Eliminate extra programs
We must go back to educational programs only in our school system. By eliminating all extra programs and sports we could save tens of thousands of dollars. Boys’ football, boys’ basketball and band only are all we need, period. This policy will also end referendum after referendum that taxpayers cannot afford.
Think about the families
I agree with the person regarding early-outs on Fridays. I’ve thought that so many times. Why is it in the middle of the week? Why not on a Friday so that families can go on a little short vacation or visit relatives? With all the school activities that put a crunch on family life, I think the school should do this for families.
Interesting practice, Dispatch
Why is it when a teacher is involved in an accident or mishap or something, their occupation is prominently displayed in the Dispatch? I can’t recall other accident victims having their occupation listed in the paper. Seems like an interesting practice on the part of the Dispatch.
Editor’s note: Interesting question, too. “Teacher” becomes part of the headline because of the number of people who know teachers in the community and we figure readers want to be informed when something happens to people they know.
Forecast?
Why does Brainerd get the forecast but never the forecast the forecast forecasts?
Apartment buildings need closer look
It’s about time that Brainerd takes a real good look at the apartment buildings because some of them just do the bare minimum to pass inspection and they need a more thorough investigation.
Thank you
I would like to thank the lady who found my birthstone ring at the BN Credit Union annual meeting. I called Mark Prince when I got home and told him I had lost it and he said he already had it. A lady had turned it in before leaving the meeting. I had my ring back the following Monday. Thanks again, ma’am.
Thanks for the help
I wanted to thank the employees and patrons of Mills Fleet Farm and to the ambulance team for helping out during a medical emergency on Friday night. One of you called 911 within seconds and at least three first responders came to help within two minutes. In addition, at least two others prayed over my daughter during this time. Our family is truly thankful for everyone who helped that night!
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Comments (30)
Add comment"eliminate all extra programs
"eliminate all extra programs and sports ... keep boys football and basketball and band."
Makes perfect sense.
Keep boys football and boys basketball ...
And keep those girls in the kitchen, right? [eye roll]
Hannah
Makes perfect sense.
cut all the extras
Really? The dispatch should have cut your comments.
cut the extras....
how about cutting the administrative salaries and allowances, no they won't speak of such nonsense, they could save hundreds of thousands by lowering administrative pay compensations and allowances, if they realy cared about about the kids they teach and mentor every day, they would show some semblence of acknowledging that they're all over compensated, its a tough call but hard times are here and they too need to give up some of their luxuries....leave the programs that enrichen our childrens future alone and replace the ones that have been cut in the past few years, reign in needless spending and posh items directed for administrative uses. oh yea and what about all the school vehicles i've seen driving around on the weekends to the store or the mall, etc... who's paying for the gas and payments and insurance on those vehicles and why are they for personal use?
Football, Basketball and Band
Hey! The 1950's called and they want you back!
Time for tough decisions including cutting salaries
I have to agree with chap here. It is time for salaries and benefits to be cut. Many private industries in the area have had to make those cuts - starting at the top. The money is just not available and if the administrators, teachers and staff don't realize that, they should try and find a job in the private sector. And don't tell me that aren't other areas that can't be cut. Ask a family that is living on a budget and they can probably tell you 100 different areas where money can be saved - whether that is turning down the thermostat one degree, getting rid of excessive phone lines, lowering (or eliminating) mileage allowance, there are plenty of ways that money can be saved.
Does the county still waste
Does the county still waste electricity by leaving the lights on all weekend?
Unions,.!?
I've had union jobs in the past, didn't help all that much, they did take some of my money every paycheck though.
i've seen many people loose decent paying jobs both union and non-union in the past 10 years, wether union or not today its not easy to find a decent paying anything, especially in the lakes areas. i understand buiseness owners need to make a buck or two, but i've seen so many that belittle their employees and lay off some to hire different people at lower wages so they can keep more profit for themselves, this has gone on for quite some time now, and i guess we are all seeing the ramafications of less pay for the majority, its killing not just the economy but families stability. the wealthy seem to be fairing the economic storm ok, i guess its easy to save enough when you undercut your employees. its hard to believe but you can't just go somewhere that pays a little better in this area, cause pretty much all the buisiness owners are on the chambers band wagon of lowering labor costs at the expense of the workers and the workers families future. well when enough of them loose their buisiness's cause no one can afford to spend money on anything but food and gas maybe we'll see a change, but i doubt it will happen anytime soon.
average price of a silverado midrange prices
1996, $16,000
2011, $30,000
Thank you unions. I am glad for every 7 paid employees we have 3 people watching 4 people building on every line for GM. And that is facts from a GM white collar.
Now think about all the car parts manufacturing that were moved over seas because of unions. And yes it was because of unions because I know 19 people lost jobs because of shipping parts building jobs to China.
3 million less union jobs now than in 1980 when 20.1% of the population had union jobs. If unions would be about the people, we would still have 20.1% of the jobs union in this country. We would should have several million more jobs shouldnt we?
So my question is, who really failed? The greedy corporations, or the unions that seem to want to bankrupt us and remove all jobs from the United States?
But I am nuts right?
You just said that unions
You just said that unions have declined.
In the meantime the wealthiest 1% have gone from owning 9% of the US wealth to 24%. Much of that wealth has been moved to other countries to create jobs that compete with American workers.
How can you smaller unions bankrupted the US and ignore the accumulation of another 15% of the nations wealth in the hands of the top 1%?
Ponder
Ponder this.
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-cha...
ponder this
why would I read a leftist based piece of garbage? Please get an independent source for a change, it would shock me
My question to you fish is, how many people do the top 1% employ? Bet you cant answer that.
And I found a website that said that the top 1% had 34% so please figure it out, lmao
the stock owners still want their dividends
I know I still want dividends from the stock I own. And if that means removing union workers or losing my money in the form of bankruptcy because the unions are greedy, then I say disband the unions so I can keep my money, and guess what fishycakes, I am not part of the top 1%, actually I am not in the top 50%. But I am greedy wanting my retirement to be a bit more than frugal.
If it's all about the kids...
then why is the explanation to cut programs that the "kids" take an active role in?
A little about Motherjones.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Jones_(magazine)
Fish source
and as usual it's completely un-bias. However in all fairness to Fish I don't think you could ever find an unbias news source, on either side, anymore.
I don't see a single person
I don't see a single person disputing the statistics in those charts. In fact I'd be surprised if any of you even looked at them.
A few years ago the accumulated wealth of the top 400 Americans was $1,250,000,000. That's 1 1/4 TRILLION DOLLARS in the hands of just 400 Americans. One of them is under investigation for insider trading so he might lose his place on the list. I won't post a link because people will focus on the link like it's a shiny christmas ornament but Google Forbes 400 richest Americans.
You simply cannot take that much money out of the pockets of working class Americans and expect the economy to continue growing.
Fish
So what's your proposal on how to take it from them?
Yes, let's hear it, Fish.
Yes, let's hear it, Fish. "Take" being the key word.
Let's start with Bill Gates and Buffet. They are giving it all away on worthless causes, along with about 100 others, I heard at last count. Please explain to us how that money would be better spent being "redistrubuted" by the gov't.
Fish
In your opinion, should the union reconsider?
"The Milwaukee teachers union has dropped a lawsuit seeking to keep V*i*a*g*r*a coverage in its health insurance plans, a spokesman for the organization confirmed Monday," reports Milwaukee's Journal Sentinel:
disputing the statistics
Fish, the numbers don't lie. The very pretty colorful pictures do represent actual numbers.
While the numbers can't be disputed, your understanding of them can be. Do you know what the numbers are or what they represent? Unlikely. I would wager (only at tribal casinos though) that you just see shiny.
According to your pictures an individual who pulls $50,000 out of a Roth IRA, receives $20,000 from Social Security and another $30,000 from their railroad pension made $-0-
So the numbers are correct, but they are being presented dishonestly.
llr, a good start would be
llr, a good start would be to tax them at the payroll tax rate.
If they aren't taxed then working class Americans will be to make up the difference. Who benefited more from our economy?
Enlighten me John Brown
Why don't you point out how the statistics are misleading?
I'll admit that I could stand to learn more about stats.
Take a class, Fish. Learn
Take a class, Fish. Learn about "Rule in", Rule out", variables, etc...
Fish,
You know that the top 1% of taxpayers pay 40% of all federal income tax collected. So you are proposing to increase their effective tax rate by about 10%. Tell me how exactly will that money be put in the pocket of middle americans? Are you suggesting that the you believe that by making the rich poorer that you will help the economy?
Making the rich richer has
Making the rich richer has hurt the economy so the opposite should be true. It's not as if they haven't disproportionally benefited by living in this country.
Fish,
Thomas Jefferson said:
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."
and
"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have."
Fish's idea of "the wealthy"
Fish's idea of "the wealthy" is anyone who makes more than he does. And anybody who he considers wealthy needs to be punished. It's really not about anything else. It's just about getting "stuff" from someone else.
you need to be smart to make that money
What do all the rich people in the world have over me, its simple, they are way smarter than me and way more business wise.
We all had the opportunity to be a Bill Gates, however fish, you and I are not smart enough to figure out what our "computer" is to make that money.