Puzzled about community college
Here are a few comments that have been sent to us. You can also find previously published letters and editorials from the Post Register. Email us from the Contact Page if you wish to have your comments considered for addition.
Submission #1. Recently in a submission to the Idaho Falls' Post Register a gentleman by the name of Robert Jones, who apparently may live in a local rest home, offered to pay the property tax increase of a county resident who wrote a Letter to the Editor opposing this May 16th measure. Does anyone know how to get a hold of this Robert Jones? I would like him to pay my tax increase, and perhaps there are others, some who are on very limited incomes, who would appreciate Mr. Jones' offer.
4-28-17 A local resident emailed this just now. Take a look.
Even a cursory glance at the new Community College Tax proposal explains why the proponents solicited a used car salesman as their leading spokesperson.
We're told this "car" will only cost us $13 although every single comparable car is going for nearly $100 or more.
We're told this bargain deal won't last, after all it will only repurpose existing state funds from EITC, nevermind that state statue specifies those funds for Technical Training and every other community college receives the Technical Training funds IN ADDITTION to a surprisingly consistent $12 million dollar junior college appropriation.
We're told their mechanics looked this little beauty over real close and found that the maintenance and operations cost of this new Community College will be about 1/10 of every other community college. Why? Well, who knows, but that's the gods honest truth.
We're told it was only driven to church every other Sunday, and serviced locally real regular, which is why even though we're asked to cut a check for just over $8 million dollars with our statutory mandated vote, they'll only actually debit our account for $800k.
So what do you think, wanna take it for a test drive?
Post Register Letter to the editor: Bottomless appetite for tax dollars
Posted: February 3, 2017 1:55 a.m.
Bottomless appetite for tax dollars
In response to Kevin Trevellyan’s Jan. 28 article, “State board approves community college district,” a new college will need new amenities, buildings, parking lots, a yearbook. More of this and more of that. Don’t worry your taxes are well spent, and if we run short, we can always get more to cover overruns, shortfalls and unforeseen situations!
And when the Community College Taxing District runs out of tax money, they will come to the tax payers asking for a fee increase, thus negating the use of the hated words “tax increase.” A fee feels more voluntary, than taxes, which you must pay.
Only Bonneville County residents will be voting this coming May and, if passed by a super duper 66.67 percent, surrounding counties could opt in.
Will they? Why should they? What about these mysterious county representatives who have approached the altar of higher education with their platitudes, but can offer no coin of the realm or real proof of plebeian support.
The last thing Bonneville County citizens need is a Community College Taxing District, like so many other glitzy and glamour offers, there are too many unknowns other than the bottomless appetite for more tax dollars. Your dollars. Yes, all of this for just $13.37 a year.
And now after having rendered unto Caesar, that which is Caesar’s there is nothing left, the coffers are empty.
STEPHEN HOVEY
Idaho Falls
Post Register Letter to the editor: Questions about community college
Posted: March 8, 2017 1:49 a.m.
Questions about community college
Attention supporters of the new Community College Taxing District, I would ask your rebuttal to the following:
BYU-Idaho, University of Idaho, Idaho State University and Boise State — these schools each graduate large numbers of students each year.
There’s no lack of higher education institutions, such as North Idaho College, College of Idaho, College of Western Idaho, Lewis-Clark State College, Northwest Nazarene, College of Southern Idaho. With the new Pathways program at BYU-I and most colleges offering online degrees which allow individuals to learn and earn online, GEDs, high school, Associate, Bachelors, Masters, PHDs and even vocational certificates, why does Idaho Falls need a community college?
Question: School districts allow high school students to earn college credits before graduation, so why another college?
Question: Are supporters counting on an increase in students with the above options, or are you counting your chickens before they hatch?
Question: Talk is cheap, why would surrounding counties support a new taxing district?
Question: As with any new venture, voters will face tax increases due to unforeseen costs, overruns, wants, must haves, etc.
Question: Where’s the big windfall from the State Lottery that was to help pay for better education/infrastructures for Idaho schools?
Fact: Patrons of School District 91 will face a vote to build a new high school this coming summer. More taxes.
QUESTION: To whom do we taxpayers turn to for more money?
Your answers please.
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STEPHEN HOVEY
Idaho Falls
Letter to the editor: Puzzled about community college
I happened to hear a conversation on the Neal Larsen show this week regarding the proposal about converting EITC (Eastern Idaho Technical College) to a community college. I’m puzzled…why would you do that?
Right here in our own backyard we have an Idaho State University and an University of Idaho campus and there’s BYU-Idaho over in Rexburg. Many of Idaho’s colleges provide on-line options which offer unprecedented convenience and value.
So why the change? There is a greater need of students who have technical skills and who can learn a trade, and go right into the workforce making a living wage. We already have too many “college grads” working at fast food restaurants. We need a skilled workforce.
So why the change? I’d say we need to follow the “money trail”. Who’s going to benefit here? We’ll be bringing in more instructors/administrators, and paying higher wages, I’m betting. And who get’s “hit up” for the money…the taxpayers, of course! A tax here and a tax there…pretty soon, we’re talking about “real money”.
Andi Elliott
Hamer
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Post Register Letter to the editor: Community college a burden
Posted: March 15, 2017 1:35 a.m.
Community college a burden
Kole Williams, thank you for your response to my letter of March 8, 2017.
Idaho Lottery funds are used by the State of Idaho to help finance all levels of education, just not K-12.
After paying lottery winners, advertising, staffing and overhead costs, funds from the lottery are deposited into the State of Idaho Permanent Building Fund. The following colleges have benefited from this fund, Boise State, ISU, U of I, College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, Lewis and Clark Community College and yes even EITC! Please check the follow State of Idaho web site to verify the above. www.idaholottery.com/forms/wtmg2015.pdf. Scroll down and eye ball the list of payouts for Idaho College’s improvements/repairs, etc.
You also stated in your letter, “Because most high school students are not intellectually and emotionally ready to take on college…”
Why would anyone support a tax to create a new community college if the very students we need to populate this temple of learning are intellectually and emotionally UN-prepared to cut the apron strings and make their way in the world? Let’s give Idaho High School Student the credit they deserve.
School District 91 will be asking patrons to renew a 6.8 million levy this month, and sometime this coming year they will vote on funding a new high school? One tax is negligible, but compound many taxes and it is a burden.
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STEPHEN HOVEY
Idaho Falls
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