I just don’t see how I can vote for a bond issue when the organization publishes a notice like this one:
I’m not against investing in our schools. The notice however tells us that we are not voting for a specific list of projects. Instead we are voting to give the school board money that they can spend any way they want.
We deserve better
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Perhaps, but there is a substantial list of projects for each campus on that website, below the screen clip you are highlighting. It is up to the well informed voters of the YISD to keep the Board of Trustees in check, and to make sure that the Bond accountability committee does it’s job.
I am sure bloggers such as yourself would make sure that any deviation from the plan would be highlighted.
If they do not keep their word, they are voted out. Correct? Isn’t that how democracy works?
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Deputy,
Wouldn’t we be better off if the district did not post the disclaimer but instead stated that they would build the projects as specified and if for some reason they could not they would return that portion of the money to us?
Why should we give them the benefit of the doubt when they are saying right up front that the list of projects is just a list of ideas and that they will do what they want with the money?
Democracy does not require us to be foolish.
Brutus
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“Democracy does not require us to be foolish.”
Perhaps, but democracy does allow the folks in YISD to elect new school board members that, next year, or 10 years from now, might see a need that is not currently present.
I think that that phraseology means essentially the plans of THIS school board may not be the plans of the school board 5, 10 or 15 years from now…
We saw that in EPISD, where a board of managers changed the bond monies for what they were intended for. Was that EPISD’s “fault?”
If a school board of people elected years from now change the game plan, I hardly think that “YISD” is to blame…
The list is for what the need is right now, today.
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We should not be voting for funds that will be used “5, 10 or 15 years from now”. Leaving a pot of money laying around in front of politicians is not a good idea in my book.
You are exactly right, things change.
Once again, I think that our schools need repairs. We should pay for that and then see to it that we are on a “pay as you go” basis.
The current students in our poorly maintained schools deserve better.
Brutus
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Unfortunately, the Texas Legislature made raising taxes nearly impossible for school districts, which would have been the traditional way to pay for things on an incremental basis. The only recourse that districts have now is to “go big” with these bonds, because asking for a bond every year is not a sustainable model.
The districts are stuck between a rock and a hard place because of the East Texas Tea-Party controlled ultra conservative legislature.
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I have the power to take the car keys away from my 16-year-old too, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to give him a Ferrari for his first car and wait to see if I can trust him to drive safely and take good care of it. If he wrecks the car and seriously injures or even kills himself or someone else, it’s a little late in the game to take away the keys.
Consider how much damage can be done before people can be voted out. Look how things turned out when people tried to keep Joyce Wilson and the previous city council in check. They simply moved to the back room and structured things to circumvent voters.
Consider the mess we now have with the quality of life bond projects.
It’s not so easy to clean up financial disasters created by government..
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Where’s the Like button? The reference to Wilson is perfect. We are stuck with the crap she and her cohorts pulled forever! I’m just glad I don’t live within the boundaries of the YISD.
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File a complaint with the SEC.
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