Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[flintauqua]

From the time it was built in 1978 untill the time the grade schools were consolidated to the Jr-Sr high campus, the building on the south edge of Howard was called "Howard West Elk Jr-Sr High School". 

That is what my diploma from the mid '80s says. 

This information is from the KSDE and can be found at  http://uapps.ksde.org/k12/building.aspx?org_no=D0282&bldg_no=2442

[Ross]

From the time it was built in 1978 untill the time the grade schools were consolidated to the Jr-Sr high campus, the building on the south edge of Howard was called "Howard West Elk Jr-Sr High School". 

That is what my diploma from the mid '80s says. 

This information is from the KSDE and can be found at  http://uapps.ksde.org/k12/building.aspx?org_no=D0282&bldg_no=2442

Why thank you that web page confirms that the Howard West Elk is closed.
It says:

HOWARD WEST ELK JR-SR HIGH - WEST ELK USD 282
   Elk County
1199 State Highway 99
PO Box 278
Howard, KS 67349-0278

CURRENT STATUS: *** CLOSED *** and I do believe that refers to "HOWARD WEST ELK JR-SR HIGH" because that was the "JR-SR HIGH"

West Elk is K through 12, Not "JR-SR HIGH"

And if you look closely you will see and read:
"You are Here:K-12 Reports » Elk County » WEST ELK USD 282 » HOWARD WEST ELK JR-SR HIGH"

West Elk being "K-12" and Howard West Elk being "Jr-Sr High".

BUILDING #: 2442               NCES ID: 00431

BUILDING TYPE: High School
YEAR BUILT: 1978     DATE OPENED: 08/01/1978
DATE CLOSED: 06/10/2010
The High School was closed and K-12 was opened on 06/10/2010

So, I too was a bit mis-informed.
The new building was known as Howard West Elk Jr-Sr High up until DATE CLOSED: 06/10/2010 and
re-opened as West Elk K-12.

I think we all learned something new today through communications and conversation. Excellent!

Thanks flintauqua.

[redcliffsw]

It would not bother me in the least if the fund was tapped to help with the pool. That's just the way it is in America.

Just because that's the way it is in America doesn't make it right.  We complain about some social programs while we cherish the "benefits" of other programs.  It's like a giant socialist smorgasboard to select the varities of socialist programs we deem to be 'needed".

Some like Obama's socialism - some prefer the Republican brand of socialism.

Thank liberty - oppose socialism.

 

[frawin]

Red, to each his own. Not everyone agrees with you. I consider being a Republican as being Conservative. You make lots of posts I don't  agree with and my bet is not many people in Elk County agree with you.

[redcliffsw]

Frawin,

To each his own you say.  However, why do you claim the "conservative" label when it's clear that you're very supportive of the liberal trends of the Republican party - the old and modern trends of the Republican party?   

The central government (Fed's) means so much to you that it's difficult to see you as any lasting sort of staunch 2nd amendment supporter.   

Red 

[frawin]

Red, the problem is that I do not consider the Republican party as Liberal. All my Family are Republicans and none of them support or voted for OBUMA. You are like a broken record and I think you are totally full of Horse Manure.I have asked you before please do not answer my posts and I will try my best not to answer yours.

[redcliffsw]

I've been trying not to respond to yer posts but sometimes I just get the notion to do it.

[Ross]

[Ross]

(As It Should Be !
Voter Approval !
In My Opinin)

Mon, 12/21/2015 - 7:55am

Property tax showdown coming in 2016

State budget and school funding discussions will be major topics of debate in the 2016 legislative session but property tax will also be a hot topic, as cities and counties are gearing up to strip citizens of their right to vote on property tax increases.  The 2015 Legislature passed a law that, with some exceptions, will prevent cities and counties from increasing property tax collections by more than the rate of inflation without voter approval beginning in 2018. 

Cities and counties are not restricted in the amount of tax increases they can propose under the new law; they just need voter approval if the collective increase on property that was taxed in the previous year is proposed to exceed inflation.  Tax collections attributable to new property hitting the tax rolls each year are exempt from the inflation calculation.

Local governments have expressed concern about the timing for holding property tax votes given budget submission deadlines, but those logistical issues could possibly be addressed.  The bottom line is that local governments do not want citizens to have direct input on property tax increases.  Indeed, Johnson County officials surveyed residents earlier this year, asking residents if they would support several property increase proposals; the answer each time was a resounding 'no,'  But by a vote of 4-3, county commissioners rammed through a 21% tax increase to take effect in 2016.

Citizens, however, strongly support having direct input through the voting booth.  A statewide public opinion survey conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of Kansas Policy Institute says 50% of Kansans believe voting on property tax increases is a good idea that should be immediately implemented; 19% think it's a good idea that should be implemented in 2018 and only 19% think it is a bad idea (see Question #5).  Broad support for voter input (69% - 19%) extends across all cross-sections, including ideology and geography:

Conservative ideology   64% to 16%

Moderate ideology        73% to 20%

Liberal ideology            64% to 25%

Western Kansas           85% to 13%

Wichita area   67% to 19%

Kansas City area   69% to 19%

Eastern Kansas *   64% to 21%

*eastern half of the state excluding the Wichita and Kansas City areas

Citizens' strong desire for direct input is likely driven by multiple factors.  Local government officials routinely contend that they have not increased property taxes because mill rates have not changed much, but Question #3 shows strong citizen disagreement with that position.  Sixty percent of Kansans consider it a tax increase when government increases the value of their property even if the mill rate is unchanged, while only 24% don't consider that to be a tax increase.  Ironically, 60% of government employees included in the survey also consider that circumstance to be a tax increase.

The fact that property taxes have increased several times faster than inflation is another impetus for strong voter desire for input.  Kansas' 105 counties recorded an average increase of 124% between 1997 and 2014, or nearly three times the inflation rate of 44% (BLS, Midwest Urban Cities).  Sixty-six counties actually increased taxes faster than inflation even though their population declined.

Shawnee County property tax collections increased 109% while population rose just 8%.  Douglas County taxes leaped by 239% (one of the highest in the state) with a population increase of 28%.  Property tax increases for large cities (cities of the 1st Class by population) are also running well ahead of inflation, averaging 102%.  Topeka logged an 86% tax increase with population up only 3%, while Lawrence raised property taxes by 190% with a 24% population increase.  Property tax and mill rate data is provided by the Kansas Department of Revenue, Property Valuation Division.  Changes for all counties and major cities are available at KansasOpenGov.org.

Cities and counties will be asking legislators to strip citizens of their legal voting right on property taxes but legislators will also likely be asked to move voting implementation to 2016 – setting up an interesting election-year choice.  Will the majority of legislators side with local government...or citizens?

http://cjonline.com/blog-post/dave-trabert/2015-12-21/property-tax-showdown-coming-2016

[redcliffsw]

The socialists would rather not give the public the opportumity to vote because the public might not support more social spending in the socialist government schools.