Neighbor News
Setting the Record Straight on Spring-Ford School District's 2015-2016 Budget !!!
False or Inaccurate Election Campaign Claims need to be Corrected when they are distributed in Campaign Literature.
Christina Melton, a Registered Republican, who won the Democratic Nomination in the Primary for Spring-Ford School District Region 3, that includes parts of Limerick, and All of Royersford and Spring-City in Chester County, and has been Endorsed by the Democratic Party has raised issues with inaccurate Campaign Claims by her opponent who is seeking re-election.
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT....
My opponent claims “As President of the School Board, I have led the District to the lowest tax increase in 18 years, 1.22%. I fought members of the Board, who wanted a tax increase of 2.85%.”
Find out what's happening in Limerick-Royersford-Spring Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
I have attended the Board Work Sessions and meetings, and the last few Finance committee meetings, and I find Mr. Dehnert’s attempt to take credit for the 2015-16 budget, and reduction in the tax increase to be offensive.
Mr. Dehnert instructed the administration to create a budget with a 1.9% tax increase, and to present that to the Board the night before the Primary Elections. That budget failed, in part because Board members were not informed of what was included/ excluded as a result of Mr. Dehnert’s directive. When asked to review the new positions that were added, and those that did not make the cut, “Mr. Dehnert stated that the Board’s job is not to sit there go through the budget line by line to determine what is in and what is out.” (Board Work Session Minutes 5/18/2015)
Find out what's happening in Limerick-Royersford-Spring Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In the May 25 Board Meeting, the Board approved publishing the previous version of the budget, while continuing to review the details. Why? The State requires a budget be filed for public viewing for a period of 30 days before a final budget can be approved.
Contrary to Mr. Dehnert’s preference, the Board completed a detail review of new positions. That review resulted in the addition of at least 12 direct student contact positions, and a further reduction of the tax increase from Mr. Dehnert’s 1.9% to a nearly two-decade low of 1.22%.
Mr. Dehnert was not a leader. He did not exhibit leadership qualities, and the results were achieved in spite of him.
Christina Melton
