Expensive election porn. We're supposed to tax ourselves to the tune of 3/4 of a billion dollars because Portland Public Schools has never done any significant facility maintenance; shuffling our $12,000 per student, per year instead into administration, pay, and benefits - all of which go to the so-called "adults", rather than to the students. And as noted previously, barely half of those students actually graduate.
They haven't been doing their job, and the record clearly demonstrates that. They aren't educating kids; not when 47% of them aren't graduating.
They aren't doing basic maintenance of facilities.
Instead, they complain that the facilities are falling apart because they're 65 years old.
Sorry. I lived in a place that was built in 1848.
Do the basic maintenance, like we've paid you to do, and the buildings will last a long, long time.
PPS won't get an extra dime, if voters actually consider where the district has been shoving the money.
One of the early things I learned in business management classes is that delaying maintenance keeps expenses down, making that manager look good--so long as he gets out before avoidance is not possible. Maintenance is not "big and shiny", does not get publicity, and does not "buff up" the manager's image. Reminds me of why I liked those old Fram commercials: "You can pay me now, or pay me later." And "Later" means "way more expensive."
Posted by: Sam L. | April 30, 2011 at 08:17 AM
I like the way they blame the 65-year old facilities, like that's the problem, rather than not keeping up maintenance.
Portland City Hall's way older than 65 years, and it's in good shape.
Posted by: Max | April 30, 2011 at 12:34 PM