Why pay taxes for public education?

[BainsBane]

[Deep13]

1. Ultimately, that is the reason. nt

[AngryOldDem]

2. But most can't be made to see the logic in that. n/t

[BainsBane]

3. I'm not sure that's true for most

Tax initiatives to fund public education are passed on localities around the country.

[AngryOldDem]

4. Anymore, at least where I'm at, there is growing resistance.

In most cases, yes, they pass, but not by huge margins. Not anymore.

Where I used to live, school districts that had no problem passing levies now routinely see them fail.

And during election season I hear a lot of conversations that go along the lines of, "I raised my kids, so I'm done paying for schools," or people gripe about what they think their money is paying for, such as "perks" like athletic complexes and auditoriums, which are most often gifted and not taxpayer funded.

My observations from what I see and hear.

[KinMd]

5. I also have no kids in school, but have no problem paying public education

I might need one of the little bastards to implant my pacemaker, or do my hip replacement one day

[BainsBane]

6. Not to mention

giving them some options in life other than robbing you.

[Jenoch]

7. "I don't like living in a country with a bunch of stupid people".

It's too late.

[BainsBane]

20. I think we have cable news

and Fox in particular as well as talk radio to thank for a good deal of that. Yes, the schools are not nearly good enough, but if the teabaggers have their way, they'll be much worse.

[Jenoch]

21. I think social media has

exposed the mental capacity of the masses. I don't blame Fox News or talk radio. I think those outlets also expose the idiots that are always there.

[stuntcat]

8. What if we spent as much on education as we do on war?

But the smarter our citizens are, the more they'll be empowered, involved.. And what would that mean for the richest, future-raping, old moneybags?

[bunnies]

9. Public education turns out loads of stupid people though.

Sad but true.

[pnwmom]

16. As opposed to home schooled religious fundie education? n/t

[bunnies]

17. oh, gawd no. Thats MUCH worse. nt

[Mr.Bill]

10. We went to my local high school last night.

It was Senior Awards night, a pre-graduation ceremony. My wife, like others there, was giving out a scholarship from an organization she belongs to. Although I have no biological children and my step-children are in their 40s, I got a good look at what my taxes are paying for and I felt pretty good about it.

[timdog44]

11. Agree totally.

We have no children and we have never failed to vote for education policies. Left to private education, most children in the United States would receive no education. And of course children still come out wanting. Education policies in different parts of the country have gotten so far off track it is ridiculous. Intelligent design, denial of climate change, "we all grew up with this kind of education", less hours in school, and ineffective testing if needed at all. But we should not deny monies for education because of failures of individual school boards and prejudices of same. Some one mentioned spending as much on education as we do on war. Even a fraction of the military budget would be good. We need to keep up the fight for education.

[tardybar]

12. That is what the 1% wants uneducated people they can control

[BainsBane]

13. Enter Fox News and Clear Channel

[Gidney N Cloyd]

14. And decent schools are a HUGE factor in the attractiveness of a neighborhood.

Choke the schools too much and property values nosedive.

[spartan61]

15. Do those people who are complaining

forget that when they were young students in public school someone paid taxes that allowed them to get an education. Now it's time for them to pay taxes to educate the next couple of generations.

[aggiesal]

18. Every time a rightly complains . . .

that don't think that they should pay taxes,
because they don't have kids in the school system,
I ask them where they went to school?

Almost everyone says public schools.

I then ask them if they think the taxes their
parents paid, cover your education? And they
think there parents did!

When you show them the stats where they don't
come close, they don't believe them.

I tell them it's time to pony up.

[BainsBane]

19. Can you provide that info

on which states taxes don't cover public education?

[aggiesal]

22. Just as an example, . . .

Last edited Tue Jun 11, 2013, 08:48 PM - Edit history (1)

In San Diego where I live, the SD Unified School District reported
that it costs approximately $9000/student per year to educate.

Most, if not all, of the SDUSD gets it's money from the State and from Property
taxes. From your property taxes, a little over 1% of your Property Tax
bill goes to the SDUSD.

50% of the California General Fund goes toward education.
So, basically, 50% of what I pay to the state in taxes is used for education.

I have 1 child going through public school right now.
The taxes I pay (50% from state and 1% of my Property Tax) don't come
close to paying $9000.

And the more children that I send through the public school system the more
I would take from the system.

So, as I stated, the taxes everyone pays into the system doesn't approach
the amount needed to pay 1 student (in SDUSD). I believe it's the same in all
school districts.