Julie Smith’s speech, see below, at the 7/3/2012 meeting is one of many reasons to vote for her for Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board in November. She is a diligent, hard-working conservative who fights for fiscal responsibility and transparency. Her favorite quote: "You can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it." Albert Einstein. Her Top Priorities are: Students and Teachers.
"At the last board meeting, I was taken aback while listening to administration’s budget proposal for the 2012-2013 school year. Within the proposal are two property tax increases in addition to the requested 10% override. Mr. Dangerfield mentioned that GPS needs to increase the amount of taxes levied against property owners due to declining property values and an increased tax delinquency rate from 3% to over 10%.
The GPS community has been facing difficult economic challenges like the rest of our country. Many within our community have dealt with unemployment and underemployment. Many have lost their homes. The only reasonable conclusion I can make is that the GPS administration is out of touch with its own community. All I can say is shame on you!
Consider these numbers from the 2011-2012 revised budget approved by the board:
*The average daily membership in GPS decreased slightly from FY 2010 to FY 2011.
*There was a 10.1% decrease of instructional staff.
*There was a 13.4% increase of general and school administration combined.
*There was a 4587.5% increase in student transportation! This may explain all the half full and nearly empty busses I frequently see around town. Why are the large school busses being used for the handful of students attending summer school?
It is clear to me that the GPS superintendency is not prioritizing the budget properly. The students, teachers and taxpayers are getting a raw deal. We need a change in our district and it is not the taxes. We need to clean house! I am requesting that the board not pass this budget.
And if you do pass this budget, then it will be clear to the voters that we need a new board in addition to superintendency"!