I’m just going to put the entire news story from WDIO here. I don’t think they will raise hell about their copyright. Apparently all the old Plan B standbys were out of town because DIO and the NBC/CBS duo asked me for my take on the referendum. I caught just a glimpse of the video but this captures my sentiments very economically:
From WDIO:Plan B On Ballot
Posted at: 10/21/2010 7:27 PM | Updated at: 10/21/2010 7:31 PM
By: Paige CalhounDuluth residents will vote on a school referendum in November, but there may be some confusion, and in the end it may not change anything.
Most residents have received the sample question in the mail, regarding Plan B, the alternative proposed by opponents of the Red Plan.
The Duluth School District had long fought the ballot, while moving full steam ahead with the Red Plan. Now Plan B supporters said it may just be a protest vote.
At the bottom of the question, in bold font it states, “By voting yes on this ballot question, you are voting for a property tax increase.”
Former school board member Harry Welty believes that the school board is using this as a tactic to get people to vote no.
“To be honest, I think the average person is going to go into the booth, read this, and vote no because they don’t want more taxes,” Welty said.
One thing the question doesn’t say is that it’s non-binding, meaning that the school board will have the final say on whether they will abide by it or not.
Welty also said that putting this item on the ballot now is too late.
“Two years ago, I would have felt much differently about this because it would have meant something. Now the best it is is a protest vote.”
Regardless, Welty still hopes that people will vote yes.
“I’d encourage them to tell the school board, we’re gonna support this even thought it makes no sense because we should have has a chance to vote on this two years ago.”
On Thursday, the district sent out a news release pointing out what it see as the financial benefits of the Red Plan.
Spokesperson Katie Kaufman said once the votes are counted, the board will have a discussion on the outcome. Kaufman also said that there is no way to know what will come from that discussion.
The board majority has indicated its strong support for the Red Plan and changing course would be a surprise.
And my quick review of the “Northland Newscenter story shows I’m quoted more extensively. I’m quite pleased with the Frankenstein quote. Video here. Here’s the copy:
October 21, 2010
DULUTH, MN (Northland’s NewsCenter) — It’s been a more than two-year debate between supporters of the long range facilities plan and Plan B.
Now, with more than 90 percent of the long range facilities plan complete or in progress, Duluth Public Schools officials released a report that says Plan B would be far more expensive.
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“Some of the key aspects of the report say the overall construction costs for Plan B would be roughly $49 million more than what the current long-range facilities plan is,” chief financial officer for Independent School District 709 Bill Hanson said.
Former school board member Harry Welty says the difference in price comes largely because the city has already started construction on the long range facilities plan.
“Two years ago, it would have been an extremely sensible plan. It would have saved us nearly $150 million,” Welty said. “This is the school district’s Halloween joke. They’re dressing it up like a Frankenstein monster even though it’s non-binding.”
The non-binding referendum will come to a vote on November 2 , but Welty says there’s really no longer an option of halting the long range facilities plan in favor of Plan B.
“The school board wants you to think this is a serious threat,” Welty said. “Two years ago, if we had done this, it would have been a rebuke to the school board and the school board didn’t want to know the public wasn’t behind them.”
All in all, it was a tough task to crunch the numbers in this case. With so much of the long range facilities plan already underway, completing the original plan of Plan B would be nearly impossible.
“It does take into account where we are currently, with construction,” Hanson said. “You have to do that from a practical standpoint, as far as going forwards or backwards.”
The long range facilities plan is scheduled to be completed in fall of 2013, while Duluth Public School officials estimate switching to Plan B would extend construction to the fall of 2015.
