Comments on: California’s school district budget woes could worsen if tax idea fails

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:34:17 +0000

I think Board members are allowed to make public comment in advance about agenda items.

By: Theresa Harrington

Theresa Harrington — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:24:54 +0000

Dr. J: I believe Tuesday is the first opportunity for board members to publicly weigh in on the proposal.
Also, Hansen has posted the draft on her Website at http://www.cherylhansenmdusd.com/Activities_QCOL.html

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:42:16 +0000

Have Gary Eberhart or Linda Mayo taken a public position on the Strategic Planning offered by Cheryl Hansen and Sherry Whitmarsh ?

By: anonamom

anonamom — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 18:09:21 +0000

One questionable item on the Agenda:

12.1 District Organizations – At regular Board meetings, a single spokesperson of each recognized district organization may make a brief presentation following the Consent Agenda. Items are limited to those which are informational.

Am I reading it wrong or could this be construed as restriction of free speech?

By: anonamom

anonamom — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:54:13 +0000

Cheryl and Sherry, please don’t let your hard work become just more rhetoric.

Unfortunately, in the many uses of the reference to “community” many of us are feeling you should have said “communities south of Willow Pass Rd.” – SAD!

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:55:30 +0000

Sherry and Cheryl,
Thank you for taking the first step forward in the process. I am so happy to see the outline. I think it is great.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 15:52:12 +0000

A ray of sunlight through the dark clouds of MDUSD: Agenda item 14.11 “Strategic Planning” a draft time table and plan outline by Cheryl Hansen and Sherry Whitmarsh. Maybe even a rainbow might be on the horizon. I’m thinking a pot of gold might be too much to ask.

By: Diane Lily

Diane Lily — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:16:28 +0000

Tom Torlakson should be ashamed of himself touting the Governor’s tax increase like that with scare tactics. If one reads the current tax initiative proposal one sees that education is left out of it for any decreases. The Ca. TEachers’ Assn has made a deal with the Governor, according to insider news – the CTA will provide generous amounts of funding to underwrite the Governor’s ballot tax initiative if Brown leaves the schools out of it.

By: Doctor J

Doctor J — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 17:42:48 +0000

I think Torlakson is withholding the graduation rates to protect MDUSD, and others, from being named “Program Improvement” districts and harm the vote that might happen in June.

By: Jim

Jim — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:25:12 +0000

Can MDUSD sell the rest of their solar bonds, if the district receives a “qualified” financial rating? It seems a bit far-fetched to me that investors would buy bonds from a district that is at risk of being taken over by the state. Maybe if the interest rate rises to “junk” levels, investors will be willing to take a chance on lending the money and getting it back 40 years from now. But what does that do to the financial projections if rates are higher than anticipated?