School District 57 Writes Strong Letter to Ministry of Education

Wednesday, September 30, 2009 04:00 AM

Prince George, B.C.- The two page letter School District 57's Board of Education will send to the Minister of Education delivers a very strong message about the funding challenges that are a direct result of Provincial budget decisions.

The letter from School District 57's Board of Education says the Ministry of Education has "not met its obligation to provide the communication that is essential for boards to succeed."

School District 57 is facing a multi-million dollar deficit because of Provincial policies like the removal of the annual facility grant, the harmonizing of the gst and provincial tax, the move to all day kindergarten and the increase in medical services premiums all place financial burdens.

The letter accuses the Ministry of Education of setting Boards up for failure “The complete absence of communication, or communication that is vague and disingenuous, implies either that your ministry does not want, or know how, to communicate, or worse, that there is an underlying agenda to set boards up to fail in their basic mission.”

The Board says the loss of the annual facility grant will cost local jobs “As 80% of the annual grant is allocated to work provided by contractors and engineers, any local benefit of the federal/provincial economic stimulus program is undone by this action.”

The Board says the increase in Medical Services Plan Premiums will mean School District 57 will have to cut three employees from its payroll to offset the overall cost of the increase.

The Board will meet again on October 13th at which time options for covering the deficit created by the loss of the Annual facility Grant will be discussed.

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Posted on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 04:00 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: taxinapothole on September 30 2009 7:10 AM

we have to pay for the "OLYMPICS" don't you know??

Posted by: socredible on September 30 2009 7:48 AM

The "Owe-lympics" are but the tip of the iceberg. Why doesn't the School Board come right out and say it, our taxes are all going to go UP. Again. On top of what WE are already paying, or will pay, in other increases through the Carbon Tax, the HST, and an increase in MSP premiums. Which, whether you pay your own, or your employer pays it for you and charges the cost into the price of the products he sells you, (or their exchange for alternate products sold you through exports), YOU still pay.

We can rail about the obviously visible "waste" we're all aware of when it comes to all government spending. It's put out there blatantly for us to "see", so we will do exactly that.

And while we're all occupied insisting this or that be "cut", and patting ourselves on the back that our bleating has achieved action when some politician actually does appear to be "cutting" something superefluous somewhere, we're completely unfocussed on the "Big Picture" in regards to the whole way all 'government' is financed. Because no matter how much "waste" is "cut", our taxes still continue to rise.

Maybe one day we'll collectively wake up. But I sure wouldn't want to bet on it with any of the after tax money I've got left!

Posted by: culturevulture on September 30 2009 11:41 AM

The Minister of Education really cares about what SD 57 has to say. Langley is 8 million in the hole. That is far more serious.

Posted by: Flash on September 30 2009 12:02 PM

Is there any chance of actually seeing the letter the board sent?

Thanks

Posted by: Harbinger on September 30 2009 1:24 PM

I have written letters to the government. They thanked me for writing. That was nice of them.

Posted by: dow7500 on September 30 2009 9:19 PM

Did I hear correct that these schoolboards are required to buy carbon credits? Anyone?

Posted by: supertech on September 30 2009 11:09 PM

Carbon credits? What a disgraceful scam!

Posted by: lunarguy on October 1 2009 8:18 AM

Yes they do and in our school district is is about $200,000 this year that has to be paid, back to the government ran carbon credit company.

Posted by: dow7500 on October 1 2009 9:54 PM

That has got to be the pinnacle of stupidity. Nailing a school for carbon credits and dictating a carbon neutral school system when revenues are collapsing and programs are not funded makes the NDP look good. What the hell is this government thinking?