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Deal-Making in Portland to Keep Schools Open

Ohanian Comment: The subtitle in this piece is: Increased accountability was part of the deal when the city and county helped pass a tax to aid schools. Take a look at who's making the deal and what the details are. Wonder just what "evaluate their peers' teaching methods" means, not to mention universal algebra. It would be more interesting to find out the contributions of the Business Alliance.

Portland Public Schools leaders Monday night gave their first accountability report to local politicians who helped orchestrate a tax increase that guaranteed a full school year in Multnomah County.

The joint session with members of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners and the Portland City Council was tied to promises made when the elected leaders helped win a three-year county income tax in May. The tax, unique in Oregon, helped retain about 600 teaching jobs in the Portland district; maintain a student-teacher ratio of 30-1; and ensure that no days would be cut from the school calendar.

Superintendent Jim Scherzinger and Patricia Pickles, the district's chief academic officer, said the district's academic action plan -- adopted earlier this year with specific goals to boost achievement -- has been embraced by schools and should start producing results this year.

Pickles said that all schools will be using online achievement tests by the end of the year, that educators will begin training next month to evaluate their peers' teaching methods, and that high schools will offer algebra or more advanced math to all freshmen, eliminating general math.

Chairwoman Diane Linn and members Serena Cruz, Lisa Naito and Maria Rojo de Steffey represented the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. Portland City Commissioner Jim Francesconi represented the City Council.

School board members thanked the elected officials for their help in passing the tax. They also thanked the Portland Association of Teachers, the Portland Schools Foundation, the Portland Business Alliance and members of Hope, or Help Out Public Education, for their work on the campaign.

The Multnomah County income tax bailed out schools, public safety and social services. The tax was calculated to raise up to $135 million per year, with up to $100 million going to county school districts. City of Portland businesses also paid higher taxes to help schools.

Linn said the county tax would be reduced if the Legislature approved $5.3 billion in school funding through 2005. After the Legislature narrowly passed a statewide income tax increase for schools in August, Linn promised that the local tax would be reduced.

If the statewide income tax increase stands, it would reduce the county tax by a total of $30 million, or by about one-third. For a taxpayer with a taxable income of $30,000, that would reduce the county tax from $325 to $250. This applies to taxpayers who make payments in 2004.

Monday night, Linn urged taxpayers to send in checks this year because the local amount can be deducted from 2003 state and federal returns.

According to Bob Gravely, the income tax information director for the county:

If the state tax is repealed by voters, a filer with a taxable income of $30,000 who deducts the local tax from 2003 returns would pay about $260.

If the statewide increase goes through, the local tax would be reduced and a taxpayer who deducts the local amount would pay $185.

But the statewide tax remains in jeopardy. Opponents are mounting a campaign against the increase and need to collect 50,420 valid signatures by Nov. 25 to qualify the issue for a Feb. 3 special election. If voters approve the referendum, the tax dies. If opponents don't collect enough valid signatures, the tax increase stands.


— Clifton R. Chestnut
Portland school leaders outline action plan
Oregonian
2003-09-23
http://www.oregonlive.com/education/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/106431860242490.xml

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