the Controversial Committee Report
“We don’t raise sacred cows...we just butcher them.”
"The Lemming Scrum Song"
Lemmings Voting Yes on IISD Tax Ratification Election Support:
(Actual ballot proposition for TRE election below. Red = CCR)
"Approving the Ad Valorem Tax Rate of $1.575 per $100 valuation in the Irving ISD for the current year, a rate that is $0.13 higher per $100 valuation than the school district Rollback Tax Rate for the purpose of increased state funding."
A vote Yes on the TRE proposition would allow, without additional voter consent or further approval, the IISD board of trustees to increase the property tax rate to a total of $1.575. Changes could be made later to the M&O fund or the I/S fund.
Let’s look at the current and real numbers for this proposition:
Tax Rate Total M&O I/S
Present $1.445 $1.040 $0.405
District w/TRE* $1.445 $1.170 $0.275
"Yes" Ballot ActuallyApproves a Potential $1.575 Tax Rate
* What the IISD has stated, but has yet to approve for the 2016-17 effective tax rate.
Do you remember any IISD personnel or board member explaining, to you, that the new total effective IISD tax rate could be established as high as $1.57? This information was certainly not included in the "Penny Exchange" brochures flooding the city. And certainly, the IISD lemmings on FaceBook have not shared, if know, this information.
Well, dear readers, this will probably be the final report regarding the Irving ISD Tax Ratification Election. The election is Saturday, September 10, 2016, and early voting ends Tuesday, September 6, 2016.
This is the election where the IISD has dangled a "carrot" over a very pliable voting base, which stands to benefit, for a supposedly possible $10M in "free" State bucks. This was accomplished by plastering the city with the misnomered "Penny Exchange" brochures.
VOTE NO on the TRE. It should be that fast and simple. No spin.
If you have not voted, at least carve out a short amount of time Saturday to go VOTE NO on this tax rate proposition to ensure your IISD property tax rate doesn’t escalate beyond all the hype promoted and promised (remember, those were political promises) during the "non-campaigning" by Irving ISD lemmings.
And speaking about non-campaigning: Wow! Even though IISD personnel and board members couldn’t and shouldn’t electioneer, FaceBook postings, on an Irving page, were singing to the choir and making loud music and blistering comments for any postings which were not the ‘party line’ of those voting Yes.
The conductor, disseminating crafted talking-point pablum for those indicating a VOTE NO posting, had a plethora of IISD sites, info and videos at their disposal to pimp to these non-district non-indoctrinated lemming followers. It was apparent one leader of this vote Yes band probably had some really close ties, or was totally bound to the IISD by a musical cord. Very interesting as the tune played and lyrics sung were very well scripted.
Sadly, the information being shilled, by the anointed vote Yes FaceBook leaders, never fully examined all the ramifications of what this election could do to future IISD finances and tax rates. The only concern on their ‘side of the fence’ was the proposed benefits accrued and "promised" if the measure passed. District talking points were used as their means of passing along information.
Seriously, IISD talking points and the slick four-color "Penny Exchange" brochure comprised the weak reasoning and rationale to approve the TRE by the vote Yes contingency of lemmings.
And weak and non-detailed information certainly fit the bill for the IISD administration and board members. This allowed the district’s scrum of lemmings to lead potential voters over the financial cliff…no questions asked.
Regardless, staff of the CCR has attempted to inform dear readers of several potential pitfalls a vote Yes might incur. If you missed or were not forwarded the previous CCR reports, then go to the blog site ( controversialcommittee.blogsite.com ) and read:
08-17-16 Questions and Kool-Aid
08-22-16 No Sense for "Penny Exchange"
08-27-16 "Carrot" or Unbiased?
08-29-16 More Lipstick Needed?
Irving VOTE NO voters can take comfort in the fact Frisco voters defeated this same measure for their school district. The organization championing the VOTE NO delved into the district’s finances and realized their current property tax was more than sufficient for the district to meet their goals by providing tighter financial scrutiny and accountability.
Finally, the last straw in this vote Yes sham could be when you go to vote Saturday. The polling places will be at IISD schools.
Just remember, you’ll have to swim against the current of the lemming scrum of supporters, who will possibly be at the polls, wanting you to approve something they will be receive a direct benefit from.
And also remember, the lemming scrum of supporters will not be responsible for paying your higher IISD property taxes when the current board, or a future board increases the property tax rate due to the "Penny Exchange" farce perpetrated on Irving voters.
The cliff precipice is in front of you…don’t jump!
The cliff precipice is in front of you…don’t jump!
……………………………Mark Holbrook
