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I would love to support education and social services but....I have a real issue with how our state manages the kicker; how the teachers union has a strangle hold on how education is delivered; and the lack of accountability and poor government efficiency. 

To the teachers I say lead us into the 21st century of education and stop beating the same drum.  How we deliver education MUST change...STOP with the summer breaks...STOP with protecting seniority.   START adopting proposals put forth by thought leaders in education - who are professing facts that challenge current practices...START paying higher saleries for our math/science teachers so you will get good ones!...START paying higher salaries and decrease benefits/retirement packages.  Once teachers unions start to show the ability to adapt to changing times (other than cutting printing costs, text books budgets, art and music) then I will be in solidarity with them.  At this point I feel used as a parent, PTA officer, and district budge committee; something HAS to change and it starts with the unions. 

As for the kicker - my government is irresponsible - a rainy day fund needs to be established and private & business tax dollars should go into this.  I dont appreciate the peanut butter approach where a bumper crop of taxes gets distributed back to all citizens. 

Lastly  government must get lean like the private sector.  I am struggling giving gov more of my hard earned dollars without some accountability and transparency.   I have a young friend newly employed at an Oregon county office - she runs circles around her predecessors; however, with each budget cut she finds herself getting "bumped" by someone with greater seniority whose skills are clearly inferior to hers. This is irresponsible use of my tax dollars! There is clearly a double standard and it is time to put a stop to all of this. 

Originally I was going to vote YES but now my vote is NO for 66 and 67...painful as it is. I think this is the only way to get the changes I am asking to happen.  Accountability and transparency need to be evident.  The private sector has certainly done so...now its time for government to transform and this will take several years so lets get going.  

posted 3 years, 4 months ago
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