Silentone- Even if I didn't have kids I would and will (after my kids are out of school) always vote for tax levies that are for the school. They are our future. Our levy passed tonight and I am so glad. I want our future adults to have the best education they can get rather it be my kids or yours.

HEY FUNLOVIN WHY DONT YOU PAY FOR YOUR OWN KIDS YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAD THEM THE REST OF US DIDNT DO IT SO AS THE SAYING GOES YOU PLAY YOU PAY I PAY FOR MY OWN WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR YOURS TO

naisewart-I have real life research living in my home. It just isn't the case that the rest of the world is ahead of us. This is brought to you by educators looking for a bigger handout and budget to implement programs that do not work any better than the old three R's. You probably agree with global warming as well, brought to you by Al Gore and all of the others that have investments in green technology.

Do your research. We're falling behind in areas that matter in the future. Science & math. And we're trailing China and India to name a few. The best of the best come to the US to work and live. We also want to raise the best of the best. We should all want to invest in our children. They're our future leaders. They will decide the future of this great country. We need to pay for things to make a better community. It should not be the greed and selfishness of each man for himself. That does not make a great city or a great nation.

Julias - To answeryour questions. Yeas, I should pay more road taxes sonce I have more vehicles. If you don't use the Zoo, then no you should NOT have to pay for it. The Zoo should not be funded via taxes, levies, etc., anymore than a movie theatre should be funded that way. (You want to go to a movie' pay admission. You want to go to the Zoo; pay admission.) I do not mind, in the least, paying taxes for the services I utilize or may need in the future such as Fire / Police. I do not mind in the least paying higher taxes for my property. I DO mind paying for someone else's unappreciative rugrats to go to school. Parents... Have as man children as you like. AS LONG AS YOU CAN AFFORD THEM!

Powerplayer-in your scenario you should pay more road tax because you have more cars. Since I don’t use the zoo, I shouldn’t pay for that. I don’t have any mentally challenged children, so I shouldn’t pay for that either. Can I opt out of using the fire department? If I don’t pay for the police can they still give me a ticket? Last time I heard education was mandated by the government and who funds the government? The TAX PAYERS, be it property, income, personal property or sales tax.

Powerplayer no one asked you to live where you are living at. If you don't want to pay taxes for education than move somewhere where you will not have to pay. Good luck on that. Also do you really want to be in a nursing home, having some uneducated nurse’s aid stealing your pain meds all b/c you feel that you shouldn't pay for someone else's kid’s education? Did you know that our public schools have to transport the private school kids on our buses? Even if my child's levy doesn't pass and she has no busing, there will still be busing for the private school kids. I thank you for not having children as I see where your priorities stand. Again even if I did not have kids I will always vote for the children's best interest. They are our future.

PowerPlayer Here is what I do not understand. Since I have no children, why am I expected to assist in paying for other people's children to be educated? Example: I have three vehicles. Someone else has two vehicles. Who will assist in paying for my additional vehicle? Example #2: I have a $300,000 home. Someone else has a $200,000 home. Rightfully so, shouldn't my payments be more for my home? By my own admission...HECK YES! My parents had me & all my siblings attend private schools. Why? Because they felt we were THEIR responsibility to educate / raise. NOT someone elses!

Naisewart-I disagree that we are falling behind other nations. I have hosted several full year exchange students and found them to be at approximately the same level in math and science as their American counterparts. I think the real difference is in which kids are being compared in the testing. The German students are put into separate categories by the 4th grade and only the brightest get to attend college prep level high schools. The rest are sent to "trade" schools or even lower schools. I would bet it is the only the high achieving students whose tests are recorded by other countries. Our student this year is attending one of the private high schools and is struggling to keep up even though he was a straigh A student back in Germany.

tt I value education more than most maybe. I am in the schools, there are public reports of each and every district to see where every penny is spent. Get involved, find out for yourself so that you can make an educated decision. Our very future as a state, a nation depends on it. We're falling behind other countries and once we lose it, there's no turning back.