Allentown Government Gets Dumber Every Day!

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski wants free community college, pre-K on the ballot for city students
By Emily Opilo and Jacqueline Palochko | The Morning Call

"Allentown voters may be asked to fund universal pre-Kindergarten and a long-awaited scholarship program for all city students if a ballot question from Mayor Ed Pawlowski makes it on the ballot this fall."

Cash Poor, ASD Looks to Borrow up to $64M-- Superintendent said the district is in 'dire straits'
Stephen Althouse | WFMZ-TV

"Make no mistake we are in dire straits," Superintendent C. Russell Mayo, said. “We are now in a crisis." The district will run out of money in April, according to district chief financial officer Jack Clark."

My Comments About The Articles Above
As if it weren't enough for the mayor to go on a spending spree with his own city and state's money it now appears he's looking to spend the Allentown School District's as well.

Funding is not the only problem I have with this.





PRE-KINDERGARTEN
Let's take away the pretense by use of the word "pre-K". This is nothing more then creating a new buzz word calling them something different then what they really are... "Day Care Nurseries". Two things concern me.(1) In one scenario I can see it further encouraging high school teenage girls to become mothers. The high school already provides daycare while they are in high school. This taxpayer supported program would further extend daycare to them beyond graduation.

Besides the fact the government would be raising their kids, these mothers would still be eligible (under the right financial circumstances) to collect Medicaid, welfare and what not. Programs that were designed to help them stay home raise and feed their kids. In other words they'd still get paid government support for not actually mothering six hours more out of the day.


(2) Will the school district take over daycare entirely or will they be allowed/forced to outsource similar to what's taking place with charter schools? Currently a number of churches rely on daycare to keep them going. Either they'd go under or legislation would allow/force taxpayer money be used to fund religious institutions. If it's the later which religions? So too a number of nonprofits also provide daycare. If they'd also be factored into the mix it would equate to taxpayers being forced to donate to a nonprofit whether they wish to support a particular one or not.


FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
When is a enough, enough-- Each taxpayer through their local school district is already contributing through their taxes to support community college. These colleges were first started to offer low tuition. Like everything else it seems once they got their foot in the door some only saw it only as a first step. While free education is something to be pursued it should not be considered by any means at the local level. If the state or federal government can't support what's already in place let's not go writing checks we can't cash.

Then there's the matter of the associates degree itself. It and another $50,000+ for a four year degree might prove useful. Granted some partial credits could go towards a four year degree, other then that a associates degree by itself is worth little more then the paper it's printed on.


THE REAL PROBLEM LIES...
At the federal level via these poor trade agreements and other policies which took away many of the jobs in the first place. Using local money is like trying to make it possible for each person to catch a fish in a very large pond where few if any remain. The most we can do at a local level is have our politicians ban together with state leaders to put pressure on Washington. Outside of that I don't care if every kid is walking around with a doctorate it's not going to make a difference if the job outlook remains as it is. Neither will encouraging daycare for every one including those who aren't working therefore having no pressing need for it.

Ever see a kid run before they can walk?
Already local government is having trouble administering and paying for "essential services". Facing these existing problems I don't see why offering babysitting services and handing out degrees should even be considered.