Word of the day

Today, boys and girls, let's add the word obfuscate to our vocabularies. The art of obfuscation is one that the business manager of the Indian River Central School District has clearly been practicing.

Yesterday, a meeting was held on post to discuss the impending budget cuts. Prior to the start of the meeting, forms were passed around, and participants were asked to write down any questions that they might have. A promise was made: "We're here until all of your questions are answered." The promise was not kept. I know this, because my question was not addressed.

The business manager began his remarks by saying something to the effect of, "everyone wants to know, 'who screwed up?' and the answer is, no-one. This was inevitable." He proceeded to cite a few figures and statistics, and endeavoured to explain how the district lost its qualification for heavily impacted federal aid. By the end of the meeting, the business manager was actually blaming Osama bin Laden for the budgetary shortfall. Obfuscation at its best. He should be working for Fox News.

My question was specific and dealt with the school tax rates within the district. I asked the business manager if a rate increase was a possibility, given to relatively low rate of taxation as compared with the New York state average. The business manager proceeded to describe the geographic boundaries of the school district and the lack of business therein. Because really, after seven years of living in the area, why would a dumb hausfrau notice such things? My actual question was not answered, but I got the impression that the peons of the district were too poor to be able to handle any increase in the school tax levy.

So, when this dumb hausfrau came home, she fired up the computer and started playing with Google. Up popped the website for the New York State Office of Real Property. A few clicks later, the 2002 school levy rates for all of Jefferson County was at my fingertips. Internet, I love you!

The latest figures available are from 2002. The Town of Pamelia is divided amongst four different school districts: General Brown, Lafargeville, Watertown, and Indian River. Half of my road falls into the General Brown District, and half falls into Indian River. So, we're comparing apples to apples.

In 2002, the Apportion Rate for Equalization was 93.60 for all school districts. The school tax rate per $1000 appraised value was $13.76 for both General Brown and Lafargeville. For Watertown, it was $14.06. For Indian River, it was $6.52

These numbers don't make sense to me. I suspect that there is a larger pattern of figures which do not add up.

To be continued ..