. Keep raising taxes and more people will leave Huntsville.		The AEA poll on school taxes was wrong. I don't know what they were smoking or the questions they asked, but they will be surprised at the results on January 22. We don't need to pay the superintendent $140,000 a year and the principals and office staff their high salaries. The recent poll on the school tax was probably the other way -- 77% against the tax. The people I talk to are going to vote against the tax, and I have talked to a lot of people. Huntsville has money to build houses for the generals on Redstone Arsenal, but not enough money for the Huntsville schools. Can you believe that? We don't need to vote for more taxes when our money is being spent on mansions for the generals. It is time to quit "guilt-tripping" the taxpayers over the schools and get on to systemic and management changes in our educational system. If the school tax passes, you won't see a change in the Huntsville classrooms. The same old problems will continue and the cost of the new tax will be passed on to those who rent their homes. Keep raising taxes and more people will leave Huntsville. The AEA poll on school taxes was wrong. I don't know what they were smoking or the questions they asked, but they will be surprised at the results on January 22. We don't need to pay the superintendent $140,000 a year and the principals and office staff their high salaries. The recent poll on the school tax was probably the other way -- 77% against the tax. The people I talk to are going to vote against the tax, and I have talked to a lot of people. Huntsville has money to build houses for the generals on Redstone Arsenal, but not enough money for the Huntsville schools. Can you believe that? We don't need to vote for more taxes when our money is being spent on mansions for the generals. It is time to quit "guilt-tripping" the taxpayers over the schools and get on to systemic and management changes in our educational system.
Based on comments made to Talk to the Times and by other concerned citizens of Huntsville.