MASON CITY – Long-time school levy critic Jack McCourt asked one more time this week for “no” votes on the two school levies that are on the ballot right now in Mason City.
“People really don’t know what’s going on,” Mr. McCourt said Thursday. “I’m here to protect the poor and the elderly, who will bear the costs in the end for this.”
Mr. McCourt met with NorthIowaToday.com at his favorite talking location, a red and white painted block at a local garden which reminds folks that he helped defeat the last two attempts by the Mason City School District to impose a levy on property owners. In an interview, he is now asking for a third defeat from the voters.
McCourt, a Korean War veteran who performs Honor Guard at local military funerals, continues to point to declining enrollment in the schools while the debt of the district is well over $50 million. He also feels that some teachers and especially administrators are over-paid.
Current enrollment is about 3700 students in Mason City.
The final touches have been put on a renovation at the Mason City High School, and John Adams Middle School was completed last year. Other elementary schools have been renovated in recent years, and a new Intermediate School (Lincoln) was completed as well.
“If you vote for the levies, watch out,” Mr. McCourt said.
Absentee voting continues at the courthouse at this time, through September 9th. Polling locations open up across the city on September 10th.
Watch video:
You can give the Teachers all the money you want. You can fund Education thru more and more tax strategies all you want. You will be wasting your money. Why, look at the countless teacher pay raises, administrator pay raises, etc, etc, etc. What did they accomplish with all that tax money? Reduced rankings that’s what! And now with the “Common Core” standards coming online we will fall much farther from here going forward. Probably to never recover. DON’T give ’em any more tax money, in fact the kids only hope in the future is likely going to be Home Schooling.
Come on you god damn catholics someone paid for my education but I don’t want to pay for others. I live off the government and spend my days bringing down others.
I agree! NO more SPENDING on education!
Our young today need more education in STREET smarts and good old fashioned COMMEN sense.
Positively. Have you talked to a high schooler lately? I can’t hardly take it. It boils down to the parenting at that point.
Another bunch of bullwack. High school is so not worthy. Kids are either smart and have plans for college or they don’t it’s that simple. No extra’s needed for that. NO MORE MONEY there please!
The only thing a high school student wants is a chic/guy and a car. Stop worrying about education they will be FINE!
Take note 4th ward. Do you see anything in these articles the represent the other side of the argument? Take a count on the number of articles that favor the additional funding. Matt has little time for anyone that isn’t in agreement with his views. That is no different than the crap we already have to deal with. I agree with many things Matt has to say, but one day, I won’t agree with him and my voice will be nothing to him. Impress us Matt, show that you do listen and care for both sides. You may not like the other opinion, but at least you listened and gave fair treatment and press time.
We have the highest educational costs per student in the civilized world and yet the poorest outcomes. Its time we assess and address how we do the business of education rather than increase funding for a system that produces pi** poor results on our investment.
My NO vote is a call for educational reform. Right here. Right now
So what you’re saying is, the system is broke but let’s not fix it?
“If you want people like me to move back to town, you need world class education, great community amenities, and jobs that pay comparable wages.”
If I wanted a world class education system, I would move to a Chicago suburb where they can afford it on the basis of value. OR, I would send my children to a private school (which is what was done in my case).
Community amenities are nice, however they depend upon the ability of a community to afford. This is Mason City, not Des Moines, Urbandale, or West Des Moines. There are reasonable limits to resources needed.
But above all that. A community needs people to create a community others will want to visit. Not just people in Asbury or Pebble Creek either. And in many respects, the City has failed it’s citizens. So has it’s business people.
It’s pretty sad when sidewalks are not maintained, weeds and other blight are not controlled, ordinances not enforced. Those are things outsiders have pointed out to me.
For an example, right in the heart of town along US 65, you see the contrasts. Two parcels of land being offered for sale. One, a very appealing looking old building, maintained more than once a week by private concerns. Across the street, a lot filled with trash, rubble, and weed choked. I noted the a City crew trying to clear the sidewalk of knee high weeds. (Why is the city caring for a privately owned parcel of land? Why does the city not force the property owner to clean it up and make it look presentable?)
Then you cross the highway, and find an active business, with piles of dirt blocking the sidewalks, and crumbled concrete piled where people have to walk. After 4 months, the city did mark it with an X, but that does not protect the public from getting hurt at night. But, they did paint old sign foundations with blue paint (five feet from the safety hazard).
Look anywhere in town, and you will see these kinds of things so blatant it insults the senses. So while a good education is needed, and is important, in order to attract outside investment, evoke pride, and become successful and growing, more is needed.
Really, you don’t want top notch schools in your community? Limited community amenities? That’s why people move away, and firms with high-paying jobs haven’t been locating in town. You mentioned limited resources, look at Charles City. Certainly, they don’t have the same tax base as Mason City but they are investing in their community and people are noticing. West Union is another example of a town doing more with less. If you invest in your community, firms and people will want to move there. You’ll have an increased tax base and the City will have the revenue to take care of the legitimate concerns you mentioned,
Why does the school need more money, most of the children that graduate, can not make change without an adding mechaine
Jim, do you know how to use excel? How about visual basic? Do you know Calculus? Trig? Physics? Our high school grads do by I doubt you do at all. I guess that makes you ignorant. I am happy you can make change a clerk job is perfect for you.. Truth is most of the grads can make change. I think its funny how people like you complain about not making change when you probably can’t operate the POS system the kid is operating or a tv remote for that matter.
Go mentor students so they know how to add 1/16″ and 1.25″.
Where are their parents? Why didn’t they [the parents] make their children’s education one of the most important responsibilities in their [the parents] lives?
I’ve done mentoring, my children.
Pleeeeze it’s ALL up to the kid anyway you pay for it! Either they run with learning or they don’t give a hoot. No matter what’s available. Just more money being BLOWN! They will be just fine with out more.
I got my property taxes:
Mason City Community School: 15.029% drop from last year
Pretty sweet, taxes should only go down.
Yep city of mc is now highest tax on my bill and the schools dropped to second i think i like it! let’s keep it that way
If you want Mason City to attract families, you need a WORLD class education system. The problem with Mason City is you (I was born and raised here and now live in Des Moines) compare yourselves with Nora Springs, Rudd, and Hampton. If you want people like me to move back to town, you need world class education, great community amenities, and jobs that pay comparable wages. Without, education and community amenities, the jobs don’t matter (people wont want to live in Mason City). If you invest in your community the worst thing that can happen is you’ve improved the community for all of you who live there.
So supporting the schools and passing the levy, while annoying is imperative to build the community.
@David Dunn-Just stay in Des Moines. We have enough people trying to spend our tax money without you coming back. No one knew you were gone, so you are not missed.
Hey LVS, stay classy buddy. Don’t blame me for your miserable life, oh and its not the governments fault either. At least I’m man enough to use my real name to stand behind my opinions.
All I’m saying is I see Mason City getting worse not better and compared to larger communities your taxes are low. If a community goal is to attract people like me to move back me, people who were born and raised in Mason City, you need world class schools and community amenities.
But then again LVS, I’m sure you know exactly how to fix everything in Mason City.
@David Dunn-people like you don’t help. Thats why we ran you out of town years ago. You know nothing about being a man.
lvs there you go again. Attacking someone just because they are more intelligent than you. I don’t understand why Matt puts up with your bs on here. Mr. Dunn never mentioned you in his initial post yet your childish reaction is to attack instead of countering his post with something intelligent. You are living proof as to why we need better school systems. Had you attended a world class school you would not be so ignorant, you would have good thinking skills, and you would have some common sense. And not hiding behind some initials proves that Mr. Dunn is twice the man you are.
Hey LVS two points. 1). Actually from everything I’ve read about Mason City you WANT people like me (educated middle age men with families) to move to Mason City. 2). If you didn’t respond with any substance on how you would improve the community.
So LVS instead of complaining and taking personal shots at someone what would you do to improve YOUR community.
I am a old guy living on Social Security and my small pension. I worry about how property taxes have risen over the last 27 years. However, the most important thing we have in this city is our children. Someone else paid for my 13 years in the Mason City School System and I want my great grandkids to have as good or better education than I had. I am going to vote YES, I feel it will be money well spent.
We need more citizens like you! Very well said. Thank you.
“and I want my great grandkids to have as good or better education than I had.”
I would like that too . . . but we aren’t getting that. What we are getting are functioning robots who certainly can operate a cell phone but ask them to add 1/16″ and 1.25″. . . all you’ll get is a blank vacant stare.
@Joao-and yet we pay teachers all that money. Not to mention the administrators.
Joao, that’s not true…Many of mason city’s graduates go on to do great things in college and in their careers. If you are grading all students based on what you see out of a few kids who probably didn’t go to MC, you are flat out wrong.
Thank You!!!
Matt, could you please link the past article from a few months back regarding the State’s report on our District’s income? As the date draws near in which voters need to make a decision, I believe those facts are important to have front and center.
They made a very compelling case.
This is it:
https://northiowatoday.wpcomstaging.com/2013/08/10/school-district-critic-mccourt-implores-catholics-to-vote-no-on-september-10th-on-levies/
Thank you very much for that.
Lvs if those calculations are right you had to be making around 100,000 a year.
is that right? If that’s the case you did very well and that social security check is just fun money for you. You were certainly in the upper tier income wise, however you qualify in the bottom tier for compassion, understanding and appreciation of what life has offered you and those less fortunate than you. That is very sad.
@Hacker-How much I made or how much is left is something I certainly won’t go into. Besides that is besides the point. The point is, seniors paid into social security and were promised it would be there when they retired and now everyone thinks they don’t deserve it. I know a lot of people out here living or trying to live a $1,000 p/mo. Hell, I know a few trying to get by on even less. Now the government is coming in cutting their medicare and everything else just keeps climbing. It is hard to justify raising taxes for raises for people making 60K plus when you only get 12K p/year.
My wife and I are still undecided on this one. One one hand yes the kids need support but we are being taxed to death. We’ll be thinking long and hard on this one.
VOTE YES!!!!
I’ll be voting yes, and hoping this passes. I’d love to see the reaction on some of these old geezers faces!
Overall, Mason City is an elderly community. It seems that most of the old folks feel they’ve done their job and don’t need strong schools anymore.
It is really sad. The kids are the ones getting the bad deal. For those kids from the more affluent families, their parents will more than likely make sure their kids have the tools to succeed in college. For the rest of the kids (and there’s many)living in poverty, they will leave the school district lagging behind.
Maybe that’s whey there are not many professional opportunities in this town. The majority of this town does not value education, and so there are not many jobs available catering to those that have gone on to get an education. I don’t consider working at Principal Financial Group or in a factory professional jobs. Yet, those are some of the biggest employers around here.
@MC Parent-You sound just like all of the other whiners on here. Not every kid is qualified for college and it is a waste to think they are. There is nothing wrong with a decent factory job. It is decent pay with decent benefits. It is people who think like that that have gotten the kids into this mess. Johnny is not always the best. There will always be a need for construction worker, electricians and plumbers and there is nothing wrong with that.
Just becaus you are a loser and a factory worker doesn’t mean you should take it out on others
@Steve-are you saying factory workers are losers??
Yeah, I would say many factory workers are losers. Usually, uneducated overpaid union employees. I wish more random drug tests were performed.
Oh, by the way, even electricians and the other trades you speak of usually require some education or measure of competency in order to obtain a license to work in that capacity.
Not a whiner, just realistic in that if the students in Mason City are going to compete with other students for college or jobs, they need current skills or they’ll be left in their dust. Not everyone has a dream of coming back to Mason City and working in a factory or the Principal.
Superhowy, Mason City teachers are the highest paid in North Iowa. If you dont know that, you should not be allowed to vote. Do some research
SAD BUT TRUE, Does Rudd Rockford Marble Rock offer Calculus? Does Central Springs have a Chior of 300+? Does North Kossuth offer an Honors Literature program? I am sure they’d like to but they don’t because of a lack of students to take those classes. Mason City has the students and the teachers to offer those things so comparing the small districts of North Iowa with Mason City is not a valid comparison. Try comparing apples to apples and you will see the compensation is comparable. Maybe you should sit this one out SAD BUT TRUE..
RRMR does offers the same advanced math as MC. When we decided to move, the deciding factor was the school district. We choose RRMR, and it has proven to be the better choice.
2% increase in spending, plus lump sum from the state this year.
4%increase the following year, plus extra money for all day daycare.
EVERYBODY in the district has recieved a generous pay raise EVERY year, While the private sector has been forced to give back!
With the above increases, if there is not enough money for the needs of the kids out of the general fund, I say ask the teachers and employees to one time step back and give up a small portion of what they get every year!
Put the needs of the KIDS first. Then hand out all the extras to the teachers and employees.
The money in there, its just flowing into the wrong hands first.
Tell the teachers and employees have some skin in the game, I vote NO
Sad but true…where is your proof? It appears our teachers pay is very much in line with teacher pay in other districts? Why should our teachers be paid less than what other districts pay? How is that going to affect our efforts to get good teachers to come to Mason City versus other communities if we pay them less? Economics is a lost art I guess.
The school is not going away. It is not a business. It is like our roads. Without roads, businesses would not be as prosperous. The private businesses should be completely for the levy because it will strengthen the community. The research, not guesses or opinions, by and large shows that investing in schools improves the dollar value of a community.
Schools are going to be here, and teachers are going to be paid the going rate for this state. The teachers will respond to a pay cut, or no pay raise, by going to a district that will pay them the going rate. The teachers that are left will be tied emotionally to Mason City or the ones who were unable to get a job someplace else. These are simply the rules of a competitive environment.
Would u believe that most of the teachers that I know realized that they would not be making the big bucks when they graduated from college and went into education anyway???? Geez you people. Where would any of you be without good teachers. Clearly some of you missed a few days at school with your atrocious grammar and spelling. Yes, we all had some teachers that were jerks, but that happens in all walks of life. Some of us had nuns that would have made better prison matrons…. And yes my parents paid taxes for the MC public schools and paid tuition to Newman. So, they paid for all of your kids education as well. And, they never once complained….
Everyone needs to get off their poor me pity pot and face reality. If we want to compete in a global economy, we need to have everything available to the students to make that happen.
One of the trades that is up and coming and has excellent paying jobs is welding. But, the businesses are looking for trained welders. NIACC has a stellar Welding program and are placing students in jobs that start at $ 16 to $ 20 an hour. Not bad for a year or less education… and most of those jobs are full-time with benefits.
Many of the computer speciality careers are starting out at over $ 50,000 per year for a 2 year degree. The Wind Turbine graduates are starting out at $ 60,000 in most cases. And the thing they have in common — they had to have an education to get those jobs.
If you want to work for $ 8.50 per hour that is fine. We have plenty of those jobs. If you have a HS diploma or GED and are satisfied with those wages, that is up to you to choose.
Some people just hate school and so will enter fields where they won’t be paid as much or get the benefits that would make life easier. And, they will probably be in this site blogging about how shitty life is in a few years.. It’s a choice. Just don’t chastise people who have worked like dogs to get an education and a decent job. Don’t judge people if they are successful… Unless you have a disability, chronic mental illness, mental or physical disability, you have the same opportunities. STop blaming everybody else for your problems..
And, if you understand these voter items– none of this money is for TEACHERS’ salaries…
Can’t hardly believe any of us will have paid in more than we collect from social security if we could live 10 years in retirement. If someone made $50,000 a year for 45 years they would have probably paid in about $135,000 max if it was all T 6% which it wasn’t. that same person would have also collected over $200,000 in social security benefits plus Medicare. Lvs how did you compute yours?
We need a better educated workforce. There are lots of jobs out there unfortunately not enough applicants who either have the right skills or can’t pass drug screening.
Our best insurance policy for the future is home grown talented people.
@Hacker-Throwing more money at it won’t fix it. They need to change the culture and I don’t see that happening. I don’t think people today and any dumber than we were they are just a lot more spoiled. Everyone seems to think the world owes them a living. I paid cash for my social security insurance. Just because the government “borrowed” the money for other government spending doesn’t make my benefits some kind of a charity or handout. If you averaged over 30K in yearly earnings in your working life that is close to $220,500 at 15% of your income before taxes. Don’t forget your employers put in matching funds for you as part of the program if you calculate $4,500 p/year in total payments at a simple 5% interest that is $892,919.98. If you took that out at 3% p/yr that would be $26,878.60 p/year for 30 years and that is with no interest paid on that final amount of deposit. Now, I don’t know how much you paid in but I paid in at least that amount.
LVS..you are misrepresenting a few thing here. The social security rate and medicare rate (FICA) is 7.65% currently for an employee and 7.65% for an employer. 50 years ago in 1963 the rate was just 3.625 with and employer match of just 1.575…far less than today. Additionally, I highly doubt many were paid 30K back in 1963 and would still be paid that today. More likely is that they were paid less than 10K then and probably closer to 50k now to make your average tie out. Unfortunately, since the bigger pay and bigger rates didn’t come into play until later years, your interest argument loses value. Regardless, Its very doubtful someone paying in for 50 years paid in any were near $800K on a 30K wage. Why did I go through all this calculating??? Retirees need to understand that what they paid in means nothing…the money wasn’t saved and you need future wage earners to get your check. Investing in the future is a good move.
@Superhowy-I think your calculations are wrong. I said 30K AVERAGE. I don’t know about you but I made considerably more than that as an average. If the money is gone the government needs to replace it. That is what I.OP.U.’s are all about. If that means the schools don’t get any more that is just fine with me. And just when did they raise the rate. As I recall it was in the late 60″s. $40 years was plenty of time to make that up.
I can certainly understand not liking the idea of a new tax or levy. Money is definitely tight, and many, especially elderly individuals, are on a fixed income.
At the same time, it is important to be truly informed about the cost of the levy.
These are facts:
If your home is assessed at 100,000, the cost PER YEAR is under 8 dollars on the property tax side.
On the income surtax side, the amount paid in is based on the amount of income tax paid to the state of Iowa. SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS ARE NOT TAXABLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS LEVY.
The state of Iowa reduced the current property taxes to near all-time lows adjusted for inflation. Look at your bill, it is almost certainly lower this year versus last. Even with the levy, property taxes are going to be relatively low. Middle income households (above $50,000) with a $100,000 house can expect the levy to cost about 6 dollars more per month. This, of course, is still a cost, but the cost is really an investment in our community and everyone who lives here and has property here.
There is a need for concern about those who are elderly, disabled, or on fixed incomes. The reality is, though, that in terms of dollars and cents the levies will cost the wealthy to a greater degree than the impoverished.
At the same time, the kids who have the chance to benefit the most from the levies (and will be hurt the most by a “no” vote) are the impoverished kids. Without the levies, the school is going to cut programs, services, etc. Mark my words, it will absolutely happen. Who is going to be hurt by program cuts? The kids from Asbury or the kids from the north side of town.
The levy will provide between 300 to 400 dollars more per student. This is money that cannot be made up by impoverished folks. The kids from wealthy families are going to have what they need because their parents are wealthy enough to make up for the lost levy. Unfortunately, many of those wealthy families might simply decide to move to Clear Lake or even out of the area if there is the impression that we are not a community that supports our schools.
The “no” vote will directly impact school-aged children. These might be your children, grandchildren, or the children in your neighborhood. Can you actually stomach that the kids you know who attend Mason City Schools are not going to have access to the resources that kids in Clear Lake, Garner, Ft. Dodge, and 97% of the rest of the schools in the state have?
Vote your conscience. Please inform your conscience before your vote.
@Anonymous-Thank you for your response and understanding of seniors problems. However, I must disagree with you somewhat.I have read on N.I.T. that after (that is after) this school year and after all of the expenses are paid the Mason City Schools will have 8 million dollars left. And next year the state increases their state payments from 2% to 4%. Just how much money do they need and what do they need it for. They have lied to us and misrepresented the facts so much we no longer believe them. VOTE NO more MONEY.
Your money is clearly important to you, and it should be no other way. Think about it this way. A no vote is a vote to decrease your property value. People are already leaving Mason City and have been for decades.
Ask the people in your life with school-aged kids if they would move to a town that they know is providing 300 to 500 dollars less per student than virtually every other city in the state. Its an easy move over to Clear Lake. Or, maybe they just move to Ames, Ankeny, Marshalltown, Ft. Dodge (yes, even Ft. Dodge), etc. and know that those communities are willing to invest in the school district.
If your problem is with the administration, there are means to address that with the school board. Saying “no” to the levy is not saying “yes” to the school administration. It is saying “no” to the kids and, unintentionally, reducing the value of your own property.
“People are already leaving Mason City and have been for decades.”
And this has a direct result of declining enrollment in the school district. Why are they asking for MORE money for LESS students? Why do our students continue to under perform? Lets see an improvement before a tax levy is passed.
@Superhowy- Just you remember. There is only so much money that we have available. We can’t go to the taxpayers everytime we want a raise. Everyone wants more money but there is nothing left to give.
The demands on schools are greater than ever. Academics has changed a lot in the last 40 years. Today’s schools are expected to address the basics as it always has, but also has to prepare kids to be able to use technology…Tech is expensive. Social problems have grown and that means the schools have to change to deal with those issues. Some of you are going to argue that its up to parents to teach kids. To an extent, that is true, but remember, today’s families most likely have two working parents and no stay-at-home parent which is yet another obstacle for schools. Finally, how many folks out there can teach chemistry, physics, calculus, spanish, advanced literature, computer science, business…these are classes todays graduates need to get into college and teachers that have the ability to teach these courses are very expensive. Invest in youth, Invest in the future. Vote Yes!
They are making it as hard as they can for seniors to vote. The published locations in the Glob are so small you need a magnifying glass to read them. Also, there is not a polling place anywhere in the N/W. quadrant of the city. Do you suppose they don’t want seniors to vote??? VOTE NO, NO, NO.
Just remember seniors, its today’s and tomorrow’s workers that pay your social security. Odd’s are social security won’t be around for these graduates or at least not at age 62 and 65. A vote for developing students is a vote to keep workers and social security in place long term. Factory jobs are gone, we need an educated workforce. This Levy will insure we have competivie programs and technology and can retain good, talented teachers for the hard stuff. Vote Yes.
@Superhowy-Just you remember, I paid into social security and medicare for 50 years. And many years I paid in the maximum amount. I paid for myself.
LVS..you paid in as you were required to, but your contribution supported the seniors on social security when you were a worker. Todays generation supports you. This is FACT!
@Superhowy- Then give me back my money and I will live on that. With what I paid in and the interest I could have gotten I would live pretty damn good. And it doesn’t matte what I paid in for. I was promised social security and medical care and now you people want to take it away. Won’t happen. You need to do like every other business and that is cut you overhead and expenses and live within your budget. i have to and so should the school system.
LVS…I don’t want to take it away, I want to make sure you still have it. But if you take away the ability for todays students to make money by giving them a limited education, you are hurting their ability to pay social security which is used to pay you..
By the way…how much do you think you paid in? Most retirees have drawn out far more than they put in even if you include the returns on investments. I suspect you are now different. Social Security is a government sponsored Ponzi Scheme…always has been. Maybe if there was a support levy when you went to school, you would have known that…Lol…sorry just kidding.