How has GHAPS spent money?
Do you trust GHAPS Administration with $15 million in your tax dollars?
Tuesday, May 3, 2022 Grand Haven voters will be asked to weigh in on the following ballot proposal. (View your complete ballot here)
Operating millage Renewal Proposal
This proposal will allow the school district to continue to levy the statutory rate of not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation allowance.
Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, except principal residence and other property exempted by law, in Grand Haven Area Public Schools, Ottawa and Muskegon Counties, Michigan be increased by 18 mills ($18.00 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for the year 2022, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2022 is approximately $15,847,835 (this is a renewal of millage that expired with the 2021 tax levy)?
This is a reoccurring proposal on the ballots of Grand Haven residents that tends to pass. In fact, the last time a similar proposal was put to a vote it passed easily with 4904 yes (72.5%) and 1861 no (27.5%); 6465 total voters.
Proponents of this proposal (the GHAPS school administration and teachers) emailed their argument in support directly to GHAPS parents.
On May 3, Ottawa County is holding its annual Special Election, and on the ballot, is a non-homestead Operating Millage Renewal Proposal for Grand Haven Area Public Schools. This proposal represents an annual renewal (not an increase) of the millage, which does not affect the taxes on a homeowner’s principal residence.
The GHAPS Operating Millage Renewal Proposal provides our district with more than $15 million in revenue. This represents just over 20% of the district’s total revenue budget and is needed to maintain GHAPS programs and services at their current levels. These funds come at no cost to homeowners because the renewal applies only to non-homestead properties like second homes and businesses.
Given what we now know about GHAPS, can we trust those responsible for this money to use it wisely?
In the past, I have always voted yes on proposals like this. After all, who doesn’t want to spend other people’s money and have great schools? But in light of recent events, I’m not sure I will be voting the same way. My hesitation is due to the way GHAPS has been spending money.
$34,500 to Deanna Rolffs at Design Group International to indoctrinate GHAPS teachers with CRT
$900,000+++ For Brian Wheeler’s enjoyment, embezzlement
$270,762 for Twig Science, an international science curriculum that indoctrinates our children with Social Emotional Learning
$XX,XXX Smutty Library Books
$XXX,XXX iPads - Do all students really need iPads? Where have the school books gone?
$XX,XXX licenses for software to run on student iPads and eBook subscriptions such as Call Me Max
$XX,XXX for billboards- Have you noticed the “Success Happens at GHAPS” billboard near Van Wagner or the “Awesome Happens at GHAPS” billboard on US31 near Ferris? Isn’t this odd? Isn’t GHAPS a government school? Why does GHAPS need to advertise? Is this because enrollment is down due to government Covid policies…. But funding is up due to government Covid policies? Or are these billboards meant for subliminal messaging to voters?
$XX,XXX Chalkboard Project
$3,000,000 – Barbara Lee VanHorssen, the leader of the anti-racism task force at the Momentum Center was invited to a meeting to determine how GHAPS would spend $3,000,000 in federal funding. See the email below.
Maybe if the initiative doesn’t pass this year GHAPS will have to learn how to budget? Maybe some of the expenses listed above could be cut and large amounts of money could be saved?
With the additional funding provided by the federal government GHAPS seems to be swimming in money. GHAPS received $2.5 million which was broken down as follows, plus an unknown amount for ESSER 1, an unknown amount for ESSER 2, AND $3 million for ESSER 3. That’s at least $5.5 million not counting ESSER 1 and 2.
Child Care Relief Funds - $318,390 – received for staffing expenses to maintain the Open Door program
MiConnect Connectivity Rebate - $93,119 – received for Chomebooks to support at home learning
District Covid grant - $73,862 – received for PPE supplies
Cares Act – Coronovirus Relief Funds - $2,098,000 – detailed in table below
I know one thing for sure. I do not trust the current GHAPS administration to be a good steward of spending my tax dollars. Regardless, the focus needs to be on the administration rather than on the ballot initiative. It is imperative that citizens scrutinize the way GHAPS administration spends the large amounts of money in which they are entrusted. Maybe a new administration would make more responsible budget decisions?
We should take some time to listen to the economist and truth teller Thomas Sowell.
“The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” ~Thomas Sowell
“The purpose of education is to give the student the intellectual tools to analyze, whether verbally or numerically, and to reach conclusions based on logic and evidence.” ~Thomas Sowell