I was anticipating this School District would use Sandy Hook as a fundraiser.

Where is the bulk of the proposed $76M bond money going? The article mentions $38M towards "other projects" but fails to give any support of what this money would be used for! However, the article spends ample time discussing needs that residents would support like building and grounds maintenance ($21.8M), computers ($12M), and security ($600k), but these only account for half of the $76M!

Reading the article, I was blinded by all the good the bond money could be used for, but then blindsided by the unexplained $38M mystery "other projects" category!

Only 76 Million? Every one is asking for more and somehow as my home valuation goes down, my taxes are going up! It needs to be stopped somewhere. Those of us actually paying taxes are getting hit in every direction!!

This ballot proposal is DOA as my vote goes. However, I vote a resounding YES to reducing the salaries and bennies , by at least HALF, for the school board.

Building brick and mortar infrastructure in the Internet age is not getting ahead of the curve. Thought has to be given how to educate children better with LESS infrastructure and worthless building that always seem to need repairs and "renovation." Say "NO" to this expenditure and let the tax rate DROP and force the Board of Education to think out of the box WITHOUT always repairing buildings that are really nothing but dinosaurs. Get high school students telecommuting, open internet lectures...put money into that technology and you will find support.

Let Henry Ford, MI be a leader - figure it out.

I asked this question once before - Is there any word on when the schools will announce their final decision on whether or not they will be moving their offices into the new city hall? It would be nice to get a final answer before the election. Are the schools actually looking into the possibility of moving right now?

It is my understanding that the schools are not looking into moving the ASC to the "new City Hall" right now. That doesn't mean they won't look at it in the future but for now it's been tabled. Also, if you want to take money away from the school board, do you have any idea how much they make a year?? Per the League of Women Voters of Dearborn-Dearborn Heights, in their 2013 Who's Who Elected Officials guide, the school board makes a whopping $9274 a YEAR!! If you cut that in half, that half wouldn't pay much of anything. School Board trustees make little money for the work they do. there are plenty of elected officials who DO make too much money but school board isn't in that group. If this doesn't change what we are already paying out of pocket now for our taxes, I'd be ok with it if I could also see a better breakdown of that $38M that is mentioned.

How is the bond issue going to specifically improve education in Dearborn. Let's start improving by eliminating English as a second language classes. Welcome to America, now speak the language.

Dearborn residents are very generous. Since moving here around twenty years ago, I can't remember a "no vote" on anything where money is asked for. If I am incorrect about any of these, please let Pach know. Here is a list: HFCC, yes; Detroit Zoo, yes; DIA, yes; Dearborn police and fire, yes; school millages,yes; City of Deaborn, yes. We need more information on how the 76 million dollars will be spent. I also believe that most, if not all, Dearborn residents pay their property taxes, not like Detroit.

It's interesting that the Communications guy is leading the Bond discussion, not the Finance guy. Dave M. is a nice guy and great supporter of our public schools, but he's no accounting or budget whiz. I don't think we'd be seeing this if Bob Cipriano was still here to speak up for and protect Dearborn taxpayers from more spending financed by yet another millage proposal. Also, seems some members of our school board prefer to make decisions based on "pols" rather than communicating directly with taxpayers.

I'm still curious where those millions of dollars from the state lottery are going. I have never seen a breakdown of the money that was supposed to go to Michigan schools. I'm also sick and tired of these millages and bonds everytime I think I can afford to go on living on a fixed income.

the lottery money has been discussed at length before but I'm trying to remember if I saw a breakdown at Wayne RESA. Try looking on their website for more information. resa.net I can recall that "all of that lottery money" isn't actually that much. And in public education, it's just a small portion of what we get back from the State.

Looking into ways to better utilize the facilities already available should be a top priority. There are plenty of classes running with less than 15 students in many of the high schools. There are plenty of teachers who teach only 2-3 classes each day because they are in good standing with administration. There are also numerous administrators and quasi administrators roaming around every school and the central offices. Look at the empty Michael Berry Center as an example of where the bond money went the last time. This center took programs out of the regular high school placed them on another site, spent tons of money of infrastructure and technology, but has to recruit students to get them to attend the facility because it makes no sense for a high school student to lose time getting bused back and forth between their home school and MBC/DCMST. Additionally, if DPS can show how they addressed the concerns outlined in Plante & Moran Audit from 5 years ago, then they may have a little credit when asking for bond money. Believe me, there is a lot of fat and short sightedness in the budget 76 million is really outlandish.

OK, $3,600,000 for 30 new buses. Why? How many miles are on the current buses? That works out to $150,000/bus! Well, I can direct you to a site where you can get buses that are less than 4-5 years old with pretty low mileage for a diesel bus. Try this link: http://www.hoglundbus.com/SchoolBus/UsedSchoolBusInventory.aspx.
Try to figure out how to NOT use buses. Develop parent ride shares and develop standardized routes and let the kids walk a little and get their body fat to a BMI of 25. And why can't the current buses be maintained and repaired...why new ones? Let some other school district somewhere take the first three years' of depreciation..

With so many rental properties now here in Dearborn ........I do not feel this is Fair ..when you have nearly a quarter of the students now attending the school district with no Invested interest...leaving the Tax payers to flip the bill ....I say no and I pulled my Granddaughter out of the public school system here after 20 yrs of having my kids in Dearborn schools.........I am on the verge of getting my taxes amended some how even if its a fight to the supreme courts we have many moms now who home school who feel we shouldn't be paying any school taxes anymore ..I do not feel I should be paying for any school tax being that I have no children attending any public schools, this is now a growing trend with home schooling on a Rise. with all the changes in our schools with Same sex dating and groups in the high schools here and Birth Control and Abortion issues and History books being changed without the consent of the parents and Lunches that are frozen and processed ....and so much more ....I say NO.......

Regarding the Dearborn Public Schools moving their offices into the Dearborn Administrative Center (the new city hall) - in an article in the Press & Guide on 3/3/13 in an article regarding Artspace it stated, "City and Dearborn Public Schools officials have talked about the district's administration moving into the Dearborn Administrative Center too, but it hasn't been formally decided."

To me this says it hasn't been decided one way or another. I personally would like to hear what the final answer is regarding the move before voting on this bond issue. I would like to know if any of this money will be used for the move and the subsequent renovations to Ten Eyck to turn it back into a school.

I also imagine with the city going forward with the move beginning this summer, they will want a final answer so if DPS is not moving in they can fill the empty space on the second floor with another entity.

I believe it's wise to remember that good schools make good neighborhoods. In order to not let this city get sucked into a neighboring city's troubles, meaning the dreaded voucher system, all tax payers must pay as long as the additional money is justified. Linda, please remember tax payers without school aged children or no children at all paid tax when your children were in school! I think it unwise to suggest not paying school tax because you no longer have children in the district.

Let the people see line by line what the money is going for. Then let the people decide which items they don't want and with the final list, let the people decide how to attain those demands by doing the work themselves, finding rational alternatives or if all else fails, let them get the bond money. But Include a new Seashore Pool and change the name of the town to Henry Ford, Michigan, "The Automotive Tourist Attraction of the World."

Do a test-ask 1,000 residents what or who is "Dearborn" named after and I bet 900 won't know [or care]. Now try that with Henry Ford, MI.

Axxel, Do the same test with the city of Rome, Italy, and it means nothing, Rome is famous for being Rome, and Dearborn is famous for being Dearborn, home of Henry Ford. Folk don't care what a city is named after, they care about the City, like we care about Dearborn, and why our School Supt Whiston, (paid $216 K per year $1000 per day) wants to spend without due diligence. We, as taxpayers, have to provide that over sight, so , when is the next opportunity for us to vocalize that fact? You can bet dollars to donuts that they are not reading these forums. They need feedback by more direct means. Whiston is following basis scam 101, rush the issue to a vote without discussion, and hope most voters yawn and say 'yes', its for our kids. We need to explore other avenues, and, much as I hate to admit it, do what Detroit is doing, examine all expenditures closely. Regarding expenditiures, I have mentioned and questioned the reasoning as to why we are still paying bonuses to employees? The ones getting the bonuses are also the decision makers. End result. Table the issue. Let's hope Pamela Adams (she does not get paid $1000 per day) follows through with a public study forum so voices can be heard on this bond issue, and that means us. Her email is
adamsp@dearborn.k12.mi.us Let's give her some suggestions. Agreed??

I will respectfully disagree. "Dearborn" has nothing to do historically with Henry Ford, Michigan. Zero. Henry Ford...well, now there is a dude, a favorite son...important without question. With defects, of course like us all. The rest of your commentary, I love. Henry Ford, Michigan, "The Automotive Tourist Capitol of the World." Be something. Be what you are.