Galileo Galilei
03-31-2009, 12:37 PM
Ron Paul of Wisconsin Fights Government Waste!
Candidates square off for Fox Lake seat on School Board
By Colleen Kottke • The Reporter ckottke@fdlreporter.com • March 31, 2009
The loss of the elementary school in Fox Lake following the failed $4.9 million schools referendum has spurred Ron Paul to challenge incumbent Percy Harper for a seat on the Waupun Area School Board. Both Paul and Harper are vying for the Fox Lake seat in the upcoming April 7 election.
Percy Harper, 51, Fox Lake
Has one son and is retired/disabled
Harper has served on the Waupun Area School Board for the last six years and serves as an alderman on the Fox Lake Common Council, a post he has held for six years.
Ron Paul, 65, town of Fox Lake
Married to Kathleen and has two grown sons.
Worked for the Department of Corrections for 21 years and left to become chief of enforcement in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Has also held the position of administrative law judge for six years in corrections and served on the town board of Fox Lake.
Why am I the best candidate for the job?
Harper: I have been an advocate for the children for the last six years. I do not have a personal agenda and will do my best to work with all parties involved. I am always available to answer all questions and try my best.
Paul: I am running because the school district cannot live within its budget and because the Waupun district is closing the Fox Lake school. If elected I will keep my constituents informed and vote their interests.
In light of present school funding and impending budget deficits, how can the school district maintain quality education while living within its budget?
Harper: We have to watch our tax monies very carefully. In addition, we have to bargain with the unions as smartly and as strongly as we can under the laws in Wisconsin. We still have to make cuts in the future and pool our resources: money, teachers, administrators and mostly the public and our students in order to make the best decisions for our children's education and future. I think having some students on the School Board as non-voting representatives would be a good idea.
Paul: The district can maintain quality education by closing and selling the Education Service Center and moving the employees into the middle or high school. Buses can be reduced in size to more fully utilize the vehicle. The School Board can encourage their state representatives to pass Gov. Doyle's budget, which requires the board to use state insurance that is cheaper and would save the district $270,000. I would also work to cut the tremendous waste in schools by talking with employees performing the work to obtain cost-cutting ideas.
Are you in favor of or opposed to the School Board's March 16 decision in regards to cuts to reduce the $1 million-plus budget deficit following the failed referendum? Why or why not?
Harper: I was opposed to the closing of schools. I would like to have seen maybe three different plans laid out before the board. Even though I voted "no," I still respect the School Board's vote and will still try and do my best for all children — something a good board member does.
Paul: I was opposed to the School Board's decision to close the two outlying schools. If you ran a business, could you afford to alienate one-third of your customers and stay in business? The board had only one plan and didn't want to negotiate or listen to the people that pay the bills. The School Board did not have a five- or 10-year plan and should have had at least three alternatives to balance the budget.
As a board member, I would try to convince the board that a settlement with all areas in the district would be much better in the long run. If the district loses property due to detachment, the remaining property owner's taxes will drastically increase because the cost of operation will not change.
http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090331/FON0101/903310448/1289/FON01
Candidates square off for Fox Lake seat on School Board
By Colleen Kottke • The Reporter ckottke@fdlreporter.com • March 31, 2009
The loss of the elementary school in Fox Lake following the failed $4.9 million schools referendum has spurred Ron Paul to challenge incumbent Percy Harper for a seat on the Waupun Area School Board. Both Paul and Harper are vying for the Fox Lake seat in the upcoming April 7 election.
Percy Harper, 51, Fox Lake
Has one son and is retired/disabled
Harper has served on the Waupun Area School Board for the last six years and serves as an alderman on the Fox Lake Common Council, a post he has held for six years.
Ron Paul, 65, town of Fox Lake
Married to Kathleen and has two grown sons.
Worked for the Department of Corrections for 21 years and left to become chief of enforcement in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Has also held the position of administrative law judge for six years in corrections and served on the town board of Fox Lake.
Why am I the best candidate for the job?
Harper: I have been an advocate for the children for the last six years. I do not have a personal agenda and will do my best to work with all parties involved. I am always available to answer all questions and try my best.
Paul: I am running because the school district cannot live within its budget and because the Waupun district is closing the Fox Lake school. If elected I will keep my constituents informed and vote their interests.
In light of present school funding and impending budget deficits, how can the school district maintain quality education while living within its budget?
Harper: We have to watch our tax monies very carefully. In addition, we have to bargain with the unions as smartly and as strongly as we can under the laws in Wisconsin. We still have to make cuts in the future and pool our resources: money, teachers, administrators and mostly the public and our students in order to make the best decisions for our children's education and future. I think having some students on the School Board as non-voting representatives would be a good idea.
Paul: The district can maintain quality education by closing and selling the Education Service Center and moving the employees into the middle or high school. Buses can be reduced in size to more fully utilize the vehicle. The School Board can encourage their state representatives to pass Gov. Doyle's budget, which requires the board to use state insurance that is cheaper and would save the district $270,000. I would also work to cut the tremendous waste in schools by talking with employees performing the work to obtain cost-cutting ideas.
Are you in favor of or opposed to the School Board's March 16 decision in regards to cuts to reduce the $1 million-plus budget deficit following the failed referendum? Why or why not?
Harper: I was opposed to the closing of schools. I would like to have seen maybe three different plans laid out before the board. Even though I voted "no," I still respect the School Board's vote and will still try and do my best for all children — something a good board member does.
Paul: I was opposed to the School Board's decision to close the two outlying schools. If you ran a business, could you afford to alienate one-third of your customers and stay in business? The board had only one plan and didn't want to negotiate or listen to the people that pay the bills. The School Board did not have a five- or 10-year plan and should have had at least three alternatives to balance the budget.
As a board member, I would try to convince the board that a settlement with all areas in the district would be much better in the long run. If the district loses property due to detachment, the remaining property owner's taxes will drastically increase because the cost of operation will not change.
http://www.fdlreporter.com/article/20090331/FON0101/903310448/1289/FON01