Commentary:

As you can see by reviewing the 2011 article from the "Observer," (Listed at the end of this commentary) the request for more and more tax money for St. Charles County School Districts is an ongoing and nearly FULL TIME activity that occupies the school administrators and the unions between elections! Why not? Their preoccupation with increasing their standard of living over most of the rest of the community has been stunningly successful in the past!)

In this coming 2015 election NEXT TUESDAY, we refer here to the Wentzville School District's outrageous tax hike request called PROPOSITION "E"....VOTE "NO"

Those empowered to place these increases on the ballot during "off elections" (NOT general elections) know that the lower voter turnout in these elections makes it more likely that their special interest members, who turn out nearly 100%, have a better chance of getting the money for their "improvement in living standards" demands. The key to stopping this outrageous activity is for the general population to GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE. Show the special interest groups that they cannot continue to extract more and more money from the community, virtually at every election and at will! Show them that the community is in charge, not the special interests!

The Federal government is injecting large numbers of illegal immigrants into communities without disclosing how many or where, even those who ask (we have). We would bet that a significant cost to the school system, health care and a lot more, is right here, right now, sucking off your hard earned tax dollars...that may be what is behind the request for more and higher taxes! Missouri has a liberal Governor and the school systems on St. Charles County are administered by VERY liberal, tax and spend administrators. (Look at their acceptance of Common Core!) They are advocating and will continue to advocate more and higher taxes that are not supported by the "visible" facts and are slowly strangling the economic welfare of the community.

This liberal motivated "infection" among a generally conservative voting constituency like St. Charles County is somewhat baffling! There is really no willingness on the part of the majority to raise taxes (as we see in general elections when voter turnout is substantial) but the low voter turnout causes these socialist, liberal force to prevail. WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT FACT! The constant request to bleed the community more at almost every election is nothing more than liberal sponsored government bloat.

The administrators and special interest groups that are behind the constant money grab, are supported by trumped up and phony statistics created for them and "think tank" funded by the wealthy liberal proponents of such policies as Common Core, and other radical liberal policies currently being forced on the American people by the Obama Administration. We can say "NO" to those policies by defeating them at the lower levels...in the school systems and other public entities. That means voting for candidates and ballot proposals that oppose radical liberal takeovers and will act to remove them or, at least roll them back.

The left wingers who often, in our county, masquerade as Republicans have proven by their success at exacting more and more money out of the citizens of St, Charles County (and many other districts in the country) that the support materials and "studies" done by wealthy liberal promoters and big money sponsored "think tanks" are very likely to be successful. Ordinary citizens and activists who are likely to be uninvolved in "off elections" (not general elections) do not have the means and are generally disinterested anyway in proposed ballot measures. Those who instigate the ballot proposals are fully aware that the majority of citizens do not approve of such outrageous tax increases. The primary motivation for increases in funding are meant to increase the standard of living of those who live off of the public revenues but they know that won't wash so they invent a lie for public consumption..."It's all for the children!"

The ballot proposals for the Wentzville and Fort Zumwalt requests for more money are outrageous and unwarranted. As in 2011, they are NOT needed. For instance, the last request to raise school taxes for the Wentzville School District barely squeaked by and raised nearly 6 million dollars. The School District promptly used almost that entire sum to buy a parcel of property. Some who watch real estate pricing say they paid nearly three times the market value for this property. We have wondered ever since what the "sweet deal" connection on that transaction was! (End of commentary)

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The following article appeared in the April 2011 edition of The O'Fallon Observer 

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Tax Increases are NOT needed

The last thing that St. Charles County needs during the current downward re-evaluation of real estate property values is increased taxes... of ANY kind! Any increase in property taxes will add to a further deterioration of property values. Please vote against any tax increase proposal and please do not support any candidate who advocates a tax increase for ANY reason, whether it is school tax, fire department tax or any other tax on

Tuesday, April 5, 2011.

Wentzville's proposed increase will cost the average homeowner of a $250,000 home $11.56 per month equaling $138.72 per year.

School Districts in MO already receive Average Daily Attendance funding from the state for Kindergarten and total enrollment growth has continued to decrease by half over the past 5 years and is only up 521 students from 2008 to 2009. And up 485 from 2009/2010. Ft Zumwalt has only increased enrollment 191 students since 2005 up 153 from 2009/2010. And Francis Howell has enrollment has dropped by 704 students since 2005. Down 248 from 2009/2010.

School district growth has historically proven to be cyclical. Numbers rise and fall over time. Millions spent, of taxpayer's money, to build buildings are often, down the road, wasted due to building closures when enrollment drops as growth ends.

Wentzville is not experiencing any difference in "growing pains" than other neigh­boring districts. A look at past history will reflect a tightening of the belt will work for Wentzville during this growth period as it did for Francis Howell and Ft Zumwalt.

A TAX INCREASE IS NOT NEEDED!

Wentzville:

Enrollment: 12,121

Per pupil expenditure: $9,045.00

Student to Teacher ratio: 21 (excluding Title 1 paras, special ed teachers, etc.)

Student to Administrator: 323 from 2009 down to 303

Average teacher Salary: (Excluding fringe benefits) $49,409

Average Administrator Salary: (Excluding fringe benefits) $96,020

Francis Howell:

Total Enrollment: 17,384

Per Pupil expenditure: $9,772.00

Student to Teacher ratio: 19

Student to Administrator: 248 252

Average Teacher's Salary: (These figures exclude fringe benefits) $55,623

Average Administrator's Salary:(These figures exclude fringe benefits) $105,018

Fort Zumwalt:

Total Enrollment: 18,687 18,840

Per Pupil Expenditure: $9,728.00

Student to Teacher ratio: 20

Student to Administrator: 265

Average Teacher Salary: (These figures exclude fringe benefits) $50,758

Average Admin. Salary: (These figures exclude fringe benefits) $97,058

St. Charles County Taxing Districts Requesting Tax Increases.

Shall the O'Fallon Fire Protection District, St. Charles County, Missouri issue its gen­eral obligation bonds in the amount of Ten Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($10,900,000) for the purpose of acquiring fire equipment, apparatus and vehicles, con­structing, reconstructing, improving, equipping and furnishing facilities for the District, including additional fire stations, acquiring any land necessary therefore, and refinanc­ing prior obligations to achieve savings?