Board Pulls Bond...

[smitty]

I'll tell you like I told dawgnuts when we debated the 1st bond issue, take the total of both bond issues and divide by how many taxpayers there are.  Then you find what your share would have been.  Now write them a check for that amount and send it to them if you are that concerned.  dawgnuts never answered the 1st challenge, probably want do it now either, so will you??    ::)    ;)   


[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="984581" timestamp="1300408705"]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984577#msg984577 date=1300408104]
So I presume you do not pay NISD taxes, since you haven't answered.  I was just curious.    ;)

[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984336#msg984336 date=1300381056]
I pay taxes in 4 counties.

Support all bonds.


[/quote]
[/quote]


Jefferson, Hardin, Galveston and Henderson counties.

Ned & PNG
[/quote]

[YOUKNOWIT11]

Smitty

You can be like HF and turn down bonds year after year like they did over the years and the effects of poor facilities takes its toll on a community. Super great students and faculty, but they deserved more from their community back in the days that bond elections were denied.

I bet hindsight shows everyone there that it's ok to say yes to responsible bond packages. If not, playing catch up gets you further and further behind. JMO

[NDN79]

Even if you have a "Responsible" bond package/proposal, the thing that is most important is to have responsible and knowledgeable people to over-see the program. Your average school board member does not have the proper experience for projects of this magnitude. I appreciate the sacrifice, service, and dedication of school board members, but most do not have the financial background it takes to responsibly maintain a bond project. IMHO.

[smitty]

Questions arose with the first bond issue about all the repairs needed to the existing facilities.  The main question was asked: doesn't NISD have a maintenance department?  Why were they not maintaining.  I guess since the 1st bond was overwhelmingly defeated, their answer was not sufficient.  IMHO!  
PS - I would have to disagree that super facilities make super students.  I don't think people are falling for that argument.  NISD has one of the highest tax rates in the state.  So, who sets the rate that determines that one community cares more than another community.  Are there certain caring tax rate levels that I'm not aware of?
The point I'm making is, contrary to some beliefs here, facilities do not make for a better student!
PSS - Did a 10 million dollar stadium make PN-G a better football team?  I think not.  Heck, they won a state championship playing in that 'OLD" stadium!


[quote name="YOUKNOWIT11" post="984760" timestamp="1300445046"]
Smitty

You can be like HF and turn down bonds year after year like they did over the years and the effects of poor facilities takes its toll on a community. Super great students and faculty, but they deserved more from their community back in the days that bond elections were denied.

I bet hindsight shows everyone there that it's ok to say yes to responsible bond packages. If not, playing catch up gets you further and further behind. JMO
[/quote]

[Guest Brubaker]

Data I'm looking at shows NISD has one of the lowest in Jefferson county at least, but this is just off the internet.  Lower than BISD, PAISD, HFISD, PNGISD?

[YOUKNOWIT11]

[quote name="smitty" post="984771" timestamp="1300449795"]
Questions arose with the first bond issue about all the repairs needed to the existing facilities.  The main question was asked: doesn't NISD have a maintenance department?  Why were they not maintaining.  I guess since the 1st bond was overwhelmingly defeated, their answer was not sufficient.  IMHO!  
PS - I would have to disagree that super facilities make super students.  I don't think people are falling for that argument.  NISD has one of the highest tax rates in the state.  So, who sets the rate that determines that one community cares more than another community.  Are there certain caring tax rate levels that I'm not aware of?
The point I'm making is, contrary to some beliefs here, facilities do not make for a better student!
PSS - Did a 10 million dollar stadium make PN-G a better football team?  I think not.  Heck, they won a state championship playing in that 'OLD" stadium!







I didn't say buildings or facilities made better students. In fact I said HF had super great students and faculty. But school and community pride is important and buildings run down or out of date make pride diminish and eventually academic and athletic programs begin to suffer because of the out of date accommodations everyone endures...even the taxpayers with kids out of the house.

Take pride in your community and build it and maintain it for the future so Nederland can continue to be a strong community. Isn't that alone worth it to you?

[quote author=YOUKNOWIT11 link=topic=81687.msg984760#msg984760 date=1300445046]
Smitty

You can be like HF and turn down bonds year after year like they did over the years and the effects of poor facilities takes its toll on a community. Super great students and faculty, but they deserved more from their community back in the days that bond elections were denied.

I bet hindsight shows everyone there that it's ok to say yes to responsible bond packages. If not, playing catch up gets you further and further behind. JMO
[/quote]
[/quote]

[AggiesAreWe]

[quote name="smitty" post="984759" timestamp="1300443654"]
I'll tell you like I told dawgnuts when we debated the 1st bond issue, take the total of both bond issues and [b]divide by how many taxpayers there are[/b].  Then you find what your share would have been.  Now write them a check for that amount and send it to them if you are that concerned.  dawgnuts never answered the 1st challenge, probably want do it now either, so will you??    ::)     ;)   


[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984581#msg984581 date=1300408705]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984577#msg984577 date=1300408104]
So I presume you do not pay NISD taxes, since you haven't answered.  I was just curious.    ;)

[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984336#msg984336 date=1300381056]
I pay taxes in 4 counties.

Support all bonds.


[/quote]
[/quote]


Jefferson, Hardin, Galveston and Henderson counties.

Ned & PNG
[/quote]
[/quote]




How does one exactly know how many taxpayers there are in Nederland? There might be some that evade taxes like yourself. Am I suppose to take care of those guys too?

BTW, how do you know I haven't written a sizeable check to NISD over the years? ;)

[smitty]

I don't know if you have "voluntarily" written sizable checks to NISD.  Just don't think you have.  But if you did, then I'll be the first to applaud you!!    ;)

[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="984797" timestamp="1300455002"]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984759#msg984759 date=1300443654]
I'll tell you like I told dawgnuts when we debated the 1st bond issue, take the total of both bond issues and [b]divide by how many taxpayers there are[/b].  Then you find what your share would have been.  Now write them a check for that amount and send it to them if you are that concerned.  dawgnuts never answered the 1st challenge, probably want do it now either, so will you??    ::)     ;)   


[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984581#msg984581 date=1300408705]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984577#msg984577 date=1300408104]
So I presume you do not pay NISD taxes, since you haven't answered.  I was just curious.    ;)

[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984336#msg984336 date=1300381056]
I pay taxes in 4 counties.

Support all bonds.


[/quote]
[/quote]


Jefferson, Hardin, Galveston and Henderson counties.

Ned & PNG
[/quote]
[/quote]




How does one exactly know how many taxpayers there are in Nederland? There might be some that evade taxes like yourself. Am I suppose to take care of those guys too?

BTW, how do you know I haven't written a sizeable check to NISD over the years? ;)
[/quote]

[AggiesAreWe]

[quote name="smitty" post="984809" timestamp="1300456259"]
I don't know if you have "voluntarily" written sizable checks to NISD.  Just don't think you have.  But if you did, then I'll be the first to applaud you!!    ;)

[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984797#msg984797 date=1300455002]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984759#msg984759 date=1300443654]
I'll tell you like I told dawgnuts when we debated the 1st bond issue, take the total of both bond issues and [b]divide by how many taxpayers there are[/b].  Then you find what your share would have been.  Now write them a check for that amount and send it to them if you are that concerned.  dawgnuts never answered the 1st challenge, probably want do it now either, so will you??    ::)     ;)   


[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984581#msg984581 date=1300408705]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984577#msg984577 date=1300408104]
So I presume you do not pay NISD taxes, since you haven't answered.  I was just curious.    ;)

[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984336#msg984336 date=1300381056]
I pay taxes in 4 counties.

Support all bonds.


[/quote]
[/quote]


Jefferson, Hardin, Galveston and Henderson counties.

Ned & PNG
[/quote]
[/quote]




How does one exactly know how many taxpayers there are in Nederland? There might be some that evade taxes like yourself. Am I suppose to take care of those guys too?

BTW, how do you know I haven't written a sizeable check to NISD over the years? ;)
[/quote]
[/quote]



Start applauding. Usually I don't want any fanfare, but in this case I'll make an exception.

[PNGFan]

Does Nederland pay Robin Hood?

[Bon_Mot]

smitty, I hope you live in an old house with window units and drive a car from the 70's.  If it's good enough for the children of Nederland, then it should be good enough for you.

[smitty]

LOL!!  You da man!!    ;D

[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="984816" timestamp="1300456646"]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984809#msg984809 date=1300456259]
I don't know if you have "voluntarily" written sizable checks to NISD.  Just don't think you have.  But if you did, then I'll be the first to applaud you!!    ;)

[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984797#msg984797 date=1300455002]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984759#msg984759 date=1300443654]
I'll tell you like I told dawgnuts when we debated the 1st bond issue, take the total of both bond issues and [b]divide by how many taxpayers there are[/b].  Then you find what your share would have been.  Now write them a check for that amount and send it to them if you are that concerned.  dawgnuts never answered the 1st challenge, probably want do it now either, so will you??    ::)     ;)   


[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984581#msg984581 date=1300408705]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984577#msg984577 date=1300408104]
So I presume you do not pay NISD taxes, since you haven't answered.  I was just curious.    ;)

[quote author=AggiesAreWe link=topic=81687.msg984336#msg984336 date=1300381056]
I pay taxes in 4 counties.

Support all bonds.


[/quote]
[/quote]


Jefferson, Hardin, Galveston and Henderson counties.

Ned & PNG
[/quote]
[/quote]




How does one exactly know how many taxpayers there are in Nederland? There might be some that evade taxes like yourself. Am I suppose to take care of those guys too?

BTW, how do you know I haven't written a sizeable check to NISD over the years? ;)
[/quote]
[/quote]



Start applauding. Usually I don't want any fanfare, but in this case I'll make an exception.
[/quote]

[smitty]

AGAIN -- the building does not make the student.  It's ALL about good teachers. 


[quote name="Bon_Mot" post="984889" timestamp="1300464106"]
smitty, I hope you live in an old house with window units and drive a car from the 70's.  If it's good enough for the children of Nederland, then it should be good enough for you.
[/quote]

[Guest Brubaker]

[quote name="smitty" post="984968" timestamp="1300473693"]
AGAIN -- the building does not make the student.  It's ALL about good teachers. 


[quote author=Bon_Mot link=topic=81687.msg984889#msg984889 date=1300464106]
smitty, I hope you live in an old house with window units and drive a car from the 70's.  If it's good enough for the children of Nederland, then it should be good enough for you.
[/quote]
[/quote]

So if I play with a wooden bat, I have the same opportunity to hit a home run or hit for the same average as if I used a composite $400 bat?  I'll use your analogy... you have the same outstanding hitting coach with both bats... is their a difference?  Take it further, as a parent, would you suck it up to try and find the money to pay for the best equipment to give your son or daughter a chance to compete to the best of their ability?  Smitty, come on buddy... you can't say that with a straight face. 

[YOUKNOWIT11]

Smitty

No...but money doesn't make the world go 'round either, but it sure makes the ride worth riding. Support your schools and provide your community with the best!

[PoppaBearstarr]

[quote name="YOUKNOWIT11" post="984975" timestamp="1300474165"]
Smitty

No...but money doesn't make the world go 'round either, but it sure makes the ride worth riding. Support your schools and provide your community with the best!
[/quote]

Now I like that, I would never say rubber stamp anything, but get involved, get educated, find out how it works and ALL of the issues they face before you start downing a project. A good place to start is the people who deal with ALL of the issues everyday. Go to the administration office or make an appointment, They deal with it everyday and I promise they know a lot more about it than someone who heard something from a buddy.

[smitty]

So, again, does that fine fancy stadium allow PN-G to play better football than Ned does in their stadium??
Plus your saying it's NOT about the teachers?  Interesting...     

[quote name="Brubaker" post="984974" timestamp="1300474062"]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984968#msg984968 date=1300473693]
AGAIN -- the building does not make the student.  It's ALL about good teachers. 


[quote author=Bon_Mot link=topic=81687.msg984889#msg984889 date=1300464106]
smitty, I hope you live in an old house with window units and drive a car from the 70's.  If it's good enough for the children of Nederland, then it should be good enough for you.
[/quote]
[/quote]

So if I play with a wooden bat, I have the same opportunity to hit a home run or hit for the same average as if I used a composite $400 bat?  I'll use your analogy... you have the same outstanding hitting coach with both bats... is their a difference?  Take it further, as a parent, would you suck it up to try and find the money to pay for the best equipment to give your son or daughter a chance to compete to the best of their ability?  Smitty, come on buddy... you can't say that with a straight face. 
[/quote]

[PoppaBearstarr]

[quote name="smitty" post="985091" timestamp="1300484087"]
So, again, does that fine fancy stadium allow PN-G to play better football than Ned does in their stadium??
Plus your saying it's NOT about the teachers?  Interesting...      

[quote author=Brubaker link=topic=81687.msg984974#msg984974 date=1300474062]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984968#msg984968 date=1300473693]
AGAIN -- the building does not make the student.  It's ALL about good teachers.  


[quote author=Bon_Mot link=topic=81687.msg984889#msg984889 date=1300464106]
smitty, I hope you live in an old house with window units and drive a car from the 70's.  If it's good enough for the children of Nederland, then it should be good enough for you.
[/quote]
[/quote]

So if I play with a wooden bat, I have the same opportunity to hit a home run or hit for the same average as if I used a composite $400 bat?  I'll use your analogy... you have the same outstanding hitting coach with both bats... is their a difference?  Take it further, as a parent, would you suck it up to try and find the money to pay for the best equipment to give your son or daughter a chance to compete to the best of their ability?  Smitty, come on buddy... you can't say that with a straight face.  
[/quote]
[/quote]


I don't think that was the point he was trying to make. Sometimes it is very hard to get top notch teachers at a 40 year old school, unless they have some history there. I think he was just saying that the conditions that you learn in can have a bigger effect in the long run.

I love our new school at HJ, it is so much better than the old school. The kids have a lot more opportunity to learn with a new technological school than the old one, teachers seem to love the new school because they are set up where they can be much more productive than the old ones. Most do not realize how much it takes to upkeep a school. Even just paying the light bill can be a chore. A new school is much more energy efficient than a old school.

[Bon_Mot]

[quote name="smitty" post="984968" timestamp="1300473693"]
AGAIN -- the building does not make the student.  It's ALL about good teachers. 


[quote author=Bon_Mot link=topic=81687.msg984889#msg984889 date=1300464106]
smitty, I hope you live in an old house with window units and drive a car from the 70's.  If it's good enough for the children of Nederland, then it should be good enough for you.
[/quote]
[/quote]
AGAIN -- you didn't offer a relevant retort to the statement.  You merely deflected attention elsewhere.  Why don't you drive a car from the 70's or live in a house with window units? 
And if you didn't notice my original statement was about the SCHOOLS.  Why do you insist on bringing up the stadium (which is less than 10% of the proposed bond)? 
Also, if you left your compound and drove around the state of Texas, you'd notice how far behind Nederland schools are in technology.  I know with all of this talk about futuristic things such as central air and heat along with a contraption called "the computer" I'm talking over your head right now so go hide behind your flag and curse progress.  Let me know when your calendar hits the 21sy Century.

[Bigdog]

I will disagree with you on NISD being behind in technology, Bon Mot. They have computers in every classroom in the district, some classes have multiple pcs.  There are 7 labs at the highschool, 2 each at the middles schools and 2 each at the elementry schools of 30+ pcs.   They have voice over ip phones, wireless access at most schools and a mobile lab at the high school.  In addition, the infrastructure behind all of this is upgraded in a 3 year cycle.  I would say for the triangle area, and probably most of SE Texas Ned is head and shoulders ahead.

[samsung]

[quote name="bigdog" post="985362" timestamp="1300499467"]
I will disagree with you on NISD being behind in technology, Bon Mot. They have computers in every classroom in the district, some classes have multiple pcs.  There are 7 labs at the highschool, 2 each at the middles schools and 2 each at the elementry schools of 30+ pcs.   They have voice over ip phones, wireless access at most schools and a mobile lab at the high school.  In addition, the infrastructure behind all of this is upgraded in a 3 year cycle.  I would say for the triangle area, and probably most of SE Texas Ned is head and shoulders ahead.
[/quote]
Careful now bigdog.  That ain't following the company line.

[Bon_Mot]

[quote name="bigdog" post="985362" timestamp="1300499467"]
I would say for the [b][color=red]triangle area[/color][/b], and probably most of SE Texas Ned is head and shoulders ahead.
[/quote]

this 

Good luck versus the rest of Texas and the world...

[Bigdog]

[quote name="samsung" post="985390" timestamp="1300500563"]
[quote author=bigdog link=topic=81687.msg985362#msg985362 date=1300499467]
I will disagree with you on NISD being behind in technology, Bon Mot. They have computers in every classroom in the district, some classes have multiple pcs.  There are 7 labs at the highschool, 2 each at the middles schools and 2 each at the elementry schools of 30+ pcs.   They have voice over ip phones, wireless access at most schools and a mobile lab at the high school.  In addition, the infrastructure behind all of this is upgraded in a 3 year cycle.  I would say for the triangle area, and probably most of SE Texas Ned is head and shoulders ahead.
[/quote]
Careful now bigdog.  That ain't following the company line.
[/quote]

:) I don't dispute that we need a bond, as you can probably tell I worked for the district at one time.  I was only disagreeing with Bon_Mot's assesment on the technology front.   No, Bon we probably don't stack up that well with the some districts in Texas, but we can't put the $$ up that a Dallas or Houston ISD could, but I think we do well for a medium-sized 4a district.  I have seen some other school's technology programs in the area.

[smitty]

Because your argument's not relevant.  A well maintained 70's car can take you anywhere a 2011 car can.  So it has nothing to do with performance or ability.  Using your argument, old schools like Harvard should be able to teach anybody anything.  A good teacher can teach in a hut out back.  So no, it's not about the buildings!!    ;)

[quote name="Bon_Mot" post="985305" timestamp="1300497514"]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=81687.msg984968#msg984968 date=1300473693]
AGAIN -- the building does not make the student.  It's ALL about good teachers.  


[quote author=Bon_Mot link=topic=81687.msg984889#msg984889 date=1300464106]
smitty, I hope you live in an old house with window units and drive a car from the 70's.  If it's good enough for the children of Nederland, then it should be good enough for you.
[/quote]
[/quote]
AGAIN -- you didn't offer a relevant retort to the statement.  You merely deflected attention elsewhere.  Why don't you drive a car from the 70's or live in a house with window units?  
And if you didn't notice my original statement was about the SCHOOLS.  Why do you insist on bringing up the stadium (which is less than 10% of the proposed bond)?  
Also, if you left your compound and drove around the state of Texas, you'd notice how far behind Nederland schools are in technology.  I know with all of this talk about futuristic things such as central air and heat along with a contraption called "the computer" I'm talking over your head right now so go hide behind your flag and curse progress.  Let me know when your calendar hits the 21sy Century.
[/quote]

[dawgnut]

You're right smitty a 70's car can take you anywhere you want to go if you don't mind stopping every so often and replace some parts. You and your buddies appear to believe that with proper maintenance you can keep a building forever. This is not true, if you have an unlimited budget maybe, but if you don't then you have to realize that all things have a usable life and after that you spend more to maintain the building than it's worth. But I am sure you know all this since you probably have all the facts a figures from your days as the head of a maintenance department that has maintained several campuses up to your excellent standard!