I did read the Big (and very expensive) ad in the Friday RRN (10/18/13), Paid for by the “Vote Yes” group regarding the Override of school district current spending limit where the YES folks say: “2013-2014 enrollment dropped after Override failed to pass in November 2012″ …………………… HUH?

Call me crazy but how did a failed Override cause enrollment to DROP????

Then the current big ad goes on to say:” The Budget Increase Override pays teacher and staff salaries to “teach “enhanced subjects such as art, music, SOCIAL STUDIES, U.S. HISTORY, foreign languages, advanced courses, P.E and more, as well as keeping our schools healthy and safe.”

Call me crazy but I am not dead and do remember my curriculum and that of my children and all those (now called “enhanced subjects”) were regular parts of our education’s.

Have you seen the little kids marching to play to our hearts on sidewalks in Sedona and in the Village? Have you seen the Superintendent of the School district out on the streets with the sign carriers? I have and find it despicable as well as disfunctional!

Sorry but My heart strings are not twanged by the sweet children standing on a street corner as they have no real understanding as to why they are there – they are just being USED.

My heart strings are twanged by a school district who is supposed to be dedicated to a level of higher accountable education levels and financial responsibility that STANDS on its own merits and doesn’t parade little kids on the highway….and doesn’t drop money down the Rabbit Hole for a Performing Arts Center..or what ever they call that losing drain of a bad, very bad, decision.

A NO VOTE will cause this group, who just feel entitled, to actually get their business plan to finally become a real forward Plan….and not on the backs of us taxpayers.

Wasn’t there a school teacher who hid there name and disclosed something about a trip – a very costly conference trip – outside of Sedona??? Guess the money is just a want and not actually designated to any specific line item within the District?

Who is entitled? I, for one, feel my taxes pay my due dollars to the youth and all the school systems within my tax base…just wish those who can’t figure out how to spend within their budgets would stop begging and tagging the rest of us for their entitled, mentality, drain on our check books !!!.

Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization (VVREO) believes a vibrant and economically strong region begins with quality education for all children who live in the Verde Valley. We believe we have high quality schools in all of the communities of the Verde Valley. So it is important to insure our schools have the resources necessary to maintain the quality education they provide for our children and grandchildren. Besides excellent teachers and staff, adequate facilities, and a broad based curriculum – it is essential to have sufficient financial resources to maintain the excellent schools we have in the Verde Valley.

This is the main reason VVREO is supporting the school overrides for the Sedona-Oak Creek School District, Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District and Mingus Union High School District.

Quality schools are also important to attracting or expanding businesses that offer high wage jobs into our communities. These businesses look closely at our schools to see if they have the educational programs to prepare a workforce for their business’ future. Businesses also look closely at our schools to see if they have a quality education program for their employee’s families! VVREO supports investing in our schools.

What does this investment cost? For the Cottonwood-Oak School District the average homeowner’s home valued at approximately $100,000, it is about $3.58 a month. For Mingus Union High School District, it is $1.92 a month. And the overrides will not increase your tax rate because the percentages are already reflected in your current tax rate.

For those who live in the Sedona-Oak Creek School District, it is the restoration of 17 years of override funding. The average Sedona homeowner will pay $61.00 a year on an assessed home value of $297,940.

VVREO believes this is a modest investment that will insure smaller class sizes, intervention and enrichment programs, music and the arts, technology to prepare the digital learner for college and career, physical education, fitness, health support and counseling, athletics and electives.

VVREO says YES to quality schools, YES to quality jobs and YES to quality of life in the Verde Valley. When your mail-in ballot arrives at your home VOTE YES – SUPPORT OUR SCHOOLS– Support the School Overrides for Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District, Mingus Union High School District and Sedona-Oak Creek School District.

Mary Chicoine, VVREO Chairman

Robyn Prud’homme-Bauer, Past VVREO Chairman

Payal Patel, Houston TX