Jim Mangan’s state of denial regarding the “benefits” and feasibility of consolidating Districts 108 and 303 has now crossed the border into pathologic.
The Wednesday edition of the Times contains an article entitled “District views the financial impact of consolidation.” The Illinois State Board of Education and District 303 administrators put together financial numbers regarding two different scenarios: the total consolidation of District 303 with all its feeder districts and the isolated consolidation of Districts 108 & 303. Superintendent Paula Davis presented these figures to the District 303 board at a special meeting on Tuesday night.
I’m not going to discuss the numbers mentioned for the total consolidation, because that’s just not going to happen. As the Times article points out, the other feeder districts have shown NO interest in that scenario.
In regards to the isolated consolidation of Districts 108 & 303 supported by Jim Mangan and the Citizens for Pekin School Consolidation, the following quote from Davis sums things up the best (bold emphasis and bracketed clarification are my own):
When you look at the incentives [for consolidation provided by the State] we would stand to gain almost $150,000 in the first year of consolidation, in the second year we would gain $1.8 million … in the third year we would gain a total of $140,000 and in the fourth year $135,000, but after the incentives are done we’re in the negative, we start losing money.
So … consolidation would only provide a short-term benefit, and that’s IF the State came through with the promised incentive monies. The State of Illinois hasn’t done a very good job living up to their financial obligations of late, so I wouldn’t count on that money.
Basically, these numbers tell us that consolidation is a big financial toilet flush … money down the drain for NO BENEFIT.
Jim Mangan, of course, is in complete denial. He just doesn’t believe the numbers. When confronted with yet another potential negative consequence of consolidation – litigation with the other feeder districts over transportation costs – Mangan made the following statement (bold emphasis mine):
I’m not convinced that that lawsuit will be a reality. At this point in time I think that’s kind of a scare negative for people to hang on to now that they don’t have the loss of revenues negative to hang on to.
What?!?! No loss of revenues negative? Did you HEAR what Paula Davis said, Mr. Mangan? Short-term benefit … long-term LOSS OF REVENUE. Like I was saying … pathologic denial.
Then there’s this little gem:
[Mangan] also suggested that a consolidated district could give some of that new money to the feeder districts in exchange for their cooperation in moving forward with a consolidation vote.
Is Jim Mangan authorized by the residents of District 303 to offer BRIBES to the feeder districts? Where does this man come up with this stuff – La Cosa Nostra School of Governance???
Here’s MY bottom line for consolidation:
1. No academic benefit.
2. Short-term financial gains WAY offset by long-term financial losses that would likely require TAX INCREASES to make up the shortfall.
3. Lack of feasibility given the current statute governing school consolidation – it just CAN’T happen without the consent of the other feeder districts.
4. Strong potential for litigation with the other feeder districts over transportation and other costs, since THEIR tax monies would be going to support kids that are now in District 108.
Numbers 1 and 2 should make opposition to consolidation a no-brainer. Number 3 makes the whole argument a ridiculous waste of time and money. How much school board time has this issue consumed??? Number 4 is just icing on the “Consolidation is DEAD” cake.
Would you like a piece of cake, Mr. Mangan? No? Didn’t think so.
8 responses so far ↓
1
kiki63
// Feb 22, 2007 at 6:32 am
Knight,
I guess the plain and simple facts are that conslidation IS a DEAD issue. I really have to wonder about Mr. Mangan. Is he really off his rocker??? The money that the district would get in the consolidation is for the district, PEROID! You can’t “offer” it to the feeders, it’s illegal! But I guess some people don’t consider the “law” to be just that, the law. Mr. Mangan really needs to wake up and so does this town. Where would the benefit be to consolidate? Does it help the tax payers (no), the education of our children(NO) or the feeder school (HELL NO!). But I guess a little passing of the green might intice some, but it just won’t fly. I guess when you have tunnel vision and are so dead set on getting something done, you will propose anything whether legal or illegal to get your way. Quit beating the dead horse Mr. Mangan…..it’s over!
2
Chad
// Feb 22, 2007 at 9:17 am
You seem knowledgable on this topic, and I am not. I’m curious as to why it is such a big deal to consolidate 108 and 303. Excluding all of the pros and cons for a minute, Why can’t the two school districts consolidate and create a new district, lets call it 206. Or, if consolodiation is so difficult, why can’t they disband 108 and 303 and create a newly formed K-12 district call 206. The borders of 206 will be the exact areas of overlap between the current 303 and 108 districts. Then, if the other “feeder” districts(anyone outside of that border) still want to send their students to 206 once they reach junior high or high school, they can reach an agreement similar to what they currently have with 303, or they can choose to sent their students to a different high school district.
Why is this so complex? There are plenty of grade schools that send their students to different junior high or high school districts. I can think of spring lake, rankin as two examples.
I was pleased to see that the IASB did some research and reported back to the schools on it, and it does seem unlikely that it would be beneficial for this consolidation to happen. I just don’t see why it is so complex…
3
Ms. Teacher
// Feb 22, 2007 at 12:02 pm
I did a project on consolidation and came up with the exact same results – we’ll have money for a while and then be in the negative. And you’re right about the state – they probably wouldn’t come through based on their not-so-stellar track record.
This seriously needs to be dropped. We have more pressing issues to worry about now that Dr. White is leaving. I am scared to death to think of who we could end up with.
4
knight in dragonland
// Feb 22, 2007 at 12:13 pm
It’s overly complex because of the state government regulations and the unique nature of the proposed merger. From my understanding, it comes down to tax money and who gets it.
The Illinois statute governing school district consolidation was recently revised to supposedly make it easier to consolidate. It may have been a benefit to small rural districts that have been forced to consolidate due to declining rural populations. However, a hybrid merger that excludes all feeder districts save one has never been done before, to my knowledge.
The statute stipulates that ALL feeder districts must have a say in the matter, either by petition of their citizens or action of their school boards (and the two mechanisms cannot be combined). This makes sense because the tax rates of all the feeder districts could be affected by the merger. Districts not participating in the merger could see changes in their tax rates or other costs … and that’s where litigation could come into the picture.
I know this seems like a strange issue to get worked up about … and I wasn’t at first. I was interested because I was new to Pekin and had small children. I found a Pekin blog called Pekin, My Home that was discussing the issue in terms very supportive of Jim Mangan and very critical of District 108. The blogger then discontinued posting at that blog (and deleted many of the posts there) and opened up a new blog called Pekin Dragons Calling. That blog only lasted a few weeks before disappearing completely.
I began asking questions on those blogs. Questions, apparently, were NOT acceptable. You were to kowtow to the great Mangan and swear upon the evil of 108 or be viciously castigated. Then the Mangan editorial pieces started appearing … full of unfounded accusations of corruption in District 108 and very personal attacks on District 108 Superintendent Don White. Mangan also made claims of academic and financial benefit from consolidation that now have been thoroughly debunked.
My passion on this issue is more a reaction against the nasty and deceptive tactics used by those in support of school consolidation (namely Jim Mangan) … not the idea of consolidation itself.
5
Tom
// Feb 22, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Chad,
You can’t just disband the 2 districts and make a new one. In a sense, you are consolidating. You will have the same results and the same rules wouls apply. As far as the 2 districts you are referring to, (Spring Lake, Rankin), add South Pekin, North Pekin/Marquett Hieghts,Not sure if there is another. Those are the schools affected by the merger.
the situation is what it is and no person has yet to show how it would save taxpayers maney,( the tax rate would not go down, even in the first 4 years), and surely will not go down after the first 4 years after the incentives are taken away, so I see know gain for the taxpayers, which is Wht the big push by Mangan anyway.
Secoondly, there have been no evidence to show where the quality of education our kids will receive, will be any better. Isn’t this an important part of it all?
This whole subject is front and center because Mr. Mangan has made himself the “self appointed” voice of the people of Pekin, and has convinced some who are willing to let him, instead of doing a little homework on their own, that consolidation should happen because we are wating taxpayer money. I guess most of the towns in the area as far north as Pontiac are wasting money also. They all have separate school districts. Even Bartonville, as small as it is, has separate grade school/ high school districts.
Consolidation makes sense for taxing bodies that can’t support districts on their own. We do not fall into that category.
It has been customary in this town that whatever Mangan says should be taken as gospel. Now he claims that we could just give district money to the feeder districts, to help them with the costs due to our distrcts consolidating. does he really thing that he can just give tax dollars away? whewre are we saving money now? I wonder if he would propose doing that under the table, or maybe get voter approval,( at the tune of $20,000), to get it on the ballot. You can’t give tax dollars away. But since he said it in the paper, there will be those who feel it a worthy idea, because he said it. That is how things have been around here for a very long time. Just recently, others have stood up to his ideas and have done their own research and have challenged him. how dare we challenge the ideas of such a dedicated citizen, looking out for all of us.because not all of his ideas are in the best interest of the majority. someone has to step up and bring these things to light.
6
Tom 2
// Feb 22, 2007 at 4:05 pm
K.I.D. – Apparently that “group” is still operating a blog somewhere. According to Barb Strand’s letter to the editor in tonight’s Pekin Daily Times, she says there is a private blog run by Mangan and that blog berates those who disagree with his views. Sounds like the same blogs you referenced. How can one have a “closed” blog?
7
Tom
// Feb 22, 2007 at 4:29 pm
I guess they keep it private so as not to get into a dialogue with those who disagree with them. Must be a boring blog when only those who agree with each other can participate.
8
knightindragonland
// Feb 22, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Both the old blogs used Blogger. Pekin, My Home is still up, but some posts have been deleted and it hasn’t been updated since August. Pekin Dragons Calling was deleted a few weeks after its creation.
I don’t know exactly how Blogger works because I’ve always blogged using Bill Dennis’ Blog Peoria system. I know you can create blogs that are only available to registered members … but that takes all the fun out of it!
If Mangan has a blog, I haven’t been able to find it using the major search engines.
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