Former Mayor Shirley Franklin: Georgia will be beat by states that invest in knowledge economy
Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin says the state will fall behind if it does not invest in education.
I have been surprised at the opposition toward the education SPLOST on the Nov. 8 ballot in Atlanta, Fulton, DeKalb, Decatur, Gwinnett, Buford, Cherokee and Henry.
Given the stark reduction in state funds for education and the depressed housing market, schools are in desperate straits, and there would seem to be no more critical time to renew the penny sales tax for construction and capital improvements than now.
Among those who have not signed on — Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and the business community. In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution earlier this year, Reed said the penny — which has helped build or renovate 84 city schools or other buildings in the last 15 years— instead needs to go to a regional transportation plan expected to be put to voters next year.
Reed did not want the school system to seek to renew its SPLOST because Atlanta residents will be asked three times to raise their taxes between November and July. In March, Atlantans will vote on an extension of a 1-cent sales tax to upgrade the city’s water and sewer system, and later deal with another penny tax on the transportation bill. If both were to pass, Reed warned that the city would have the state’s highest sales tax at 9 percent and would be at a competitive disadvantage.
But won’t the entire state be at a competitive disadvantage if the schools are underfunded?
Here is what another Atlanta Mayor, Shirley Franklin, says about the lack of any visible support from the business community for the education SPLOST:
The Metro and Georgia chambers have stood silently by while devastating cuts to education occurred — from pre-k all the way through higher ed. The Metro and Georgia chambers talk about a knowledge-based economy but they just do not go to bat for the public investment to make it so.
We are no different than 50 years ago when our economic development strategy consisted of building more roads (or ports) and believing they shall come. The talk has changed, just not the walk. Over the long-term, we will be beat by those states that really do invest in the knowledge economy. The data is overwhelming — higher paying jobs following higher educational attainment — and I am not just talking about four year B.A. degrees; this includes some level of post-secondary attainment, whether two or four years.
Georgia lost 31,000 jobs from September 2010-September 2011. We are a sinking ship. If it were not for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, we would be dead in the water. Our neighboring states cannot duplicate this asset anytime soon, but this will not help the rest of Georgia, just metro Atlanta.
What would I like to see? Gov. Deal, surrounded by business leaders, announcing that over the next 10 years we will raise the average level of educational attainment in every area of the state. More high school graduates. More two-year degrees. More four-year degrees. More master’s degrees. We will put as the top priority investment the one asset that can distinguish us — our people.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
152 comments Add your comment
Chris Murphy, Atlanta, GA
October 29th, 2011
12:34 pm
Ms. Franklin forgets the big reason that APS is the mess that it is: racial politics. Ms. Franklin herself was always pretty fair on racial matters- for an Atlantan. Ignoring the elephant in the room is a service to no one.
Shar
October 29th, 2011
12:35 pm
@ Maybe and Prof: My niece and nephew go to a charter school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, which may be the only organization in the country that can make APS look acceptable. Their charter school is indeed in an old shoe store, has no outdoor space and actually does mark off class space with tape on the floor. It does no testing or pre-screening for admittance and has no ‘extra’ budget. It fights to stay under the radar of the LAUSD bureaucracy due to its politicized need to crush any school that actually performs well and thus prove that an alternative exists to the mandated curriculum and pedagogy – like APS in this respect.
The school, which is 6-12, started perhaps 6 years ago, and for the past 3 it has achieved some of the highest scores and biggest scholarship dollars in Los Angeles. The two women who founded it have kept tight control, and they insist on rigor, on behavior, on monitored study hall and on music education. The school day is extended so that every student has study hall to help with homework, every student must finish homework before they go home, and every student must study a musical instrument as well as dance, the only physical activity they can find space for.
The school is called Renaissance Arts. You can check it out here: http://www.renarts.org/
PLC
October 29th, 2011
12:50 pm
If I were in APS, I would have a hard time voting for SPLOST.
As much as I agree that Shirley Franklin encouraged some of the behavior going on there, she does have a point.
SPLOST’s true purpose is to fund future projects and go above and beyond the actual budget to prepare our schools for the future and provide students with enough classroom space and technology to increase achievement. It’s planning for growth and the future, which is needed in most of the districts. It’s how Gwinnett has managed to maintain its high standards in light of so much growth in the district.
Voting no doesn’t send a message to the boards or superintendents. It hurts your kids and community for the long run by crippling their ability to look forward.
And really, if we’re being completely honest, they’re going to get it in the long run. Either vote for SPLOST so people visiting from other counties and states can help, or wait for a millage rate increase to be imposed on only the people from the county. Your choice.
Grandad
October 29th, 2011
12:53 pm
What guarentee do we have that the SPLOST will fund what it is designed for and not a means to cut other school funding?
pskybskt
October 29th, 2011
1:14 pm
Fire at least half the PhD’s in some form of Edu BS that never see a student and don’t want to. Then we can start talking.
As a postscript – the definition of a “devasting cut in educational spending” according to the educational empire builders is – any cut in education directed taxes.
Do more with what you have. Oh by the way, why would anyone in their right mind pay more for the crap results that you produce?
DavidAtlanta
October 29th, 2011
1:21 pm
The APS has built enough pretty new buildings to last us another decade or so. They need to focus their resources on educating children and not building stadiums. VOTE NO!
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Georgians for Educational Excellence
October 29th, 2011
1:27 pm
Before the people who vote to fund any local public school system vote to spend more monies thereon, prudence dictates that these voters demand external accountings of the ways in which and the efficacies with which their monies have been, and are presently being, spent.
Rockerbabe
October 29th, 2011
1:33 pm
If Prof Franklin lived in Dekalb County, I would implore her to run for federal office against one of the repugs, like Isakson or Chambliss. She would be great!
She is right of course, but then again, that matters little to many GA. Who continue to vote GOP and wonder why they haven’t reaped the economic benefits of our “good fortune”.
Someone, please tell Kasim to leave the OWS folks alone.
APS_Out_ofTouch
October 29th, 2011
1:36 pm
It really sickens me that APS, with all the available resources within it’s district, is disfunctional and continues fail the students. I’m willing to bet that APS has more secondary schools per square mile than any school district in the south east yet, most students are out of touch and generally not interested in attending any of the schools.There are a lot of teachers in the profession for the wrong reason. I’ve heard time and time again from some of the younger professional teachers that they work in the district because APS has the “best pay”. The APS BOE needs recognize what is required to recruit, retain, train, and support educators while also eliminating the waste and nepotism. The APS needs to support and prepare the kids to aim for performance in the top percentile rather than minmum standards. APS, unclutch your arrogant fist and extend your hand in order to take advantage of the experts at Georgia Tech, Georgia State, and Emory and integrate their standards of academeic and administrative performance and execution.
bill
October 29th, 2011
1:44 pm
I will be voting against splost in gwinnett county. I am tired of “renewal” of taxes to line the pockets of politicians (see Kevin Kenerly & the rest). The worn cliche “45% will be paid by non-gwinnett”. 100% will be paid by residents who live and shop here! I know we look like idiots everytime we vote for this!
Free Ipads for the “unfortunate”….so “everyone” can be dumbed down by computers…I intend to vote against anyone advocating any tax increase. Its the spending and bad choices folks!!
Maureen Downey
October 29th, 2011
1:47 pm
@To all, I received this thoughtful comment through e-mail and I wanted to share it as I think it says a lot:
Shar
October 29th, 2011
2:03 pm
Yes, distrust of government is a huge problem – if you are the government. For the governed, it’s an awakening that hopefully can lead to new ideas and new approaches.
Having politicians ask voters/taxpayers ‘what do we need to admit is broken’ is precisely the same as asking ‘what can I get away with?’ First tell me what you have done, don’t ask me what I’ve caught you at. Then show me how you’re changing things to fix the problem and reach the objective that was set.
APS used millions and millions of SPLOST dollars to build its own Taj Mahal, as the Pryor Street offices were simply not plush enough for gangsters who were raking in as much as they did. If SPLOST were really intended to support students and future needs, it would not have been showered on administrators.
Regain my trust? As long as the same people are involved, it is impossible for me to believe that they are doing anything other than conniving at slurping from the gravy train. These folks are directly responsible for the thousands of Atlanta children who now have lost their futures. That is unforgiveable. Period.
What about the children?
October 29th, 2011
2:05 pm
There are still major facility needs in all school districts holding the E-SPLOST. One can only hope and pray that the majority of voters will look past the angry, short sighted Nay Sayers and vote Yes.
As far as DeKalb Schools Watch is concerned, fewer and fewer people in DeKalb take it seriously. Anyone can throw rocks and hide. It is far easier to tear down and rip people apart than doing the hard work of building up and helping children. The people who post on it are cowards afraid to put their real names behind their ill informed, misinformed, one sided opinions. DSW is a handful of people who just need to get a life’
Once Again
October 29th, 2011
2:22 pm
There is absolutely NO correllation between funding and performance. The best funded school district in the US, the Washington DC system, spending over $18K per student and the kids are dumb as dirt when they get out of their 12 year sentence.
Its time to face the reality that government schooling is a complete failure and is bankrupting our country, both financially and morally. A system that bases its existence on the immorality of theft, and the force of coersion, can never be truly successful.
SAY NO to SPLOST. It is time to dismantle the system, not throw more money down the rathole.
rojer
October 29th, 2011
3:00 pm
For what its worth… the SPLOST statute requires third party audits. I am absolute sure that APS complies with this. Those audits are probably available on the web and if not a simple letter will certainly get it for you.
Never a former president
October 29th, 2011
3:00 pm
@Brian I heard Andy Young speak a few months ago and he was introduced as “Ambassador” Young. And it’s always Mayor Daly even then talking about the late great. And Bill Clinton and George Bush are always referred to as President. These honorifics seem to stick for life.
Vouchers aren't the answer....
October 29th, 2011
3:16 pm
Yes. Let’s dismantle and gut public education. Let’s requires that we homeschool children or you can pay to put your own children in private school.
Those that don’t have the means to put them in private school will be forced to homeschool. Let’s take parents that are lacking an appropriate education and force them to educate their own children. Our academic outcomes will become so much better. We will have a much better educated group of young people.
You don’t want to do that? Well let’s give them vouchers supported by tax dollars then. We’ll then have private business who’s objective is to make a “profit” do it then. After all, the testing shows their educational outcomes are no better than public schools in many cases.
Let’s not forget that if there are no public schools, the problem children will be showing up in droves too. Give them a choice and allow them to send their kids to the “best schools?” The parents with problem children, severe behavorial disorders, etc, will also be guaranteed access to those best schools. Do you think that they don’t want their children to go to the best schools too?
We need to be attacking the rules and regulations that would be in place regardless of public education, vouchers, or whatever education system is in place.
Getting rid of public education is not a feasible option.
Atlanta Media Guy
October 29th, 2011
3:34 pm
DCSS(D?) has a general budget of 1.2 BILLION dollars. That’s billion with a B! The money should be for schools, not $1500 chairs or employees like Ron Ramsey that hates teachers, but loves the fact that so many of his own family and friends have high paying jobs and very little experience at pulling those jobs off. No more money until the Haliford/Crawford Lewis bunch is out at DCSS(D?) and the real mission of DCSS(D?) is implemented, educating our kids properly. Enough of the crass cronyism that is taking place in DeKalb. EduKalb is a joke, the Chamber is a joke and the one question I have is, why is everyone, who works at DCSS(D?) under Crawford Lewis and Pat Pope still working there? Seems to me the more money we pour into the system, more kids are failing. The Office of Improvement (Now called Compliance) is headed by none other than Audria Berry. Ms. Berryplease start looking for work elsewhere. You have been in charge a Title 1 program flushed with cash but those schools getting the cash are failing miserably. Plus, there are more failing schools today than when you took over that job 6 years ago. Ms. Berry you are an EPIC failure and you have wasted millions of federal funds on ridiculous programs that have shown no return on investment. Why is she still employed? Dr. Atkinson get those pink slips out, I’ll trust you are really going to change things when we see the former Haliford/Clew Crew out the door!
Another Math Teacher
October 29th, 2011
3:38 pm
Ole Guy:
“Prof, I fail to see how you can interpret this clown’s nonesense as satire.”
Who Cares is just trolling. He’s mocking the phantom numbers put forth by ‘informed’ people about how good teachers have it.
Atlanta Media Guy
October 29th, 2011
3:40 pm
Rojer, audits are NOT complicit with SPLOST funds, just look at DCSS(D?) We have not had an audit in almost 7 years and the last one performed by Ernst & Young was buried from public view by Clew himself and now Ms. Tyson has a staff that can’t find the report, but did find all the boxes that went into putting that LOST report together. We need Sunshine laws like Florida has. Every document produced by any government entity must remain on file and if requested to be viewed y the public, they MUST hand it over. My question is what was Crawford Lewis trying to hide when he buried that audit?
I hope Dr. Atkinson has a total audit on all divisions at DCSS(D?) and every page of those audits are presented to the public. If not, then Dr. Atkinson will not be trusted to change a system or district that is in dire need of total change from the bottom of the Palace staff to the top!
Beverly Fraud
October 29th, 2011
3:44 pm
If you vote for SPLOST, you teach those who run school systems that there are no tangible consequences for their actions.
Is that really the lesson you want to teach the BOE’s of DeKalb and APS?
No wonder Fled, fled. Maybe when a few million more like him flee, and they are getting Otis from Mayberry out of the drunk tank to teach, maybe then the politicians and educrats will get it.
Elizabeth
October 29th, 2011
3:49 pm
As usual, schools and teachers get no support, monetary or otherwise. But when it comes time to read the test scores, we get ALL the blame. We have “done more with less” as long as we can without it affecting education in drastic ways. I don’t always like all the other things our tax dollars pay for either, but wew can’t throw out the baby with the bath water. Just keep on under-funding education . The results will catch up with us down the road. I am so tired of argung this..
Santanickiah
October 29th, 2011
4:27 pm
If not for one incredibly impolitic slip of the tongue (the police dogs ‘n fire hoses rant) that forever ended her political career Sirley Franklin would be implementing her ideas in an official capacity, instead of lamely blogging from exile.
tar and feathers party
October 29th, 2011
4:33 pm
Only a fool would vote to give more tax dollars to the crooks…….
John
October 29th, 2011
4:45 pm
What rock did Shirley Franklin crawl out from under to give us her 2 cents? Please tell me why I should care about the opinion from someone who headed the city for years while there was exposed one scandal of corruption and and criminal behavior in the various departments by city employees regarding the Atlanta schools, another government money pit just recently exposed for being riddled with malfeasance? Please Shirley, go back under your rock and take Beverly Hall with you.
Maureen Downey
October 29th, 2011
4:52 pm
To all: A note from an AJC reporter who is working on a SPLOST story:
Truth in Moderation
October 29th, 2011
5:59 pm
What we really need more of is CITIZEN ARRESTS. If you see something, don’t just SAY something, ARREST THEM! Government workers can be criminals too!
“Citizen’s Arrest
A citizen’s arrest occurs when a non-law enforcement individual attempts to detain someone committing a crime. As with situations involving shop employees or private security guards, a citizen’s arrest can only be made if the person being detained has committed a crime in the presence of the arresting citizen.
People making a citizen’s arrest must notify appropriate law enforcement agents as soon as possible…”
http://www.robbinslaw.com/false-arrest.htm
Historical precedence….
The ’50’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwEvysDpNm0&feature=related
The 2010’s
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/05/right-wing_extremists_take_on_local_law_enforcemen.php
Once Again
October 29th, 2011
6:46 pm
Ending all government involvement in education would not require every parent to homeschool. Tragically the failure to properly educate the masses is clearly reflected in the comments so comonly posted on this blog.
An end to government involvement and the restoration of a truly free market means that all options are on the table. First the number of school and educational options will increase exponentially. Knowing that everyone will be a potential customer rather than just 5% will encourage hundreds of teachers, principles, creative folks from the business community, etc. to explore business opportunites.
Those options will include homeschooling, charity schools, schools targeted at kids with disabilities, troublemakers, etc., coop schools between several households in a subdivision, internet based schools, and who knows what else. There has been such a destructive government monopoly on education that this one sector of the economy has seen absolutely no innovation for over 100 years (well, many stupid experiments have been tried, but nothing truly innovative and positive).
For sure the price will come down for everyone. Plenty of schools will open that will specifically set themselves up to serve lower income segments (and of course they will likely be far superior to the schools these kids attend today).
The bottom line is that the current system has no motivation to change, improve, or do a good job at educating students. But since its primary goal is to train worker bees for industry and to brainwash kids with the government approved version of economics, history, etc. and to rob them of their individuality, creativity, and independent thinking abilities. They have certainly done a great job of all of these.
MannyT
October 29th, 2011
6:52 pm
In all of this complaining about SPLOST, I have to question…do the voters hold their local school boards & politicians accountable? If you show up at school board meetings and pass out flyers, send emails, etc about things the school board has not done, it is possible to vote them out.
Let some people lose their jobs for ignoring their constituents and you get people running who support your views. When you do not share your views, it’s hard for everyone to figure out what their constituents really want from their elected officials.
Teacher man
October 29th, 2011
7:15 pm
Attentive parent is most likely not even a parent. Schools need SPLOST to buy basics since people are foreclosing right and left. Wonder how if attentive parent would like to start paying for every textbook, pen, pencil and report card schools MUST have. Teachers haven’t had a cost of living raise in four years and are blamed for EVERYTHING. PLEASE teach Johnny at home then you can witness his innocent ADD without medication fueled meltdowns and see what you do. Give me a break. Work with the teachers not against us. We are the most highly educated poorly paid workforce in the world excuse us if we need a penny on your taxes to keep the lights on! Geez.
oldtimer
October 29th, 2011
7:23 pm
To those who think there is nothing wrong with government schools…spend some time in them. Very few are well educated. Schools are designed to make good government workers…not thinkers. A few might get a wonderful world class education. Most 1st world countires do not give all equal education…the best and the brightest are moved forward, and the sorting starts by 6th grade. The schools have benn slowly made easier, text books dumded down and even incorrect anti-American text. Just look at what your kids are doing and reading…It is not pretty.
Attentive Parent
October 29th, 2011
8:58 pm
I can assure you teacher man that I am a parent. 3 kids. I taught each of them to read and if you think I know the math issue in Georgia, that is nothing relative to what I know about reading and the refusal to use effective methods.
I am not picking on SPLOST because I am mean but because I have analyzed what is going on in education and where these policies are really headed whatever the declared or actual intentions are. That’s what I do and have for decades. Analyze businesses and sectors.
The reason these school districts are so determined to get all this equipment beyond what I described in the original post is to move all school children to a common track that is largely vocational but with academic course names. That way most parents will not notice and the computer integration provides the working skills. You see the low level literacy and numeracy for most described by the federal Department of Labor’s SCANS report from about 1990 (Secretary’s Commission on Acquiring Basic Skills) is still the driving document for as much as need be known to be the desired cog that benefits politicians, bureaucrats, established businesses, and no one else.
I analyze these ideas through the relevant economics and the tragic history of comparable concepts. With me as a mom you can be assured that my own children are the least at risk. I am fighting for the parents who want the best for their children and know something is wrong . But not what it is.
I know where all this is going. I have tracked these ideas through the decades and over the oceans. There are so many wonderful teachers but they and our children and our wallets do not deserve to be victimized by every apparatchik awarded an Educational Leadership degree in return for a willingness to implement bad ideas. At our expense.
And I was born in Georgia to the obnoxious person on the previous page.
Merry
October 29th, 2011
9:07 pm
If the state would get rid of all the illegals and their anchor babies, especially deporting illegal pregnant women, the state wouldn’t need SPLOST and could educate its kids better. Totally unfair to taxpayers to keep paying for these lawbreakers, even if they are kids.
Truth in Moderation
October 29th, 2011
9:14 pm
Oops!
Should read, “are citizen’s arrests”.
Now go read the book, EATS, SHOOTS & LEAVES…. LOL!
Thomas West
October 29th, 2011
9:18 pm
The E-SPLOST tax has been around for a long while, and we continue to be in 49th place.
Truth in Moderation
October 29th, 2011
9:25 pm
@Attentive Parent
Do you believe the current globalist banking cartel is ultimately behind this takeover? Where does the money trail lead? Have you read the primary source documents in THE DELIBERATE DUMBING DOWN OF AMERICA, by Charlotte Iserbyt? They reinforce some of your assertions.
Jack
October 29th, 2011
10:16 pm
To Merry October 29th, 2011 9:07 pm:
What’s unfair Merry, is people without kids being forced to pay for your kids education. How does it feel to be a parasite? PAY FOR YOUR OWN DAMN KIDS !!!
say what?
October 29th, 2011
10:30 pm
I vote NO to the continuation of SPLOST in DeKalb. The list of schools to be rebuilt are schools that were closed in May of this year. So I do not understand having 3 empty schools in an area, then you plan to build a brand new school when your own demograohic study shows that the area’s population is in a decline. Why would a voter vote yes to such non-sense.
Further every child does not need access to an IPaD, or take home netbook, as DCSS is wanting to expand. If the schools had better computers, more computers, and the staff who could use/manage/teach the software, DCSS would be technology sound. Get rid of all of the blocks. A child did a search on shoes, and the search was blocked because “shoes” is sexual. If the software was upgraded, children and teachers would be better prepared in the schoolhouse. Every room has a promethian board, but many times teachers remain at the beginners skill level. I used Edomos (?) with my son today, what a wonderful tool. Instead of teacher printing out several copies of the takehome exam, she found those kids who have technology at home, and posted the exam online for them to access. She gave him a scantron to complete and submit on Tuesday.
We do not need MORE purchases, we need to better use what we have.
Ole Guy
October 29th, 2011
10:43 pm
Troll on!
Anonmom
October 29th, 2011
11:27 pm
DCSS parents who have been following what has been happening see that SPLOST II has resulted in major litigation, that has cost the general funds budget $20 million in attorneys fees that could have otherwise been spent in the classroom while the SPLOST dollars went on bad roof and AC repairs and for the Palace…. there is substantial mistrust in the BOE and in how the funds are being watched and spent. Let’s start with regular, outside audits, available to the public (like Florida’s sunshine laws); let’s post all transactions (checks and p-card transactions) on line, let’s get rid of all “friends and family” hires who are related to the BOE and Dr. Lewis so we can “start over” and let Dr. Atkinson propose her vision for SPLOST IV, then perhaps taxpayers may be willing to start contributing to the “fund” again and try to start trusting the system again. Perhaps by then, the civil case with Heery Mitchell, maybe, might be resolved and, maybe the criminal trial against Dr. Lewis and Pat Pope et. al. will have concluded. Until then, it’s like giving the teeenager who just wrecked the BMW another BMW.
Bill from Duluth
October 29th, 2011
11:57 pm
I am not surprised that this awful out of touch mayor is surprised that SPLOST is headed for defeat. The tax payers are tired of being plundered. I work in downtown Atlanta and the city needs to clean up its act. Almost everyday I see at least 1 broken escaltor as well as several city employees in uniform standing around the main entrance to Peachtree Center chatting among themselves ignoring what happens around them as they have a good time. Then on the way home we see stupid stop lights on on-ramps, the idiotic HOT lane, and then the Taj Mahal I85/316 intersection where millions of $$ were wasted.
godoggo
October 30th, 2011
1:09 am
Seriously Shirley ? Cuts in Education…..Why did we have cuts in education ? Maybe corruption and cronyism with city and airport contracts.
Was not the Lottery “past” years ago to Unequivocally and Unconditionally fund Pre-K, and the Hope program ?
Once elected, did you not (as all newly elected officials do to look good out of the blocks) hire or accept a FREE million dollar consulting report that highly recommended “deep employee count reductions” that overlapped and could save ATL millions of dollars ? ….and yet nothing was done !
Did you not try to clean up your mentor “Bill Campbell’s” Water contract….only to rehire another firm that was overjoyed to get there hand in the cookie jar of the “City of plunder and loot”.
And maybe if we didn’t have to reinvent the wheel, and split Atoms to Fire current incompetent Government Teachers we could afford to hire more of them…..last i knew if you lied, cheated, or stole from an employer you were fired……….without review boards, hearings, review board appeals, and hearings to look at the fairness of the appeal on the part of all the incompetent members to see if the board members rights were violated : )
Check out this list of just SOME of the taxes we Americans pay…….just SOME.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
Capital Gains Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Court Fines (indirect taxes)
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax Interest expense (tax on the money)
Inventory tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Local Income Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Septic Permit Tax
Service Charge Taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Taxes (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
Road Toll Booth Taxes
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage charge tax
Toll Bridge Taxes
Toll Tunnel Taxes
Traffic Fines (indirect taxation)
Trailer registration tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
COMMENTS: NOT ONE of these taxes existed 100 years ago and our nation was the most prosperous in the world, had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What the hell happened ?
Public HS Teacher
October 30th, 2011
1:26 am
@godoggo -
I can answer that one! What happened is that the top 1% of Americans became so much more wealthy than the rest (and by Americans, I include some corporations), they have been able to buy politicans. By doing this, they have swayed the burden away from them and more onto the middle class.
Why was the FOX news station started? Who started it? It was financed and owned (still owned) by one man – one of the top 1% wealthy Americans. He clearly stated when he started the channel that he did not like the way news was reported on other channels and that his station was going to slant the news the way HE wanted….
The American banks have funded politicans so much for so many years, they have the politicans do their bidding. And, this includes “bail outs” and what ever else they want.
When you have millions and billions of dollars, I guess you can do things like this!
Public HS Teacher
October 30th, 2011
1:29 am
The Fulton SPLOST is to upgrade technology. This is a waste of money. Technology alone does not make for a good education.
Why spend money on technology that will be obsolite in 5 years? Especially when the classrooms do not even have the basics – student desks (yes, students are sitting on stools, the floor, etc.), white board markers and erasers, etc.
But they want to increase taxes and spend millions on computers? I don’t think so.
SAWB
October 30th, 2011
1:35 am
Easy to support more taxes when you have made yourself rich off those same taxes via airport vendor deals. Metro Governments (Atlanta school Board, DeKalb School Board, Gwinnett Commission, etc.) are corrupt and the less tax we pay the less they can steal.
Also, this red herring about no SPLOST resulting in less growth in the area is ridiculous. First they say, “because of growth we must raise taxes” then they say, “to maintain growth we must raise taxes” – what? Atlanta and the metro area as a whole was a better place to live thirty years ago, so it is hard to see how the growth helps the average guy. The bottom line is growth only helps politicians like Franklin and their buddies get rich.
Beverly Fraud
October 30th, 2011
4:03 am
Shirley says “I have been surprised at the opposition toward the education SPLOST…”
The two most likely explanations for her surprise are:
A) She is ignorant
B) She is lying
Knowing how she actively campaigned for Beverly Hall to remain at the APS helm AFTER the cheating scandal broke, you decide on A or B
But to explain in a way that Shirley can understand, let’s say you have a drunk family member with cirrhosis of the liver, who needs a liver transplant. And you decide to deny them the money.
Why? Because you’re heartless? No, because you KNOW they will take the money and go on yet another drinking binge. Because you know, to (to reference Maureen’s comment, so I have “documentation” I stayed on topic LOL) you KNOW that the lack of trust is sadly, WELL EARNED.
Sure, it’s going to affect the teachers disproportionately, as the central office status quo will do ANYTHING to make sure the $1000+ conference chairs, and the $80 million dollar administrative palaces remain.
But we don’t need to merely break some eggs to make this omelet called responsible government; we need to drop a scud missile on these eggs.
Education Insider
October 30th, 2011
7:17 am
In my little town half of the county schools failed to make AYP. In the city, the middle school has had 3 principals in 5 years and the high school is in its 4th year of school improvement. What did the SPLOST money go to? They landscaped the middle school grounds and put in a sprinkler system.
Our schools are massively overstaffed with curriculum coaches, math coaches, data coaches, RTI specialist, staffing specialist…none who directly teach children. Add to that football coaches who don’t teach.
The waste is breathtaking! $188K for a days work to a cheater. Reorganizing every time there is an election or a new idea. Politician who vote on education who rarely if every cross the threshold of a school. 70 retirees brought back to do who knows what. School board members’ friends and family hired because of who they know not what they can do.
Like the boy who cried wolf, eventually we stop listening. The “good old boys” got us into this mess and they expect to conduct business are usual and for us to get them out.
My vote will say…I’ll be keeping my penny.
Glad I can afford to send my children to Pvt School
October 30th, 2011
7:39 am
Wasn’t Shirley a big supporter of our old school administration, She sure got that right.
Rick in Grayson
October 30th, 2011
7:43 am
We spend at least $1 Billion/each year paying for K-12 educations for the children of illegal aliens!
Our elected officials aren’t even attempting to stem the tide of illegal aliens entering our country. They either want the votes of the children of illegals born here in the US or want to exploit illegal aliens for cheap labor.
We need to clean house of all elected officials. The ones that aren’t directly part of the problem refuse to out the one that are the problem. We need term limits and newspapers that will monitor our elected officials closely. Unfortunately, newspapers have their own bias towards our political parties and can’t tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
Sam
October 30th, 2011
7:44 am
Voters want to fund education. They are also going to send a message to the education establishment that change is required. We are not going to keep providing the cash when the educrats fight every competivie innovation and act like they are entitled to our money.
If the educators start being open to new ideas and if they start showing some flexibility then voters will support SPLOST and more money for schools. But more mony to prop up the same failing system is not going to win a majority of votes.
SPLOST is going to be a fight this year.