bhutch, I like your post. Here is my new motto,  “If they are in, vote them out.” Get rid of all of them , city, county, State, and federal.

This reminds me of a phrase I once heard.  “When a fish starts to rot, what part starts stinking first?”  Well, the answer is, “the head!”  That’s what we’ve got here.  The head of this rotting fish is the school board administration and it smells too high heaven.  I would bet that there are better qualified and motivated “non-essential” employees that would and could do a better job at the Board, for less pay, than those “knot heads” we have there now! I can’t wait until election day when are voice will be heard and we, the people, remove a few non-essential employees.

One piece of vocabulary that really chaps my hide is “non-essential”. That is what the Board is calling the folks they are cutting…the teacher - non-essential; the bus driver - non-essential; the cafeteria worker - non-essential.

Now I have been teaching a long time…I can most assuredly tell you who is non-essential - folks who think they know what I should be doing, telling me how to do it better, and have not been in a classroom in YEARS. I challenge the Board, Supervisors, any of them to come walk in my shoes for just one day. You tell me, after that, I am non-essential to the lives of these kids and I will gladly take my walking papers.

Good Grief!  When are the “Fat Cats” ever going to stop punishing our children and those who work WITH our children because of the stupid acts the “Fat Cats” make?  I don’t have much faith in our country if there isn’t a major turnover at the next election.  As I’ve said before, “Start cutting at the top!”

ClayCity, the 1% sales tax was not my idea, it was presented as a resolution to this problem by the BOE; I won’t argue what type of tax is needed.  My point is that this is not an “overspending” issue; it stemmed from a massive shortfall of tax revenue.

As for cutting “expenditures”.  I don’t think anyone is in denial about that happening right now!  These expenditures just happen to be our family, friends, customers, neighbors, etc.  Guess you don’t know any “expenditures” that are losing their entire career, house, retirement, etc.

taxpayer, you dont seem to understand that when your revenue is down, you have to cut your expendentures. the people who are or would be paying the tax cant take it anymore, they are taxed out.

and again, sales tax is a regressive tax, it taxes those who can afford to pay the least the most. the only fair way, especailly for fairhopers among the commenters is a property tax. you need to read up on single tax theories if you are taking advantage of living there. thoswe advocating a sales tax want someone else to pay for thier own enrichment and benifit.

Sing it ‘taxpayer’.

I have said this before; the largest employer in Baldwin County laying off 20% of their workforce will hurt everyone in Baldwin a lot more than the 1% sales tax.  Everybody wants to blame a 56 Million dollar shortfall on a few overpaid people in the central office.  Are there some people who make more than they should?  Probably - but they are not making 56 Million more than they should.  This is a serious problem that was caused by a major reduction in tax revenue.  Now that your brothers, sisters, mothers, have all lost their jobs, you are waking up.  Should have voted for the sales tax and realized that 56 Million won’t come from getting rid of a few executives and their assistants.

these voo doo economics we all have been playing the last 20 or so years are coming home to roost. learn to hunt and farm! the sky is falling, medicare and s/s are next according to information i got at congressmans bonners meeting today. arent you glad we didint privatize socvial security like someone wanted a few years ago.

What is NOT being considered: The education of these kids. These are the children who will one day be in charge or working in our environment when we are the elderly. These kids will suffer. They will not get the education they need - will they be able to take care of us when we are too old to do so ourselves?

I can not for the life of me see why someone, somewhere is not stepping in and taking charge? If I could, I would go clean that house myself!