We pledge responsible fiscal management for stellar schools. Education is the largest expense in the town budget, and our schools (Captain Isaac Paine School, Ponaganset Middle School, and Ponaganset High School) are our “crown jewels.” Just ask anyone who has recently moved to Foster if the quality of our school system had any bearing on their decision to move to our town. All too often, a “great price” for a product eventually extracts a great price in repair or replacement cost. Responsible homeowners make the investments necessary to maintain their property. Neglected property loses value. We believe it is important to be responsible enough as a community to maintain the quality of our school and not allow it to “fall apart.” The true cost of “quick fixes” and “corner cutting” may not be obvious for several years, but the total cost to the town could be far greater than doing it right the first time. Do you want a great school at a fair price, or a fair (mediocre) school at a "great price?" Property taxes have increased and likely will continue to increase. State funding for education has been cut. Federal mandates under the No Child Left Behind act (NCLB) cost money that must come from the school's budget and they often take time away from actual education. The 2004-2005 School Department budget in Foster was funded at the same level as that of the prior year. Costs in some line items naturally increased (contractual obligations and rising fuel costs, for example) and unexpected additional costs (tuition for special needs students who had moved into the district and a fuel surcharge from the bus company, for example) reduced the amount of money available for other planned expenses. As a result, this resulted in many cuts to staff and programs and that have had long-reaching impact for the school and the community. In 2005-2006, the School Committee cut the budget even further, reducing the overall number of teachers, increasing class sizes, and eliminating the Severe and Profound Special Needs room. Voters at that year's Town Financial Meeting added back into the budget the $90,000 that had been cut by two members of the School Committee. Despite this, the School Committee, by a vote of two to one, opted not to restore any of the staff or services that they had cut. In addition, they did not restore any of the cuts for the 2006-2007 school year. The end result is that the budget for the Captain Isaac Paine School is stretched to the limit. All reserve funds have been expended, and there is no cushion for emergencies, let alone money for restoring services and improving educational opportunities. Of the thirty-six School Districts in RI... - Foster ranks 12th in terms of median family income
- Foster ranks 20th in terms of tax rate
- Foster ranks 17th in terms of per-pupil expenditure (the Region ranks 35th)
It is quite clear that we must do something to increase the tax base in Foster without endangering the quality of life and the rural nature of our community. Most Foster taxpayers have benefited from a good public education. Shouldn't we all want the same for our own children and for all of the children in town? It's important to consider that even those without children in the school system will have their futures decided by these very children once they reach voting age. It's to everyone's benefit to ensure that each of these future decision-makers is well-educated. As the bumper sticker says, “If you believe education is expensive, try ignorance.” If we lose the luster on our schools, what will attract new homeowners to Foster? Without a broader tax base, whether from individuals or businesses, who will be reponsible for funding ever-increasing budgets? It should be noted that our senior citizens who may be on fixed incomes and who no longer have children in the school, will not be adversely affected by any changes to the school budget because the bulk of their property tax rates are frozen. |