We’re Mad as Hell, but We Don’t Have Time to Vote?

Voters in the Des Moines Public School District are trickling into the polls today to vote on the renewal of the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL).  I understand a tax levy isn’t exactly the sexiest topic, but amidst all the “Take Our Country Back” talk, one might think turnout would be heavier.  The fact only about 1,700 people had voted as of 1:00 p.m. is troubling on many fronts.  This is, after all, a property tax issue and one that significantly affects our public schools.

Turnout is so low for a couple of reasons; 1) this is the first year a school board election is not being held on the second Tuesday of September and 2) PPEL is one of a handful of obscure and confusing funding tools few voters understand.

The General Assembly recently changed terms of school board members from three to four years.  This was supposed to save the cost of holding elections every year by making the elections biennial.  Des Moines Schools, in its wisdom, has made sure those savings are not realized in year one by holding this vote.  More important, by keeping school board elections as a standalone election the second Tuesday after Labor Day, the General Assembly assured turnout will always be low making it easy for special interest groups to manipulate the results.  Yes, some will say vaguely that election officers prefer to keep school board elections separate from other votes because school board boundaries do not line up with city, congressional or other ballot items.  This is bunk.  Ballots can be prepared for elections with multiple questions and boundaries.

Second, school funding is a complex mix of revenue sources and a mind-numbing array of spending restrictions.  PPEL is just one example.  Voters might be better able to get their arms around this messy brew, if the school district did a better job of presenting its budget.  I won’t bore you in this blog with my full prescription, but let me give you a synopsis.  The district budget needs to be presented each year in a simpler layout.  Each funding source should be listed with its effective and renewal dates, amount of money raised, the exact amounts spent and the items purchased or salaries paid with these funds, etc.  Each funding source’s revenue and expense totals would correspond with the larger budget document the district already produces.  The result would be a budget we could all understand.

OK, go ahead and discount my ideas above, but we should all agree today’s turnout is abhorrent.  Next time you find yourself in an angry mob yelling about government tyranny, you should ask how many of those in that mob voted today.  It is hard to take somebody too seriously about what he is going to do to change things, if he could not get to the polls to decide this important issue on such a fine, sunny day.  And, there is still time to get to the polls, if you have not voted yet.

(GRAHAM GILLETTE CAN BE REACHED BY EMAIL AT GRAHAMGILLETTE@GMAIL.COM)

Added 9/15/2010 – The PPEL was renewed for another ten years by 65% of the 5,077 voters who voted in this election.  Des Moines has 119,139 voters.  This means 4% of voters turned out yesterday.  The special election will cost Des Moines Schools $85,000.  Here is the link to Des Moines Register story about the vote