School District in Cahoots w/Park & Rec

Well, here's an interesting item I just discovered: The Swanton School District has routinely placed a levy on the ballot under their umbrella for the Swanton Park & Recreation system. It looks like this has been going on for several generations, and I'll lay you odds that the average voter doesn't realize that this particular 0.4-mil "recreation levy" is strictly for the park system and sports programs in Swanton, Ohio.

Those people go to great lengths to support their school system. Wonder what they'd think if they realized that $58K annually was being lost because of this set up? I seem to remember that district being in dire financial straits just a few years ago . . . I'll bet that $58,000 per year would have been real helpful.

I haven't found anyone who knows how the whole thing started, but don't you find it interesting that it has never been publicly challenged? Maybe the Public was blissfully unaware before now - but this week's Swanton Enterprise (the poor cousin to our Fulton Co. Expositor) had a front page article that included this tidbit of information.

Here's another thing. In these small towns, most folks are related either by blood or by marriage. Swanton is no exception. Old family names out there are very heavily represented in local politics. With this much cash being funneled through the school system to the parks, it sure makes you wonder just whose palm is getting greased by allowing the school district to lose out on so much money.

Why was this issue not addressed before they decided to implement an income tax on district residents? Oh the hue and cry of looming financial ruin back then! Bus routes eliminated! Programs slashed! Libraries closed! Tearful pleas to "save our school!" and signs popping up in yards like dandelions, begging voters to pass that income tax tevy OR ELSE !!

It sure was scary - but nary a word about the many thousands of dollars being funneled to the recreation system. Why was that??

I think former school board members, park board members, and others owe a huge explanation to their constituents - an explanation that gives the reasons it was necessary to cheat their school district out of $58,000 annually AND made it critical to pass an income tax levy to help make up the loss.

I'm In the Wrong Business

With sage nodding of heads and somber stroking of beards, a new study out of Michigan State University has declared that: (drumroll, please) HOUSEHOLDS WITH MULTIPLE OCCUPANTS SHARING UTILITIES USE LESS WATER AND ENERGY THAN HOUSEHOLDS WITH SINGLE OCCUPANTS !!

Actually, the paper itself spoke of married households versus divorced households. In a five-year cross-cultural study of 12 countries around the globe, the authors found that married households are more efficient with water, energy and land use.

I believe the appropriate response here should be: duh !!

The Washington Post, ABC, The Sun (UK), Queensland Courier-Mail, Hindustan Times, and many others have breathless articles discussing the findings of Jiangua “Jack” Liu, senior author of the study, and his associate Eunice Yu. Even Citizen Link of Focus on the Family had an article on the subject, gleefully proclaiming that God's directives on marriage are now somehow vindicated by these study results.

What I wanna know is: why is my tax money helping to pay for this? The study was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.

I mean, come on, people! What am I missing?? Was there a doubt that a married couple shared water and energy at a lesser rate than two individuals living separately?

Is this the best we can expect from our colleges, our government and the media?

Seriously. I'm in the wrong business, when there is money to be made producing "studies" such as this one.