Thread: CO-Douglas County votes to charge fees for school-bus rides

Douglas County votes to charge fees for school-bus rides
By 9News
Posted: 05/19/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 05/19/2010 01:33:43 AM MDT


PARKER — Parents in Colorado's third-largest school district are being asked to pay if their kids want to ride the bus to school.

The Douglas County school board voted 5-0 Tuesday night to approve a 50-cent-per-ride transportation fee starting next school year. The decision will affect about 17,000 students who ride the bus this year. The district hopes to raise $2 million with the program.

The buses will have Zonar GPS units to track student ridership. Students will have a card or a ZPass that will track their use of the bus.

Douglas County Schools will have to pay $221,000 in three equal installments over the next three years to fully implement the GPS tracking technology. That cost covers the system as a whole.

"Cost per bus will likely vary, as some may require more updating than others," said Dianna Miguez, communications specialist for Douglas County Schools.

Families who qualify for the National Free and Reduced Lunch Program will not be charged the fee. Students in the Individualized Education Program that requires transportation also will not be charged.

The school board debated the issue for three months until voting Tuesday.

Douglas County Schools is facing $31 million in reductions for the 2010-11 school year. At nearly $16 million, the district says transportation costs make up a large portion of the budget.

Jefferson County, the largest district in the state, does not have a transportation fee in next year's budget. Denver, the second-largest in the state, is not discussing it as an option.

Read the full story and watch video at 9News.com



http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_15115035

[quoteFamilies who qualify for the National Free and Reduced Lunch Program will not be charged the fee. Students in the Individualized Education Program that requires transportation also will not be charged. [/quote]

As good a reason as any of the many to do away with the "National Free and Reduce Lunch Program."

This is a nation based on equal protection under the law. it's time schools started abiding it. Either all students get free lunch or no one gets free lunch. Either all students pay to ride the bus or no one pays to ride the bus. Either buses pick up all students who want to ride the bus, or buses don't pick up anyone who wants to ride the bus.

Parents in Colorado's third-largest school district are being asked to pay if their kids want to ride the bus to school.

Isn't this something that county taxes is supposed to cover? Sounds like the parents are going to be charged twice for one service!

More to the point, it looks like only some parents are being charged twice.

Originally Posted by Newmexican

More to the point, it looks like only some parents are being charged twice.

And more to the reality, it looks some parents aren't being charged at all, either through taxes or fees. Ugh! Maybe they should stop having kids until they can afford to fix them lunch or get them to school.

School buses are paid for through taxes. If they stop wasting money on free lunches then they have no need to charge for the bus rides. Wanna take a guess on who is getting the free lunches?

Originally Posted by redpony353

School buses are paid for through taxes. If they stop wasting money on free lunches then they have no need to charge for the bus rides. Wanna take a guess on who is getting the free lunches?

Uuummmm, let me guess. The same people getting more tax credit welfare back than they paid in taxes?



We so need the FairTax to straighten out vote-buying inequities.

www.fairtax.org

Originally Posted by Judy

Originally Posted by redpony353

School buses are paid for through taxes. If they stop wasting money on free lunches then they have no need to charge for the bus rides. Wanna take a guess on who is getting the free lunches?

Uuummmm, let me guess. The same people getting more tax credit welfare back than they paid in taxes?



We so need the FairTax to straighten out vote-buying inequities.

www.fairtax.org

YES!!! THE SAME ONES! I am ALL in favor of the FairTax.