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Today's Poll!April 2 vote set on new Jefferson City High School
A school bus leaves the present campus of Jefferson City High School. (file photo) Photo by News Tribune.
Friday, January 18, 2013
After years of discussion, the Jefferson City Board of Education voted Thursday to place a 55-cent tax increase on the April 2 ballot.
With a unanimous 6-0 vote, the board called an election to issue general obligation bonds — which would increase local taxes an additional 30 cents — and increase the operating tax levy by 25 cents. The current tax rate for the Jefferson City School District is $3.6770 per $100 of assessed valuation.
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Comments
MakeSense 4 months ago
We've needed a solution for this overcrowding issue for many years. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time and effort to find affordable solutions that meet the needs of this community. This is a good plan and a great time to implement it as the bond rates are the lowest they will probably ever be. Let's make this investment in our community.
MO4LIFE 4 months ago
Two High Schools is what we want and this will not pass because this is not what we want!!!!
MakeSense 4 months ago
So, you would for vote a tax increase twice what they are proposing now? They are proposing 55 cents per hundred and two schools will cost from 85 cents to $1.10 per hundred. I just want to be clear - if two high schools were on the ballot April 2 for $1.10 per hundred, you would vote yes.
newone 4 months ago
I would vote yes for higher taxes on two schools, because I feel it would benefit our kids the most!
MO4LIFE 4 months ago
Yes i would pay the $1.10 to make better way with more opportunities for my chidren all day. I don't believe in going half way with something just because it is the hot thing to do with the school board. I prefer a comon sense approach that will benefit all students equally and one high school will not do that. There will be less opportunity for scolarships since most are issued a certain number per school. Less opportunity for debate team, Band, and even sports because once the people in town that have the big names (i.e Leutkemeyer, Kliethermes, etc) get the starting spots in all the extracurricular activities that allow for scolarships there won't be anymore room for the "regular" kids. Prime Example Coach's son been starting since he was freshman! They say they can do academy vs academy OK scouts and scolarships are not coming from intramural games. What are we going to have a 100 person debate team; 300 person band. Common Sense about the kids best interest and opportunities is all i really care about in this debate!
wow 4 months ago
The Academy deal is good if you want your students to concentrate their educational focus as if they were going to attend a "Technical College"...it does not help them as much as if they were going to attend a traditional "ACADEMIC" University/College. The proof. is easy to see...just looka ta what Linn State Tecnhnical School does and what the University of Rolla does...both educate Aad prepaRe students...but we all know there is a big difference in the focus of these two very worhtwhile but different institutions. Why not build two high schools and stop trying to save the DARN JC FOOTBALL PROGRAM. If you have to......build a Vo-Tech High School and then build a traditional Academic High School. But the truth is this...the Academy deal is geared toward Vo-Tech not Academic success.
mia 4 months ago
Thank GOD, I sold my home just in time before I have to pay for this.
LaTda 4 months ago
I can see the pros and cons on both sides...really I can. However, I will only vote for the Academic school design...not 2 high schools. I don't care about the sports, etc. As a graduate of JC, and being a student of the JC public shools my entire educational carreer I can honestly say I did not learn as much as I should have. I made really good grades, honor roll etc. But my basic education lacks among the national average...in my opinion. I am for anthing that will CHANGE the JCPS system. I hope I am not proven wrong, but I will be the first to admit it. I want what is best for my children, neices, nephews, and all of JC pupils; disreguarding cost.
jcmo12345 4 months ago
Not like it matter what we vote for. It is astonishing how the JC Superintendent so blatently ignores what the people vote for and against...I'm thankful we have a school board to back us up...oh wait...
MakeSense 4 months ago
I think they did listen when the voters said give us an affordable solution. I don't think the Superintendent was ignoring the people at all. I think he was listening. People will not vote for the kind of tax increase it will take to operate two schools on a day in and day out basis. They just won't.
JCLifer 4 months ago
It isn't affordable when they want us to pay millions of dollars to just give us what we already have in a new location.
Gotigers 4 months ago
La Tda--The way I understand it, and please correct me if I 'm wrong, but JCPS is going to the academy teaching model regardless if it wins or not.
I would highly encourage anyone that supports this idea to speak with a middle school or Simonsen 9th grade teacher and they will tell you --that throwing 9th graders in with the older high school kids is a terrible idea!!! The response that kids will be seperated is hogwash. Same as middle school, there will be a Commons Area and lunch room, etc... where all kids gather.
Mr. Coots, you will have my vote for school board.
LaTda 4 months ago
I have no idea. I am not educated enough in this matter to say how it will affect all of the students. I am also not claiming that the academic approach is the best way to go, I just know it is different than what is being done now. I believe that adding a 2nd high school is just more of the same. Anyhow, I am looking forward to any new suggestions and possibly give the community more choices rather than the 2 that have been thrown on the table.
JCLifer 4 months ago
I don't know why they want us to pay millions of tax dollars to build what we already have.
If they want one megaschool, the best thing is to keep JCHS, add a wing, remodel it, and keep using it. There is a lot of pride in that buidling. Our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents worked hard to build it and pay for it. The building is in very sound structural condition. A remodel job could be done to put JCHS, Nichols, and a new wing or two where Thorpe Gordon sits all under one roof. A parking garage could be built behind it.
Think of all the money that would be saved by just remodeling and improving JCHS! We would not need to buy 130 acres of very expensive land. We would not need to build a new Stadium or weight room. We could maintain the Jay Pride that exists on Union Street.
The answer is so obvious if you want to keep one megaschool in this town.
herekitty 4 months ago
WHAT HAS THE STATE DONE WITH ALL OF THE BINGO and LOTTERY MONEY??? This was the so called answer to all of the school needs, instead the voters have LET the cities and state to run WILD with YOUR money! People you need to look past your noses!
RobHunterJohnson 4 months ago
La Tda, I to graduated from a school that was about the same size as JCHS is now, I honestly feel that kids would benefit from a smaller school, and that means 2 schools in my opinion. I honestly feel that the the building you attended school in is still capable of serving the children of our community for another 50 years, and with the addition of another High School who knows? No matter how I look at the acadamy style, it is still one Giant High School! It might work for a few, but 10 years from now when this group of 5 year olds are in High School; How large will the enrollment be, and will we be the biggest High School in the State of Missouri? Rob
Just_a_Mom 4 months ago
How is a 6-0 vote unanimous when we have a 7 member board? Where was Ms. Peoples and what would have been her vote?
rollnthndr 4 months ago
If they want different results at the high school level they need to get rid of the current high school administration. This is the administration that has given us an 85% graduation rate. And why don't we currently have rigor, relevance, and relationships? This community has been driven down this dead end road for years by school district administrators and now they want taxpayers to spend $80 billion to start all over again. One school proponents say that we would split the town. With this approach it will be still be a one horse town but it's just moving further to the west. Administrators tell us it's going to cost $25 million to renovate current HS. How did Camdenton build a new high school for only $35 million? Voters will see through this farce being pushed upon us.
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