Katy ISD bonds, more money for what?

This is from the website:
http://instantnewskaty.com/2010/08/06/15322/comment-page-1#comment-467
Tea Party To School Board: We Have Questions About Planned Bond Issue

By: John Pape on Fri, Aug 6, 2010

News

In a statement released yesterday, the Katy Tea Party Patriots announced the formation of an education awareness team to explore issues associated with Katy ISD’s anticipated November bond election.

In July, the Katy ISD Bond Referendum Task Force formally recommended $459,791,092 bond package to the school board.

Trustees have not yet voted to call the bond election; however, it is widely expected they will schedule the vote for November.

In the statement, the Tea Party Patriots stressed the organization is not taking a stance on the bond issue at this time, but believes “it is important that we start asking some important questions surrounding the proposed bond.”

Education awareness team member and former school board candidate Henry Dibrell initiated the process by issuing a list of questions entitled “10 Things to Ask Yourself Before Voting on the KISD Bond Referendum.”

Those questions included:

- Do you trust the people who will be in charge of spending the money if it is approved?

- Who will make the final decisions about how bond money is spent?

- How much debt does Katy ISD have at present?

- If nothing is done, how much will your taxes go down?

- How were the proceeds of earlier bond money spent; and was there any left over funding? How much?

- What is the status of “left over” funds today? Spent on what? Saved for future use?

- When will these bonds be paid off and at what total cost to the taxpayer?

- If Katy ISD does not issue new bonds what is the impact on our tax rate?

- Are the costs in line with what is reasonable and necessary?

- Who gets to decide how left over bond money is spent? Do you trust them with that task?

The bond package recommended by the task force is made up of the following:

- $282,127,231 in new facilities

- $98,843,953 in comprehensive renovations of existing facilities

- $1,763,626 in expansion of existing facilities

- $18,868,761 in component replacements in existing facilities

- $35,400,245 in technology improvements

- $22,787,275 in “other” expenditures, including portable buildings, buses and bond costs

Tea Party leaders said the group plans on issuing additional awareness information on the bond issue in the upcoming weeks.

Additionally, the Tea Party has announced a change in its regular meeting location. Beginning Aug. 12 at 7 p.m., the group will hold its bi-monthly meetings at the Grayson Lakes Community Center.

My comments are simple, I am a simple guy...

I would like to know a simple answer to a simple question – what percentage of all KISD employees are teachers vs the total employment?
I have yet to get this answer from board members. My gut feeling tells me there are perhaps 50% non-teaching employees when I personally think the number ratio should be more like 80/20 or 90/10 (teachers vs. non-teachers).

I bet we could do without a bond issue if we streamlined some administrative positions, why is it they always fire teachers first instead of bloated overhead management staff? When I was in school we had ONE principal per school, now there are 3-5 per school – why?