Right Wingers Attack Public School System in Colorado

Warning: Political satire embedded in the voter's guide by Right Wing Radicals right under the noses of Public School Officials in Colorado!

The following is an excerpt from an actual voter's guide put out by the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder, Jefferson County, Colorado. Amendment 3A proposes a tax increase and Amendment 3B proposes a bond issue for the county schools -- projected amounts for the amendments are a tax increase of $34 million per year and a total bond debt of $754 million.

SUMMARIES OF WRITTEN COMMENTS FILED WITH THE ELECTION OFFICER

The following summaries were prepared from comments filed by persons FOR the proposal:

Yes, the economy is bumpy now, but Colorado has always been able to beat national trends because we INVEST in ourselves. Jeffco homeowners will accomplish the goals in 3A for only $2.92/month for each $100,000 of actual home value. YES on 3A is the right investment.

Taxes should be increased $34 million annually by a mill levy of 4.4 mills. Past increases have not resulted in the desired student performance improvement and a greater infusion of funds is required. Compared to other professions and trades, teachers are poorly paid and hopefully beginning salaries in the six-digit range can be offered within three or four years.

Senior citizens with fixed incomes are hard-pressed to shoulder increases in property tax. These people should recognize that their reduced productivity calls for them to be replaced by the youth of our nation. This measure calls for some of the property taxes to be earmarked for:

"Expanding options for career job skills and technical training to prepare students for today's work world." Half of these should be committed to the following:

Seniors on fixed incomes, to whom this school tax is burdensome, need training, as well as compassion. They must be offered the opportunity to learn how to locate more modest accommodations than those they currently occupy, and how to cope, in other communities if necessary.

This tax increase furthers the goals of our teacher unions. It is consistent with a presidential candidate's promise for change, and hope for progress toward the Socialist utopia through education. This increase could create a pad until the oppressive TABOR measures can be repealed, and the Amendment 23 extra millions for schools be made permanent. The same criteria and logic should be applied in consideration of ballot question 3B, resulting in a resounding approval of the $754 million debt. This will add as much as $69 million to the $34 million for 3A, annually, a picayune amount considering the future of our youth and well-being of the District's employees.

But wait! The Jefferson County School District just caught wind of this deceit and trickery! Evidently no one from the school district read the voter's guide until 10 days before the election. Quick! Send out a notice to all parents in the school district!

Here's the official rebuttal:

Voter TABOR Statement is Not District Endorsed

In response to continuing questions, the following is a public statement issued by Jeffco Public Schools regarding the summary of written comments for the 3A/3B Ballot Propositions printed in the 2008 Jefferson County Tabor Notice booklet.

The booklets were mailed to Jefferson County registered voters recently as required by state law.

The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights gives citizens the right to express their views on ballot measures, and have their views amplified at government expense through the so-called TABOR notice. The statement that appears in the TABOR notice is NOT the statement of the School District and the Jefferson County School District does not condone the remarks made by a citizen who submitted comments for publication in the notice that many people find misleading and offensive.

Instead, court decisions make it clear that government officials may not deny a citizen access to this avenue of communication because government officials believe the citizen’s comments are sarcastic, offensive, or even dishonest.

Jefferson County School District has great regard for its senior citizens; does not intend to pay its beginning teachers six figure salaries, and has no interest in establishing a socialist utopia.

(Editor's note: "Yeah, right!")

The Jefferson County School District is confident that the voters of the community will make an informed decision on ballot measure 3A without regard to political dirty tricks.