Spokane7
68°
March 24, 2011 in Washington Voices
Plan and timing of EV bond are bad
A group of East Valley School District residents is actively campaigning against the bond issue and proposed revisioning changes.
A Facebook page, “East Valley – Citizens for Accountable Education,” has been launched for people to air their opinions and raise awareness of the issues. Some have posted that people they know are looking for homes outside the district because of the plan. Other posters said they didn’t think it was right the district is going ahead with the reorganization even if the bond fails – a clear statement of voter disapproval.
Some have posted that they hear bad language when they visit the middle schools and worry about violent fights that take place between eighth-grade boys. Someone on Facebook stated they didn’t feel East Valley had the money to make the changes if the bond failed. Some state they feel the district isn’t doing enough to find ways to fix the existing problems in the buildings.
Art Tupper is a retired sixth-grade teacher and community member who has been speaking out against the re-visioning plan the past several months.
He has said in the past the buildings are in major need of an upgrade and opening the new K-8 schools would discourage voters from approving the bond. He also felt that putting younger students in proximity to older ones will expose them to drugs and alcohol at an earlier age.
“The current bullying and knife incident in the Coeur d’Alene middle school shows us that creating a PK-8 structure in East Valley introduces PK-5 students influences such as bullying, drugs and alcohol to our primary students,” he said.
He said he still feels the same way today, and is getting ready to launch a “no” campaign with help from the organization that campaigned against Central Valley’s and Mead’s school bonds last month.
“Our signs are coming soon,” Tupper said.
Tupper said the economy isn’t getting any better and increasing the tax rate in East Valley is a bad idea. He also doesn’t feel the district would receive the $32.5 million in matching funds from the state, given the news of the state’s budget woes.
“What bothers me is that in face of the bad losses in Central Valley and Mead, they went ahead and put the East Valley bond on the ballot.”
He said he has voted in favor of bonds in the past, but can’t do it this time.
“I don’t think the voters expect to pay for the construction of 40 new classrooms and four costly gyms during hard economic times,” Tupper said. “Truly, we just don’t have the money to pay for the district’s needless wants.”
Genesis Church finds new home 
DeeDee_Loberg on March 24 at 9:06 a.m.
Sounds like Mr. Tupper wants people out-side of his district to influence the decisions concerning his district. What about local control of local issues?
mike90 on March 24 at 12:23 p.m.
There is a lot of “someone said” in this article. I would recommend folks go to ev4education.net and get the facts. With the state match and low interest rates on bonds and low construction costs, now is the perfect time to pass a bond! Our schools need to be ravamped!!! Vote Yes for Kids!!!
rjr8806 on March 24 at 9:10 p.m.
Voters might also want to consider the positive economic impact that passage of the bond will have on our local economy. The state has never not met a matching fund obligation. As patrons we have paid state taxes for years and now we have the opportunity to bring those dollars home. Very few times will a bond run where we essentially get 1 dollar back for each dollar we spend. Consider the living wage construction jobs that will be created. Those dollars will be multiplied many times over creating even more jobs for families in our district. Our children and our grandchildren will thank us for putting the facilities that house our students from prek-8th grade back on a new 30 year platform.
The revisioning and bond proposal are solid plans that will address many of the shortfalls in our district. There is a wealth of information that is available for voters to review at both the district web site and www.ev4education.net
As Mike90 points out, there is not a better time to make the investment in the infrastructure within our district. Intrest rates are low, contractors have sharp pencils and the jobs that will be generated will help countless families. Vote yes for our kids and all the members of our community.
reservedparking on March 25 at 2:46 p.m.
Oh, great. Duane Alton is going to stick his nose in somebody else’s business again….
whatzup on April 15 at 11:40 a.m.
I have read in another article by Lisa L. that Mr. Tupper worked with D. Alton and his crew in defeating Mead and CV. In January at a EVSD board meeting, according to the article by Lisa L. Mr Tupper was already working w/ Mr Alton against CV and Mead, Mr Tupper said he would “win” by defeating this bond despite knowing that our schools buildings really needed the work that Mr Glenewinkel had stated needed to be done.
In that same board meeting Mr Tupper presented to the people that attended and stated his main concern was drugs in school. He has made the same statement in this and other articles. Yet I have not found one person that works with our drug free youth and/or in our schools that even knows of any effort that Mr Tupper has done to help with drug prevention. I do know that it is a FACT that East Valley has the LARGEST DRUG FREE YOUTH GROUP in the state of WA. (also written up in the Spokesman review) I understand that he has not been a part in this group in any way EVER! Really.. about the kids?? … about drug prevention??
It seems very odd to me that Mr. Tupper has the time, energy and money to fight against not only EV but all the schools in the area, Mead, CV and now even Orchard Prairie but does not have the time, energy and money to defeat what he has stated he is so passionate about; Drugs in schools.
What is he really fighting for? NO NO NO more taxes?! Taxes are how teachers are paid, including how Mr. Tupper was paid and taxes are what funds his pension. Yet, the group Mr Tupper stands with so PROUDLY, Citizens for responsible taxation, is against:
1) ALL TAXES for Schools.
2) Teacher unions, Teachers and Administrators pay.
3) Most of all TAXES.
This group is anything but responsible. Their facts are NOT accurate. They distort, embellish and misrepresent almost EVERYTHING they print. (They did get the $33.75 Mil right) I do not call that responsible. And for the kids… Really?? What a JOKE! And NOT a funny one.