It's T-minus two hours until the big democracy show tonight here in Madison, as the three Madison City Commission candidates and the five Madison Central school board candidates will take the lectern to answer your questions. If you have questions (I'm planning to ask the City Commission candidates if they support using eminent domain to acquire right of way for the proposed Lake Herman recreation trail), come to the high school lunchroom. Program starts at 7 p.m. with the city commission candidates; we five merry school board candidates get the mic around 7:40 p.m.
If you can't make it, despair not! You can still listen to the fun on KJAM AM-1390. I'll try to get video of all the speakers and post that for your enjoyment overnight.
We don't have a call-in option for tonight's program, but if you have any questions, why drop me a line right here in the comment section? I'll be online until maybe 6:30; if get your question in before then, I'll try to work an answer into my comments at the mic tonight, and I'll definitely answer you here. But folks in the audience get priority—remember, democracy is run by the folks who show up! See you tonight!
One question. Do you favor another opt out on top of the one we now have vs. looking for places to cut costs?
Linda, I think I would. I'd like at least to maintain the level of staff and programs we have right now, without cutting (unless someone can show me examples of genuine waste). To do that, I would ask you and the rest of our neighbors if we can afford an additional opt-out for the general fund. If folks reject that tax hike, if the majority says that they prefer cuts to programs, then we cut programs.
If voters do feel we have more money available in the community, note that we should spend that money first on general fund operations, then on urgent HS renovations, then on adding classroom space and/or programs... and maybe, only after all that, only if we have any public spending capacity left after ensuring all those immediate academic and safety concerns are met, do we even start to have the conversation about a 2500-seat luxury gym.
As I recall, you and Neal indicated at last week's forum that you could bear a little more tax, for the right priorities. Before we cut anything, I'd like to have the conversation about what those priorities might be. But I also recognize there are a lot of folks who will tell me they can't afford another penny. Asking for an additional opt-out won't be easy, and I won't hold it against anyone who would vote against it (you won't hear me calling you enemies of education if you say no).
Whew -- there's my long answer. Let's see if I can boil that down to two minutes for tonight!
I'm not sure why you pursue the school board when you should be considering a run for the SD legislature where you could address school funding and other pertinent issues.
Here's a question for tonight if I don't make the forum. Do you plan to allow your own daughter to attend public school in Madison or will you home school her? Voters should have a right to know if the dollars that follow her will find their way into Madison Central coffers.
Running for Legislature costs too much; serving costs even more (two months away from home doesn't fit my current professional schedule).
Good home school question, Rod! Whether the Divine Miss K attends MHS or does home school, our tax dollars go to this district. Erin and I would like to be as actively involved as we can in her education. If we can afford to have one of us home for the next few years, we'd like to do it ourselves. If our income and studies and jobs don't permit that, she'll go to the school in the community where we live.
CAH:
Just a comment. At this point in your child's education you've either taught her to be a self learner or not. If you have, you can relax and let go, mostly. If not, there is almost nothing that you can do to improve her outcome. Education outcomes are primarily determined by age 3.
Everything after that is simply putting information in front of her and letting her figure it out with a bit of the Socratic method to prod her along.
{CAH: She hasn't grabbed my stats book off the shelf yet. We've failed! ;-) }