How can I possibly top that introduction? I'm so happy - I'm tearing up! Actually, if I can add just a dash of local flavor to this bubbling cauldron of intellectual give and take, Connecticut Man1 can add a micro-brew to his menu of libations. Cheers!
Let's Take a Shot at the Media
While I'd love to start off with the usual suspects (Town Council, Mayor, Republicans, Democrats, Board of Ed), today an editorial appeared in the Danbury News-Times that deserves attention. After multiple editorials calling for support of education, that education was the most important responsibility of a community, they rip the New Milford BOE for instituting Pay-to-Play instead of cutting more teaching positions. Can you say hypocritical? Worse than flip-flopping, however, is the "fact" they use regarding the fees. Does each student have to pay $150 for each sport? NO. Each family would pay one time - only $150 - to play sports at the high school. If you play 3 sports, your fee is only $150 for the entire year. Didn't your reporters pass this up to the corner office? Or do you trust Roger Szendy to do your reporting?
The News-Times also forgot to mention that the BOE voted 8-0 to accept Pay-to-Play. 5 Republicans, 3 Democrats. Unanimous. Bipartisan. Buh-bye now...
Why doesn't the News-Times mention their disdain for other districts that have Pay-to-Play? How about a comparison?
Did you notice the editorial called the Town Council's $1.8 million cut unreasonable? Let's face it: the TC is the real problem.
We are not losing out in the world economy because of lack of atheltic opportunities. We could play Singapore in any sport (other than ping pong) and crush them - but will that get these kids jobs in the future? Will that pay for Grandma's social security? Will we have to pay to incarcerate these kids for a lot more $$ in the future?
Stop the flip-floping, News-Times. Take your responsibility seriously.
Read the editorial, and let me know what you think. Was I fair and balanced?
ANSWER THE QUESTION!
Connecticut Man1 asked: Is this now a movement or a drinking game? LOL! I loved quarters in college, and playing "Bob" was always fun. But, sadly, some of the locals view our lives as part of a game, and they'll screw any of us in order to win. So, I hope it's a movement (but I'll be sipping on a cold one in the back yard tonight, enjoying the sunset over the hills of New Milford).
3 comments:
I was under the impression that it was still $150 per kid, so a family with two kids might have to pay $300. Is it just a "per family fee" or "per kid fee"?
Per family, it does not seem unreasonable for most. I hope they are willing to wave the fee for families that can not afford it. I know a few families who don't have even $150 in their budgets. There is a reason they have subsidized breakfast and lunch programs.
The organization MVP/SOS raises money specifically for kids in need of funding for sports, arts, and other activities. I know their board will be helpful on this, as they have been for the soccer club and other organizations.
You are correct - it is a per kid fee. So it could cost families $300 or more per year. However, if they would have voted, their taxes would have gone up by less than this amount, and we wouldn't be in this mess. Be sure to ask some of these folks if they voted, as only 94 additional votes would have tipped the scales - and their wallets.
"So it could cost families $300 or more per year. However, if they would have voted, their taxes would have gone up by less than this amount"
And there's the rub. Though, not every taxpayer has kids. But not every taxpayer had kids when they paid for those people's education generations past.
Never mind that today's school kids will be paying for the government when these childless people retire and become a burden on the system for those "other people's kids".
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