Commentary; Posted: 3/17/04

Editorials offer no financial solutions

Richard Hahn
Guest Columnist

I read Don Heinzmanís March 4th editorial in the Forest Lake Times with interest. As a parent, a Forest Lake resident and an educator in ISD 831, I am likewise sensitive to activity fees.

Heinzman states ìCutting school budgets and programs is difficult for school board members, but unless they hear otherwise they will continue to raise fees for kids to play athletics and be in other so-called extra-curricular activities.î Heinzman continues, ìElected school board members are the publicís only recourse to stop this trend.î In my view, Heinzmanís solution is misguided.

A bit of review is necessary. In November of 2003 the school board offered the constituency of ISD 831 a voice in budget decisions by clearly stating how the school levy would head off further budget cuts. The Forest Lake Times correctly reported the eventual results of the levy as a ìdefeat by an overwhelming margin,î sub-headlining the story stating, ìBudget Cuts await School Board."

Less than eight weeks after the ìoverwhelming defeatî Cliff Buchan suggested in a Times editorial, ìThe decisions that the new school board must make in early 2004 could well win or harm public support for the schools in the years to come. A key issue for the budget deliberations is a switch in the kindergarten program from its current half-day, every-day status to an all-day, every-other-day program. It is a move that will save some $260,000 in transportation costs by the elimination of one daily bus route. We would urge the district to rethink this change.î

In early February Buchan suggests in an editorial a posture for the school district in the Maroon and Gold Arena dilemma. Buchan writes, ìIn embarking on its decision 21 years ago, the district said it was willing to take the risks that go with a venture that may truly be the responsibility of the larger community. While the time may soon reach a point where it must end, the ties should not be cut by the school district until time is allowed to see if this area truly will support a community center.

These three topics are all honorable in their value but the editorials are seriously lacking in offering a financial solution. The Forest Lake Times would be well served to consider Buchanís suggestion in a Nov. 13 editorial where he stated, îWe can always hope. In a time and a conservative area like this, hope is a good thing. After failing to convince voters of the need to pass this operating levy, it is about all district planners have left. That is budget cuts.î

My expectation of the editorialist in these three examples is that, rather than a wish list, the writer should offer the school district a clear financial solution leading to a funding source. All three of these editorials recommended maintaining a program or facility, but did not suggest a clearly defined funding source. Logically, the funding source would be generated from a school district budget that is clearly understood by the Forest Lake Times.

In November, 68 percent of the electorate knowingly defeated a funding measure that would have negated the implementation of budget cuts. It would seem to me that it would, on occasion, be appropriate for the Forest Lake Times to remind its readers of the affect of their choice.

It remains my view that the burden in these cases is on the voter, not the school board. As Buchan wrote in November, ìThe answer to school budget woes in 2004 wonít be found in new local tax dollars. It will be found in budget cuts.î In the sense that a reasonable solution was not offered in these editorials, the editorial pieces were incomplete and not completely on point.

The writer is a teacher at Forest Lake High School and director of bands.

Top of Page