posted by Mike Madison at 9:07 PM /
Once upon a time, there was a suburban community that fancied itself the most attractive and livable community there could ever be.
Townsfolk feared, however, that a certain public resource in their community was not up to par, and but for a major and expensive upgrade, the community's attractiveness and livability would be forever compromised.
So the community screwed up its courage and spent millions of dollars to replace that public resource.
And lo, when the construction dust had settled and the smoke of courage had cleared, the town found itself charging its residents and outsiders alike a boatload of money to use that public resource, because there was no other way to cover its cost.
And the townsfolk wondered why, in fact, they had constructed a private club in the middle of their town.
An afterword:
In today's mail I received a flyer for Upper St. Clair's new "Community Recreation Center," "a true recreational haven for all ages and the perfect expression of creating a new quality of life." The price of admission? An astounding $810 per year for an Upper St. Clair family and $1,215 per year in "Surrounding Community Fees" for a non-Upper St. Clair family.
For $1,215, I can drive my family to the Rocky Mountains and camp and hike there for a week -- and have money left over.
USC's example -- major fees for public services -- makes me wonder:
Could Mt. Lebanon offset much of the cost of a new high school by charging tuition?
Figure 1,800 students at the high school, at $12,500 per student per year (that's a bargain compared to Winchester Thurston, and some people would opt for Catholic schools, as they do now). That's more than $20 million per year, likely well more than enough to make the interest payments on a $100mm-plus wrap-around bond issue. In fact, a complete $150mm rebuild could be financed in full over about 10 years. Using those assumptions, a referendum -- with no tax increase, of course -- would pass, without no question.
Townsfolk feared, however, that a certain public resource in their community was not up to par, and but for a major and expensive upgrade, the community's attractiveness and livability would be forever compromised.
So the community screwed up its courage and spent millions of dollars to replace that public resource.
And lo, when the construction dust had settled and the smoke of courage had cleared, the town found itself charging its residents and outsiders alike a boatload of money to use that public resource, because there was no other way to cover its cost.
And the townsfolk wondered why, in fact, they had constructed a private club in the middle of their town.
An afterword:
In today's mail I received a flyer for Upper St. Clair's new "Community Recreation Center," "a true recreational haven for all ages and the perfect expression of creating a new quality of life." The price of admission? An astounding $810 per year for an Upper St. Clair family and $1,215 per year in "Surrounding Community Fees" for a non-Upper St. Clair family.
For $1,215, I can drive my family to the Rocky Mountains and camp and hike there for a week -- and have money left over.
USC's example -- major fees for public services -- makes me wonder:
Could Mt. Lebanon offset much of the cost of a new high school by charging tuition?
Figure 1,800 students at the high school, at $12,500 per student per year (that's a bargain compared to Winchester Thurston, and some people would opt for Catholic schools, as they do now). That's more than $20 million per year, likely well more than enough to make the interest payments on a $100mm-plus wrap-around bond issue. In fact, a complete $150mm rebuild could be financed in full over about 10 years. Using those assumptions, a referendum -- with no tax increase, of course -- would pass, without no question.
Labels: high school renovation
3 Comments:
The only way it might work is if Mt. Lebanon consolidates with Keystone Oaks. We make Mt. Lebanon the pay school and Keystone Oaks the free school, for both districts.
The idea would go over like a lead balloon.
Let's stick with trying to renovate the high school in a way we can afford to pay the PSERS employer contribution and stay in our Mt. Lebanon homes.
As one who unfortunately couldn't move out of USC before the market crash and appears doomed for eternity to be taxed for this white elephant, let it be said that many residents - perhaps even a majority - didn't want the thing built.
I appreciate the outside the box thinking. It's what I was writing about last week. The problem is that a public school system is a government monopoly. And if you don't believe it just see how long you can go without paying your property and school taxes before the sheriff shows up at your door. If we still allowed the government monopoly to function BUT gave the users the option of taking their tax dollars and applying them to the school district monopoly that promised their sons and daughters the best education then you might be on to something. Oh, wait, that would be the school voucher program that - even though it has been demonstrably effective everywhere it has been tried - will never see the light of day due to ANOTHER monopoly that exists in America. It's called a UNION and it's membership call themselves the National Education Association....
As for the USC rec center, try and see how far $67.50 a month gets you at Ballys or Extreme Fitness. It might get you a membership, but won't do anything for your family members.
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