Tag Archives: Courier

Specific reasons to remove the sales tax

From the 10/30/2024 Courier:

People of Woodland Park School District: It is time for truth. It is time for actual, factual honesty. The current school board has caused over 40% of teachers and staff to leave the district in the last three years. It has just recently removed many or most benefits from the teachers currently employed, so likely more will leave unless that is rescinded. It has caused parents to transfer over 100 students to other schools. It has caused the NCAA to state twice that athletes from WP cannot receive scholarships because of the social studies “standard” (American Birthright) it adopted that the CO State Board of Education declared not worthy of adoption by any public school district. It has refused millions in grants for mental health services, and some have questioned whether they have violated federal mandates in regards to service for students with special needs. Yet to date, the SB has never provided full and transparent accounting for how and where it has spent the money from the tax revenue it was given.

The way to get that accountability is to take that tax money away at this time. Because you surely care about where your tax money is spent for the school district, it means VOTING YES on the ballot measure is essential so this SB has no access to that money until a fully transparent accounting occurs. The tax can be reinstated when that happens.

Some are saying, (disingenuously?), this action will hurt the students—but they and their parents have already been hurt as those who left demonstrates, and none of those speaking of hurt now said a word of concern as it happened. Those same folks say it will “hurt the teachers and staff” when they have already been devastatingly hurt as all who left demonstrates, and those remaining are still being hurt. When a school board’s leaders intentionally damages a school district it has not earned the trust of the voters in the district. Nor have they earned respect to be trusted to truthfully and transparently report the use of public tax money. Have they been hiding something, and if so, why? The City Council decision is likely the very last opportunity to know with any degree of certainty how that tax money was or will be spent. That is why this ballot measure exists.

So, again I say, for the greater good of all in the school district, VOTE YES on the ballot measure to remove the tax money from this school board. The people of the school district deserve truth and honesty, because truth with actual, factual honesty of how public tax money is spent is not a matter of perspective.

The above is the truthful opinion of this United Methodist Pastor, Retired.

Rodney Noel Saunders

10/30/2024 Letters to the Editor

From the 10/30/2024 Courier:

2A Retail TaxThe Merit BOE consistently puts in effort for their school and has been promoting the Woodland Park School Coalition. Meanwhile, the WPSD BOE and Ken Witt have been unresponsive. Parents have requested town halls, community meetings, and other forms of communication, yet no answers have been given. There is a lack of transparency around the allocation of the retail tax-how is it distributed? Is it based on enrollment, or is there a formula the district uses? The IGA mentions charters and contract schools but there is no clarity. Witt has only stated that nothing will happen with Gateway this year, but what are the districts plans? Are they considering bringing in more brick and mortar schools under ErBOCES or another management company? Are any of these contract schools online and if so, will our local taxes support students outside of our district?

Why have only the charter school and Charis been vocal in support of the retail tax that would allow for more contract schools? Why aren’t we hearing from parents across WPSD? A table was even set up at the Charis event on 10/18, and Charis students are being given class credit to campaign for 2A. This raises important questions : How many more contract schools can WPSD afford?

The community deserves transparency and clear answers from WPSD BOE and Ken Witt about the impact of these changes.

Jeralee Gonzalez, Woodland Park

A better way | Guest column

From the 10/23/2024 Courier:

In April 2016, I voted along with 1,362 Woodland Park citizens to approve the 1.09% increase in city sales taxes to support our school’s post-secondary preparation courses, innovative school programs, technology, staff salaries, and facility maintenance and improvements. At the time, the school district decided to keep the sales tax revenue in the unrestricted general fund instead of creating a separate fund to monitor the restrictions. That was acceptable when district leaders were trusted to make decisions that benefited all of our schools. In the past few years, however, decisions resulting in losses have deteriorated trust in the school board and superintendent. It was also not anticipated 8 1⁄2 years ago that the person deciding how our community sales tax revenue would be spent, Superintendent Ken Witt, wouldn’t even be a member of our community or county. My own conservative values cause me to question the superintendent’s intentions for our schools and whether they align with fiscally conservative principles and our community’s traditionally conservative values.

Love for our schools is one of our community’s strongest values, although some are implying that a vote to revoke the 1.09% sales tax means the voter doesn’t support our teachers or students. That implication assumes that the school sales tax agreement as it currently stands truly serves our students and teachers in the best possible way. I am an actively involved parent in multiple schools in our district, and I can attest that many of our teachers and students don’t feel the benefits of the sales tax the way they should.

If the sales tax is not being managed by trusted leaders and if it isn’t benefitting teachers and students as intended, is there a better way? Here are ideas of how our community can still support our schools, teachers and students if the current sales tax agreement is revoked.

• Rent out the empty Gateway Elementary building to generate revenue for the school district. In 2022, a Long-Range Facilities Master Plan survey asked what community partnerships our district could explore to help utilize unused space in our school buildings. Some suggestions were an Early Childhood Center or a Community Health Center. The most popular option was a Community College.

• Smaller sales tax for COP payments. The current sales tax revenue pays around $720,000 annually for the Certificate of Participation (COP) lease. A smaller sales tax increase could be voted on to cover just the lease payments, which would also be easier to monitor.

• Revamp the school sales tax. If there’s still support for the 1.09% sales tax for our schools, we could hold a new vote with more precise guidelines on fund allocation. For instance, we could allocate a specific percentage of the revenue for staff bonuses and another percentage for career prep courses.

Ultimately, trust in our school leadership is broken, prompting reevaluation. While the 1.09% sales tax was initially seen as a pathway to enhance our educational system, we must consider whether it still effectively serves its purpose.

Laura Gordon

10/23/2024 Letters to the Editor

From the 10/23/2024 Courier:

Need a tax diet

As a longtime resident of Woodland Park of 31 years, it seems to me all levels of government, City, County, State to include school districts never seem to have enough money. Property taxes have skyrocketed, so has auto and homeowners insurance, (if you can get it).

Look at your receipt when you leave the grocery store, check your utility and cable bill at the taxes and fees added on. Look at your property tax bill, we pay a county, city, RE-2 School tax, along with a Ute Pass Regional Health tax, along with some others. Now they want more.

This went on in California in the 1970s until Proposition 13 was passed. The government used scare tactics to try and fool voters into thinking essential services would disappear. Fortunately it didn’t work. It’s time for Government to go on a tax diet.

Bill Huffor Sr., Woodland Park

10/2/2024 Letters to the Editor

From the 10/2/2024 Courier:

The first step

I was asked many times as a totally independent mayoral candidate, what I thought about the 1.09% school sales tax. My consistent message; the city made a big mistake by putting the tax on the ballot in 2016 to be paid “forever”.

A majority of City Council got it right by voting to put this question on the November ballot.

Some issues are too important to be decided by only seven members of our community. If a city issue is large enough and impacts all of us, every registered voter should be given the opportunity to vote on that issue.

Now that it’s on the ballot, I’ve been asked many times, “How do you plan to vote”?

In discussions with a couple of voters recently, their position was; I don’t like the current school board, I don’t like anything to do with the American Birthright teachings, I don’t like Christian Nationalism in our schools, I don’t like wasting a tremendous amount of my money on an unqualified, part-time superintendent; however, I don’t want to hurt the teachers or the kids so I’m going to vote to keep the tax.

That vote will be a strong enabler, allowing the school board and the school administration, including Merit Academy, to take the money and do exactly what they have been doing.

Doing exactly what you don’t like.

This is the first and most important step to once again teach the school kids, Real American Values.

Vote YES to repeal the school tax.

Jerry Penland, Woodland Park

Fostering an important conversation

I recently came across a suggestion on a Facebook community page about how our school board and Superintendent Ken Witt can foster trust and collaboration with more of the community. The idea is simple: hosting opportunities for parents, teachers, and community members to meet directly with the board and superintendent to talk about the sales tax and other pressing issues. For some time many people have expressed frustration about a lack of communication, and something like this could be a big step toward healing those rifts.

Imagine the positive affect having involved parents facilitate these meetings – this would not only provide a space for important discussions, but could help bridge any divide between the board and the community. Unfortunately, it seems the author of this thoughtful idea reached out to the board and Mr. Witt about it, but got no response. This lack of engagement is disheartening and reflects poorly on our leadership’s commitment to really listening to everyone. Ignoring voices from the community—especially those who may have different opinions—will not serve the best interests of our students and families. I urge the school board to take this opportunity seriously. By reaching out to all families in WPSD, including critics, they can show their commitment to inclusivity and transparency. Open dialogue is essential for building trust and fostering a supportive educational environment for our children.

Shawn Maddox, Woodland Park

And from the previous week:

Open the books

I can understand the handwringing over this 2A thing. Imagine that. Schools need money. In my own conversations with people around town, it strikes me as odd that the same people who argue that “you can’t throw money at it” are turned around now and arguing the need for public school funding. Whiplash anyone?

I can go either way on this issue. I’ll pay the tax. I won’t pay the tax. I’ll figure it out. Objectively, I just want to do what’s right. Here’s a thought, put the issue to rest right now. Open the books on the PUBLIC school district. Let’s see what’s been going on. What’s the big deal? I’ve been listening to this board and its sycophants for years telling the community that everything’s on the up and up. If you’re above board, what are you so “frustrated” about Mr. Bates? I’m sure no laws have been broken, right? Ask around.

District staff has been smashed by fiscal oversight at all levels ever since Ms. Moore embezzled half a million in 2008. Why shouldn’t the district admin be treated any differently? I’m sure no one in the district office has their fingers in the till. Certainly, we’re not looking at malfeasance like that, right? It only took eight years to regain enough community trust to pass a tax bill benefitting the schools. We don’t need eight years this time, right? There’s nothing to see here. Come on dudes. Open the books. Help me vote no.”

Andrew Pappadakis, Woodland Park

What if it Were Your Student? | Guest column

From the 7/17/2024 Courier:

If the election’s over, why keep talking about the school board?

There’s been a high price paid—starting with the then-traitorous signatures on the Declaration of Independence, and later in blood — for us not only to vote, but manage the gift of elected leaders, our collective taxes.

Responding to a director’s question at the June BOE about bussing students to and from school, the superintendent reported transportation was completely state-reimbursed. This error prompted Colorado Open Records Agreement (CORA) requests from one citizen, who provided documentation to the superintendent. The superintendent admitted the error, restating his commitment to provide transportation to all district students. I wholeheartedly support this.

But there’s a catch.

Student transportation in 22-23 cost WPSD $1,230,940 (per CDE). The state reimbursed $238,137, collected transportation fees were $13,035 —leaving $979,768 to be covered by state-provided per-pupil funding. At the time, 1,677 attended our five traditional schools; the remaining 300 attended Merit Academy. (Merit was in the district, but transportation wasn’t offered.)

That nearly $1 million balance has been paid only from our district’s traditional-school per-pupil allotment. That’s $584/student, all students not just bussed students, from an amount also intended for building, administration, teacher salaries, the works.

But let’s watch our math. For the 23-24 year the district began including transportation for Merit–only asking fund participation of the $100/family asked of all bus-utilizing families. Their reasoning: Merit Academy’s transportation did not require an additional stop. But it will in 2024-2025.

To be clear, the traditional 1,422 students paid for the bussing of 1,820 students.

For 24-25, MA again will not be asked to pay their share of busing costs.

This year, traditional enrollment is projected to lower; MA is projected to be higher as they add preschool and 11th grade. Yet the nearly $1 million transportation costs will only be divided among educational funds for the traditional schools.

If MA paid their share of district bussing, the traditional schools gain at least $214,124.

Which would go a long way to paying teachers—and students—more of what they deserve. (What if that traditional student was your own?)

CORA-requested information shows leadership from MA pursuing their fair share of grant funding—suggesting even though budgets were set, they could be revised.

Should MA, in kind, pursue their share of transportation costs? Some argue, truthfully, that district schools receive funding that MA does not. Yet MA is eligible as well for grants and waivers unique to charter schools.

It’s but one example among many of preferential treatment of one school by a BOE that is charged with looking fairly to the interest of all students, all schools.

What is the honorable response from all parties? Should district costs be shared among all its beneficiaries? Should those continuing to present similar issues, finding themselves ignored, remain silent? Should traditional students’ blindly trust this Board?

But more importantly, how could we as a community come together with facts—indivisible, toward justice for all?

Carol Greenstreet

3/20/2024 Letters to the Editor

From the 3/20/2024 Courier:

Woodland Park School District’s fiscal exigency

On March 1, WPSD Superintendent Witt announced that Gateway will be closed next year without any prior communication to stakeholders and without a single school board discussion. Ken said “This is a fiscal exigency that we need to consolidate these three schools”.

Why is the superintendent declaring fiscal exigency instead of our school board?

When mid-year budget revisions were presented in January and February, why was there no mention of a financial crisis?

Why have the self-proclaimed ‘conservative’ school boards elected since November 2022, consciously chosen to engage in deficit spending for the last two years if we were facing financial crisis? (Note that between 2015 and 2022, the general fund budget had been more or less balanced year after year. During the 22/23 school year, we spent $3.2 million more than our revenue. During this 23/24 school year, we have budgeted to spend $2.1 million more than our revenue.)

Why did district administration just quietly spend a very large sum on a new elementary Language Arts curriculum, and discard 5 years of curriculum that was completely paid for (AND that was selected using a rigorous process, involving input from parents, teachers, administrators and community members)? The new curriculum was purchased without ANY stakeholder input and is what’s offered at Merit Academy. How is this offering families ‘choice’?

Fiscal exigency? Why did we give our superintendent a 9.7% raise, with promises of a 5% annual pay increase and potential bonuses?

This is painful to witness.

Khurshid Rogers, Woodland Park

Theology of arrogance | Guest column

From the 2/21/2024 Courier:

Values guide our lives, both individually and inside a community. Generally, we agree that “strong” values are a good thing and should be promoted. However, defining values is both nebulous and easily misconstrued. We often hear about conservative values, liberal values, Christian values, or secular values. The problem is no one person defines these labels the same. We each have different backgrounds, different life experiences and different families that help us define such terms. I believe that how we express these values is what is important, not how we define them.

I have been thinking about the value of arrogance and how it appears to be displayed in this community. When one person or small group believes they have the right or mandate to dictate how a whole community should look, behave, think and educate, then it becomes a value system of arrogance. And arrogance leads to power and lending to an attempt of dominance by a few. It also can promote the idea that “the means can justify the end”. Name calling and false accusations from the pulpit and on podcasts are only some methods used. In other words, it doesn’t matter how one acts or states their aforementioned values, as any means to get to the end goal is justified. How can this be?

I propose that such a value of arrogance comes from the lack of respect for others. Often this arrogance is given in the name of Christianity, whereby anyone who disagrees is considered evil and therefore must be overtaken and destroyed. One’s politics becomes one’s religion and vice versa. I was raised in a strongly conservative Republican and staunchly Christian home. I spent K-12 in a Christian School and went on to receive a Bachelors in Bible and Religion from an accredited Christian College. In all of those experiences, I was taught the value of diversity both in communities and thought. I was taught that political ideas could differ because that is American democracy, but we are still family. I was taught humility. I was taught “…. if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have no love, I am nothing.” And so now, in Woodland Park, I am considered evil and not worthy of respect and a place at the table because I think differently and have a different life from those who want dominion over this community. Which “Christian” value is this really representing?

Darlene Schmurr-Stewart

Letters to the Editor — Feb. 21, 2024

From the 2/21/2024 Courier:

Discussion is overdue

I write to express my support for the recent discussions within the Woodland Park City Council concerning the allocation of sales tax revenue within the school district. Trust in governmental entities handling tax dollars is a delicate matter, and this discussion is long overdue.

Budgets should reflect realistic expectations, and adherence to them is crucial. The Woodland Park School District revised its fiscal year budget on Feb. 14, after an earlier revision in January. They’ve made significant errors, including overestimation of appropriations, which were reduced from $40,779,649 to $37,513,556. Questionable accounting practices involved charging expenses to old grant accounts without corresponding revenue or budget. The federal COVID relief funds budget, initially at $858,241, mysteriously decreased to $542,157, resulting in an overdrawn account. The recent budget discussion concluded with the admission that further revisions might be necessary, as not all changes could be explained during the board meeting.

Amidst this financial uncertainty, it is disconcerting that the board awarded superintendent Ken Witt a new contract (which included a raise and an annual bonus) without conducting a performance review. Trust is earned, especially when it comes to managing public funds, and the school district has yet to instill confidence in its financial stewardship.

I commend the efforts of the Woodland Park City Council in holding the school district accountable for the responsible allocation of our sales tax money. It is imperative that the community remains vigilant and engaged in ensuring fiscal transparency and accountability within our local institutions.

Matt Gawlowski, Woodland Park

WP District’s Superintendent Ken Witt, runaway train | Guest column

From the 2/7/2024 Courier

On Jan. 17th, the Woodland Park School Board voted to extend district superintendent Ken Witt’s contract with a vote of 3 to 2. Why would they want to continue with a superintendent who has caused so much turmoil? Why would they give him a substantial raise even though he is still working part time? Why would they renew a contract without reviewing his performance, as set forth by board policy?

During Witt’s term here, there have been numerous protests. There were two student-led protests against his hiring. Then, parents lined the streets protesting Witt’s order to move sixth grade down to the elementary schools. Also, after the unconstitutional gag order, 81 teachers and staff wrote an open letter to the community pleading for better leadership. Just last month, numerous citizens wrote letters to the board and there was a petition with 300+ signatures begging for a superintendent search. This obviously fell on deaf ears. His contract was signed, regardless.

What a contract it is! The average salary for a superintendent of our district size is $132,000 (full time), per the Colorado Department of Education website. Witt is now making $170,000 per year (part time), with a monthly $500 car allowance (you need that when you travel from Monument) and guaranteed yearly raises of at least 5% plus bonuses. He received this raise without any performance review, which goes against policy. Could you imagine what those extra dollars could do for our teachers and SPED department? At this point, Witt is just pilfering district resources from us taxpayers.

Not only is Witt wasting dollars from taxpayers, he is creating a hostile work environment. Yes, there have been numerous lawsuits due to bad attorney advice or unethical behavior. However, what’s more alarming is how he speaks about our teachers and staff. During the coverage of the teachers speaking out, Witt said our teachers are “bent on fostering a hatred of America.” If you’ve met our teachers you know this isn’t true. Or the time he was asked about mental health and social service resources he said, “we’re not the department of mental health.“ There’s been numerous news interviews where he just hangs up or stares blankly, apparently pleading the 5th, when questioned. So why do we renew his contract?

Renewing Witt’s contract without a review is against long-standing board policy and much less, common business sense. When checked by Director Barkley, it appeared Witt has never had a formal review done since he was hired. A proper review would show that we aren’t being fiscally conservative, that employee retention is down, student enrollment is declining, and overall morale has diminished. As a community, we need to be questioning why these actions are happening at such a fast pace. Why do we have an incompetent outsider promoting an extremist culture war on our once tight-knit community? Why didn’t we perform a search for $11,000 rather than giving Witt a $15,000 raise? We must stop this runaway train called Witt.

Bridget Curran