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Please Donate to Help us Fight to Stop the new RRISD Bonds




Here is our new flyer.  Download and distribute from here: GOUGED_flyer_against_RRISD_Bonds_Oct2008.pdf

PLEASE SAVE OUR CHILDREN FROM OPPRESSIVE DEBT and TAXES!

VOTE: NO BONDS!

New School Needs are exaggerated!

The Financial Markets are in turmoil, Fraud still exists!

RRISD is misleading voters on the Bond cost and higher taxes!

RRISD spends money foolishly and doesn’t deserve more!

The Headlines* Say It All

(* Austin American Statesman)

Housing

Government Financing

Jobs

Economy

We’re in an economic crisis. We’re all getting hit. We’re all having to sacrifice.

RRISD’s response to the crisis:

  1. Approve a 2008‐09 operating budget of $311,000,000, even though it’s already $1,600,000 in the red. RRISD Public Meeting on Budget and and Tax Rate, June 24, 2008 at https://www.roundrockisd.org/docs/2008‐2009_budget_hearing_and_adoption.pdf.
  2. Pull $15,000,000 out of its reserve fund (savings account) for capitol projects including a new technology data center, “even though the new football stadium has an information services area, fire‐rated, for storage of data and information and to maintain continuity of service should the district’s computer servers or network be affected in any way and also available for lease to other organizations or businesses for data storage capabilities.” paraphrased RRISD’s New Football and Soccer Stadium, previously at http://www.roundrockisd.org/athletics/stadium/newstad2.htm#Basic; RRISD Board Meeting Minutes 11/13/07, 9/18/08.
  3. Increase the superintendent’s salary from $204,600 when first hired to $243,080 today plus pay retirement benefits totaling $14,097 and allow 2 vacation days earned a month at rate of $1075.58 a day. RRISD Board Meeting Minutes 1/11/06, 2/20/07, 7/17/07, 2/12/08, 7/17/08.
  4. Pay 23 administrators over $100,000 a year; 17 between $90,000 to $99,000, 41 between $80,000 and $89,000 and 51 between $70,000 and $79,000. From 2008/09 Annualized Administrative Salaries.
  5. Pay architects for construction projects at percentages of construction costs
  6. Spend almost $300,000,000!

Here is our new Yes Donors flyer.  Please download and distribute it:  PDF Version   MS word *.doc Version

LOOK WHO’S PROMOTING THESE BONDS

AND PAYING FOR ALL THAT PRO-TAX ADVERTISING!


I’ll bet you already guessed it! It’s the people who will PROFIT (at your children’s expense…plus interest) from this multi-million dollar proposal. The bankers, civil engineers, architects, construction companies, industrial equipment firms, title companies and lawyers that will line their pockets while our children will be repaying the debt - plus interest - until our children’s children are in school!

THE SPECIAL INTERESTS OF THE BOND PROPOSITION
URGING YOU TO VOTE YES (and line their pockets in the process)

CONTRAST THIS WITH THE “HONOR ROLL” OF ADVOCATES FOR OUR TAXPAYERS AND CHILDREN URGING YOU TO VOTE NO!

Groups Opposed to Unsustainable Government Education Debt (GOUGED) – which includes:


Round Rock, Williamson County debt outpaces other Texas locales

Many taxpayers are unaware that we are leaving our children a  legacy of debt... local government debt and higher taxes, that is.  It's not the legacy most Texans want to leave their children.     

AFP-Texas is traveling the state providing information on why we need a tax and expenditure limitation at the local level.  We were in Round Rock this week and provided taxpayers with some revealing numbers on local government debt.  Williamson County residents: your local government debt is above the state average, and is climbing.

http://www.americansforprosperity.org/index.php?id=6436

Dear Taxpayer,

The RRISD is on a $15 million spending spree, part of it for a new technology data center.  This sudden expense was voted in a meeting, which was not recorded, and with no advance notice other than the required meeting posting.

Even more money will be spent on the project.  On September 18, 2008, without any discussion, approved on consent, the board approved  $8,640,064 of your tax dollars for the construction of the data center and amended the operating budget for $1,900,000 for additional construction costs.

Two questions arise:

1)  Why is there a need for a new data center when the $27,000,000 football stadium has a such a center already?  Back during the 2000 bond campaign, supporters claimed that the stadium would also contain a data warehouse beneath the home stands which would avoid costs for additional land and an independent structure to house it.  The stadium was built, and the RRISD later stated that "the new football stadium has an information services area, fire-rated, for storage of data and information and to maintain continuity of service should the district’s computer servers or network be affected in any way and also available for lease to other organizations or businesses for data storage capabilities." 

2)  Why weren't voters asked if they wanted to spend $15,000,000 of their money on a data center and other projects?  The $15 million was taken out of the maintenance reserve fund.  This is money that could have been used for the classroom and teacher's salaries.  This data center should have been put in the bond package for voter approval.  Taking our classroom money the way RRISD did is circumventing the will of the voter.

This time you have a say.  Vote NO to another spending spree of nearly $300,000,000.

http://www.rrleader.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=17506&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&S=1

The Round Rock Leader      12/5/2007
MORE DOUGH TO EXPAND
School districts consider funding for new facilities
LAURI ZACHRY, Education Reporter

<snip......>

During a called board meeting Nov. 13, the RRISD Board of Trustees allocated $15 million from the district's fund balance for three capital projects - including the expansion of the district's Great Oaks Central Kitchen.

The board approved using the fund balance to expand the central kitchen and its warehouse and maintenance facilities to better meet the needs of a growing student population.

The present location of storage space for the Great Oaks Central Kitchen is just space employees can find at the kitchen.

Currently, the RRISD student population is growing at a rate of 3 percent a year. This year, there are approximately 40,000 students enrolled in the district.

The current Great Oaks Drive Central Kitchen was constructed in 1978, said RRISD Superintendent Jesus Chavez.

"Technology has changed since the central kitchen was built," Chavez said. "We are having trouble finding parts for our oven there and we have concerns for our freezers there."

Construction at the Great Oaks Drive Central Kitchen location will not interfere with the day-to-day operations because the new central kitchen - complete with a new bake shop - will expand to the west of its current location. Once the new kitchen is completed, contractors will convert the current kitchen facilities into storage, warehouse and larger cooler facilities.

The district will use funds to create a new management information systems facility on the 12 acres currently next to the Cedar Valley Middle School football stadium - southeast of the middle school. The new facility will feature safety measures to keep data warehouse and electronic student information secure. The current facility is located adjacent in the district's central administration offices on Lake Creek Drive. The district has outgrown this current space.

Included in the $15 million is $1 million allocated to place projectors in high school classrooms. In 2006, voters approved placing projectors in high school core-curriculum classrooms. The money allocated from the fund balance will ensure all high school classrooms are equipped with projectors.

The state allows districts to use its fund balance for one time expenditures or capital needs. Over the last several years, the RRISD fund balance has grown due to conservative budget preparation and budget management. Districts must maintain at least three months of operating expenditures in the fund balance.

Chavez said this is the first time RRISD has used fund balance reserves for capital improvement projects in two years.

Paid political advertising by GOUGED PAC, 13219 Research Blvd, Unit I, Austin, TX 78750, Don Zimmerman, Treas.