Nederland Bond

[dawgnut]

Pure old scare tactics! If you can't convince people to see it your way drag up some stuff that's so far out left field that they may believe it! Just more FUD that's all.

[smitty]

You are right, it is scary.  A 5% drop in home values and Ned can't pay the bonds back.  That's not a huge drop, friend.  If you think values will never come down during the life of the bond issue, then I guess there really is a Santa Claus.  If they can't pay, the state of Texas said it will have to merge, not me. 

So, by you not addressing the statement, do you feel this can never happen?

Pure old scare tactics! If you can't convince people to see it your way drag up some stuff that's so far out left field that they may believe it! Just more FUD that's all.

[YankeeDawg]

Maybe so Dawgnut...but it does give one something else to think about.  Let's just hope it never gets to that point so we won't have to find out

Looking at it from the other side of the coin...I'm curious as to whether if,  for whatever reason,  home values increase , is there anything in place to cap the total tax dollars paid out by a homeowner or is the homeowner subjected to pay the tax rate on whatever amount the home is appraised at.  If not, it appears very open-ened with no limit on what a home owner would be responsible for.  That turns out to be a double whammy, i.e a increased tax rate on an increased valuation.  Also, from personal experience and from talking to co-workers and friends, a home's taxable valuation is in virtually all cases, considerably higher that it's actual market (selling) value.  

[smitty]

dawgnut, what so you?

Maybe so Dawgnut...but it does give one something else to think about.  Let's just hope it never gets to that point so we won't have to find out

Looking at it from the other side of the coin...I'm curious as to whether if,  for whatever reason,  home values increase , is there anything in place to cap the total tax dollars paid out by a homeowner or is the homeowner subjected to pay the tax rate on whatever amount the home is appraised at.  If not, it appears very open-ened with no limit on what a home owner would be responsible for.  That turns out to be a double whammy, i.e a increased tax rate on an increased valuation.  Also, from personal experience and from talking to co-workers and friends, a home's taxable valuation is in virtually all cases, considerably higher that it's actual market (selling) value.  

[GoBigNed!]

Fox 4 News will air an open forum discussion on the bond issue this Sunday, May 3 at 1:00pm.  Tune in Sunday, and some of your questions may be answered.

[smitty]

Not sure of the names, if any.  But, the state said it's an option if x, y, and z happens.  Nederland does not have a very large tax base.  Mainly homes.  So any loss in revenue, remember 5% in reduce property evaluations is not a lot, and we are in a bind. 

So, James, the question should be:  Is any of this that's been said not true and not an option.  I know and trust the individuals who put this out.  But if anyone can PROVE it's not true, then we'll go with that.

James, I'm just using yours again.  But you need to read this as well as everyone here.

This is from a local blog report:  "after reading documents that were not disclosed to the public that if the Nederland ISD Bond is passed by taxpayers - and if an economic slow down occurs in Southeast Texas that directly affects home prices - that the school district might have to file for bankruptcy and be absorbed by another district according to state law."  And went on to say, "If the district passes this bond. And if home prices decrease more than 5% across the board - we could have a situation where the district could be insolvent. If that happens - we would look for another district for Nederland to attach itself to. Most likely it would be Port Arthur due to the ratio of minority students to white students," the source at the State Board of Education told us this past week."

Interesting stuff.

1.8 million dollar press box, tell me this is not true, please!

Can they provide names of school districts which have actually had to go through this exact, I said exact, merging senerio mentioned above?

[dawgnut]

What I have to say is this, Global Warming could be true the polar ice caps could melt and if it does Port Arthur will go under water before we do so they may be forced to join our school district. Or wait if you want to believe the Farmers Almanac then a Category 5 hurricane will hit Port Arthur this year, if that happens then they may lose 30% of their property values because it all gets blown away. No wait even better, Swine Flu may kill 50% of the people and in that case who is going to be forced to join who? smitty the bottom line is you choose to look at all the negative things in this life, I don't choose to live my life like that. I don't believe there is anything that we can't overcome, you appear to believe that you will be overcome by everything. None of your FUD is going to make me change my mind, because that is who I am, I believe all things are possible. What do you believe?

dawgnut, what so you?

Maybe so Dawgnut...but it does give one something else to think about.  Let's just hope it never gets to that point so we won't have to find out

Looking at it from the other side of the coin...I'm curious as to whether if,  for whatever reason,  home values increase , is there anything in place to cap the total tax dollars paid out by a homeowner or is the homeowner subjected to pay the tax rate on whatever amount the home is appraised at.  If not, it appears very open-ened with no limit on what a home owner would be responsible for.  That turns out to be a double whammy, i.e a increased tax rate on an increased valuation.  Also, from personal experience and from talking to co-workers and friends, a home's taxable valuation is in virtually all cases, considerably higher that it's actual market (selling) value.  

[smitty]

Ah, it's been an intelligent conversation so far.  Until this post.  So obviously you can't disprove this serious charge.  That would take a little work.  But not to fear, there are some here that will try to get to truth of the matter.  You are not one of them.  I've given gawgnuts every opportunity but he/she keeps floundering in the pro-bond wilderness. 

PS - Dawgnuts, did you ever tell this board if you had a vested interest in the passing of this bond issue?  You know, are you a district employee?  Do you provide a service to the district in some form or fashion?  Are you related to anyone who works or provides a service to the district? 

What I have to say is this, Global Warming could be true the polar ice caps could melt and if it does Port Arthur will go under water before we do so they may be forced to join our school district. Or wait if you want to believe the Farmers Almanac then a Category 5 hurricane will hit Port Arthur this year, if that happens then they may lose 30% of their property values because it all gets blown away. No wait even better, Swine Flu may kill 50% of the people and in that case who is going to be forced to join who? smitty the bottom line is you choose to look at all the negative things in this life, I don't choose to live my life like that. I don't believe there is anything that we can't overcome, you appear to believe that you will be overcome by everything. None of your FUD is going to make me change my mind, because that is who I am, I believe all things are possible. What do you believe?

dawgnut, what so you?

Maybe so Dawgnut...but it does give one something else to think about.  Let's just hope it never gets to that point so we won't have to find out

Looking at it from the other side of the coin...I'm curious as to whether if,  for whatever reason,  home values increase , is there anything in place to cap the total tax dollars paid out by a homeowner or is the homeowner subjected to pay the tax rate on whatever amount the home is appraised at.  If not, it appears very open-ened with no limit on what a home owner would be responsible for.  That turns out to be a double whammy, i.e a increased tax rate on an increased valuation.  Also, from personal experience and from talking to co-workers and friends, a home's taxable valuation is in virtually all cases, considerably higher that it's actual market (selling) value.  

[dawgnut]

smitty I don't have to disprove something I am not worried about. You are the one that keeps digging up trash that "might" happen. This is not a concern of mine therefore I am not going to take a lot of time looking into it. I will let folks like yourself that appear to want to worry about the stuff in life that could happen. Do you drive a automobile smitty. You have a better chance of getting killed in a wreck than you do of our property values dropping that far. So why do you drive? If your logic is true then you should walk every wear you go! You  wouldn't even think of going against those odds now would you.

As far as my interest in the School System! I have told you before so you must be spending to much time digging up wild obscure "facts" that no one but yourself and CARE are worried about to pay attention. I don't have any interest in the school except that I do want the best that's all! And for your next question yes I am a property owner, yes I own multiple pieces of property, yes I will pay more than the average tax payer will. No I am not worried about it. I will overcome! I don't live in the land of FUD!

Ah, it's been an intelligent conversation so far.  Until this post.  So obviously you can't disprove this serious charge.  That would take a little work.  But not to fear, there are some here that will try to get to truth of the matter.  You are not one of them.  I've given gawgnuts every opportunity but he/she keeps floundering in the pro-bond wilderness. 

PS - Dawgnuts, did you ever tell this board if you had a vested interest in the passing of this bond issue?  You know, are you a district employee?  Do you provide a service to the district in some form or fashion?  Are you related to anyone who works or provides a service to the district? 

What I have to say is this, Global Warming could be true the polar ice caps could melt and if it does Port Arthur will go under water before we do so they may be forced to join our school district. Or wait if you want to believe the Farmers Almanac then a Category 5 hurricane will hit Port Arthur this year, if that happens then they may lose 30% of their property values because it all gets blown away. No wait even better, Swine Flu may kill 50% of the people and in that case who is going to be forced to join who? smitty the bottom line is you choose to look at all the negative things in this life, I don't choose to live my life like that. I don't believe there is anything that we can't overcome, you appear to believe that you will be overcome by everything. None of your FUD is going to make me change my mind, because that is who I am, I believe all things are possible. What do you believe?

dawgnut, what so you?

Maybe so Dawgnut...but it does give one something else to think about.  Let's just hope it never gets to that point so we won't have to find out

Looking at it from the other side of the coin...I'm curious as to whether if,  for whatever reason,  home values increase , is there anything in place to cap the total tax dollars paid out by a homeowner or is the homeowner subjected to pay the tax rate on whatever amount the home is appraised at.  If not, it appears very open-ened with no limit on what a home owner would be responsible for.  That turns out to be a double whammy, i.e a increased tax rate on an increased valuation.  Also, from personal experience and from talking to co-workers and friends, a home's taxable valuation is in virtually all cases, considerably higher that it's actual market (selling) value.  

[Gtj007]

Smitty, you keep trying to get dawgnut to answer a question but why won't you answer mine.  I asked it several pages ago.  I'll try again:

What school district receives your tax dollars?

[James Mosley]

Smitty, you do keep things comical on this site. ;D

[smitty]

And I have said several times, Nederland.  Anything else to add?

Smitty, you keep trying to get dawgnut to answer a question but why won't you answer mine.  I asked it several pages ago.  I'll try again:

What school district receives your tax dollars?

[smitty]

I don't remember you saying you don't have any interest.  But thanks for the answer.

smitty I don't have to disprove something I am not worried about. You are the one that keeps digging up trash that "might" happen. This is not a concern of mine therefore I am not going to take a lot of time looking into it. I will let folks like yourself that appear to want to worry about the stuff in life that could happen. Do you drive a automobile smitty. You have a better chance of getting killed in a wreck than you do of our property values dropping that far. So why do you drive? If your logic is true then you should walk every wear you go! You  wouldn't even think of going against those odds now would you.

As far as my interest in the School System! I have told you before so you must be spending to much time digging up wild obscure "facts" that no one but yourself and CARE are worried about to pay attention. I don't have any interest in the school except that I do want the best that's all! And for your next question yes I am a property owner, yes I own multiple pieces of property, yes I will pay more than the average tax payer will. No I am not worried about it. I will overcome! I don't live in the land of FUD!

Ah, it's been an intelligent conversation so far.  Until this post.  So obviously you can't disprove this serious charge.  That would take a little work.  But not to fear, there are some here that will try to get to truth of the matter.  You are not one of them.  I've given gawgnuts every opportunity but he/she keeps floundering in the pro-bond wilderness. 

PS - Dawgnuts, did you ever tell this board if you had a vested interest in the passing of this bond issue?  You know, are you a district employee?  Do you provide a service to the district in some form or fashion?  Are you related to anyone who works or provides a service to the district? 

What I have to say is this, Global Warming could be true the polar ice caps could melt and if it does Port Arthur will go under water before we do so they may be forced to join our school district. Or wait if you want to believe the Farmers Almanac then a Category 5 hurricane will hit Port Arthur this year, if that happens then they may lose 30% of their property values because it all gets blown away. No wait even better, Swine Flu may kill 50% of the people and in that case who is going to be forced to join who? smitty the bottom line is you choose to look at all the negative things in this life, I don't choose to live my life like that. I don't believe there is anything that we can't overcome, you appear to believe that you will be overcome by everything. None of your FUD is going to make me change my mind, because that is who I am, I believe all things are possible. What do you believe?

dawgnut, what so you?

Maybe so Dawgnut...but it does give one something else to think about.  Let's just hope it never gets to that point so we won't have to find out

Looking at it from the other side of the coin...I'm curious as to whether if,  for whatever reason,  home values increase , is there anything in place to cap the total tax dollars paid out by a homeowner or is the homeowner subjected to pay the tax rate on whatever amount the home is appraised at.  If not, it appears very open-ened with no limit on what a home owner would be responsible for.  That turns out to be a double whammy, i.e a increased tax rate on an increased valuation.  Also, from personal experience and from talking to co-workers and friends, a home's taxable valuation is in virtually all cases, considerably higher that it's actual market (selling) value.  

[smitty]

Thanks, James.  I try to make people think on both sides of the issue. 

Smitty, you do keep things comical on this site. ;D

[smitty]

OK, Gt, how about letting us know if you have any vested interest in this bond passing.

Smitty, you keep trying to get dawgnut to answer a question but why won't you answer mine.  I asked it several pages ago.  I'll try again:

What school district receives your tax dollars?

[GoBigNed!]

I have read on here several times that our schools are ok, and our kids will be fine in the schools we have.  Well, let me tell you what happened this week that you didn't see on the news or in the paper.  This past Tuesday was the TAKS Math test, and several campuses across the district and state were testing students.  For those of you who are not aware, the TAKS tests are a BIG deal.  I could go into great detail about accountability, but I will spare you all of that.  However, I will say that it is IMPERATIVE that the testing environment be one that promotes student success, which includes as few distractions as possible.

On test day, I know that there was at least one classroom on two NISD elementary campuses where water was coming into the rooms due to rain.  The water was coming into the classrooms while the students were taking their tests.  Does that sound like a good testing environment?  If I understood correctly, the children were not able to be moved to another room, thanks to overcrowding and everyone being spread out for testing.  I think plastic was brought into one of the rooms.

Can you honestly think there is no need for this bond?  Those kids do all they can all year to learn, and we fail them on test day because we can't provide a decent testing environment for them.  That's wrong.  They deserve better than that, and we need to give that to them.  I just built a house, and my taxes are going to REALLY jump, but it's worth it to me to provide that to the kids. 

[GoBigNed!]

I have read on here several times that our schools are ok, and our kids will be fine in the schools we have.  Well, let me tell you what happened this week that you didn't see on the news or in the paper.  This past Tuesday was the TAKS Math test, and several campuses across the district and state were testing students.  For those of you who are not aware, the TAKS tests are a BIG deal.  I could go into great detail about accountability, but I will spare you all of that.  However, I will say that it is IMPERATIVE that the testing environment be one that promotes student success, which includes as few distractions as possible.

On test day, I know that there was at least one classroom on two NISD elementary campuses where water was coming into the rooms due to rain.  The water was coming into the classrooms while the students were taking their tests.  Does that sound like a good testing environment?  If I understood correctly, the children were not able to be moved to another room, thanks to overcrowding and everyone being spread out for testing.  I think plastic was brought into one of the rooms.

Can you honestly think there is no need for this bond?  Those kids do all they can all year to learn, and we fail them on test day because we can't provide a decent testing environment for them.  That's wrong.  They deserve better than that, and we need to give that to them.  I just built a house, and my taxes are going to REALLY jump, but it's worth it to me to provide that to the kids. 

Don't take this the wrong way, but were these roofs leaking before or after the hurricanes?

I have no idea.

[GoBigNed!]

Don't forget to watch Fox 4 News at 1:00 for the open forum on the NISD bond issue.

[smitty]

Good question!  Let's see if we can get some good and intelligent answers.

Don't forget to watch Fox 4 News at 1:00 for the open forum on the NISD bond issue.

Hope someone ask the question how we going to pay for replacement field turf, ($400,000), in the future.  ;D

[KFDM COOP]

James, are you in favor for Turf or not?

[Guest Penny]

Good question!  Let's see if we can get some good and intelligent answers.

Don't forget to watch Fox 4 News at 1:00 for the open forum on the NISD bond issue.

Hope someone ask the question how we going to pay for replacement field turf, ($400,000), in the future.  ;D

Acually I have two questions,

1. Why are our roofs in such despair when we recently had roof repairs or replacements after hurricanes.

2. My question of how to pay for replacement field turf.

James, I have no detailed information, but can attest to the never ending battle of trying to maintain and "patch" one of those old flat roofs. At some point, these roofs get to the point that they can't be repaired cost effectively.  We have a roof project going on where I work because we've patched and patched and patched and patched... and the roofs leak and leak and leak and leak.  I'm not a roofer, but there is a point of no return so to speak on maintaining a flat roof.  Here we are.

[Guest Brubaker]

http://setxhomepage.com/media_player.php?media_id=65621#

http://setxhomepage.com/media_player.php?media_id=65601

http://setxhomepage.com/media_player.php?media_id=65611

[Guest Brubaker]

Hope folks watch the bond discussion between Shaw and Bruney, I would be interested in hearing thoughts on how each represented themselves.  All I can say is there was a DISTINCT difference in the ability of each representative to get their point across... I guess some folks do it better posting on a message board.  Lots of stumbling and reading of the talking points from Bruney in my opinion.  Funny that the opposition has blown the talking points and koolaid horn so loud... and that's all we got today in that debate, how ironic.  The strongest points Bruney made were no point at all.  Why point to the PNG bond, when Shaw pointed out the fact that Nederland judiciously spent the last bond and didn't get near the 18cent cap?  Opposition seemed to be choking on the talking points.  American students extra cirricular activities and the Far East comparison???  Look Bruney, we either spend too much on our kids extra cirriculars or we don't, answer the question... too bad he couldn't put Dorr up there to answer for him, guess Dorr's handwriting was kinda bad.

[smitty]

You would have a point hear if the important think would be the messenger.  It's a good thing it's the message!  ;D

Hope folks watch the bond discussion between Shaw and Bruney, I would be interested in hearing thoughts on how each represented themselves.  All I can say is there was a DISTINCT difference in the ability of each representative to get their point across... I guess some folks do it better posting on a message board.  Lots of stumbling and reading of the talking points from Bruney in my opinion.  Funny that the opposition has blown the talking points and koolaid horn so loud... and that's all we got today in that debate, how ironic.  The strongest points Bruney made were no point at all.  Why point to the PNG bond, when Shaw pointed out the fact that Nederland judiciously spent the last bond and didn't get near the 18cent cap?  Opposition seemed to be choking on the talking points.  American students extra cirricular activities and the Far East comparison???  Look Bruney, we either spend too much on our kids extra cirriculars or we don't, answer the question... too bad he couldn't put Dorr up there to answer for him, guess Dorr's handwriting was kinda bad.

[Guest Brubaker]

There was no message from the messenger, just my opinion, that's why I asked what others thought.  It was the TALKING POINTS from Dorr, that's all I heard.  How's the kool aid taste?