Tennessee district closes schools over lack of funding, blames Obamacare

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
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well this is interesting. is this a one off or are more to come?

https://www.rt.com/usa/318442-tennessee-schools-closed-budget-problems/

A school district in Tennessee voted to cancel classes and shut down its schools as a result of a budget problem that has left the government unable to fund the facilities. The school director blamed Obamacare for its problems.
Clay County, Tennessee operates three schools total – one high school and two that cover pre-kindergarten through eighth grade – on a $9.5 million budget. However, now more than 1,100 students are sitting at home while officials try to figure out how to reopen the doors. A school board meeting last week saw the board voting 6-4 to close the schools. A separate vote to keep them open failed.

Notably, the county’s financial issues are not new. Clay County Director of Schools Jerry Strong told Associated Press that officials have been struggling with the budget for three years, and blamed county obligations such as state and government mandates, particularly the Affordable Care Act, for the monetary hole.

"Clay County's inability to generate the revenue to offset the mandates is what's caused this to come to a head," he said.

"The straw that broke the camel's back was really the Affordable Care Act for us and it has made it very difficult for us to have our employees properly covered and meet the mandates of the law. That was going to require new revenue and the commission felt like they couldn't do that through a tax increase."
 
Oct 16, 1999
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So it's Obamacare's fault...
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Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
4,399
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Sounds more like idiots that want stuff but don't want their taxes to go up. Guess where schools, roads, fire department, etc... get their funding?

The people of this district are at fault, not obamacare or other things they try and blame. And this was not sudden, even they admit they knew they had budget issues before.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
87,456
54,225
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I'm always interested to see what Russian state run media has to say about the US health care system. Thanks for the RT link.
 

glenn1

Lifer
Sep 6, 2000
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So it's Obamacare's fault...

I have little doubt that Obamacare marginally increased their costs, but not precipitously enough to force a school closure. This is simply the explanation that's most acceptable by the locals and their politics, just as something about "rich 1%'ers not paying fair taxes" would likely be cited if this were some liberal-minded location.
 

Attic

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2010
4,282
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Sounds like the ACA didn't help their budget issues.



Blaming the closure on the ACA,.... everybody these days likes to point the finger.
 

JEDIYoda

Lifer
Jul 13, 2005
33,986
3,321
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well this is interesting. is this a one off or are more to come?

https://www.rt.com/usa/318442-tennes...dget-problems/


Quote:




A school district in Tennessee voted to cancel classes and shut down its schools as a result of a budget problem that has left the government unable to fund the facilities. The school director blamed Obamacare for its problems.
Clay County, Tennessee operates three schools total – one high school and two that cover pre-kindergarten through eighth grade – on a $9.5 million budget. However, now more than 1,100 students are sitting at home while officials try to figure out how to reopen the doors. A school board meeting last week saw the board voting 6-4 to close the schools. A separate vote to keep them open failed.

Notably, the county’s financial issues are not new. Clay County Director of Schools Jerry Strong told Associated Press that officials have been struggling with the budget for three years, and blamed county obligations such as state and government mandates, particularly the Affordable Care Act, for the monetary hole.

"Clay County's inability to generate the revenue to offset the mandates is what's caused this to come to a head," he said.

"The straw that broke the camel's back was really the Affordable Care Act for us and it has made it very difficult for us to have our employees properly covered and meet the mandates of the law. That was going to require new revenue and the commission felt like they couldn't do that through a tax increase."
















__________________
sounds like BS to me!!
 
Feb 6, 2007
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I've got $60,000 in credit card debt and I quit my job so I could have more free time available to practice my one-man naked pogo stick interpretive dance routine commemorating Slavic independence. Suddenly I can't afford groceries. THANKS OBAMA.

I mean, as long as we're blaming something unrelated for our failure to adequately budget for things and all....
 

trenchfoot

Lifer
Aug 5, 2000
15,534
8,062
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Mr. Trickle Down Theory, meet the lovely Lower Taxes-Smaller Gov't.

I'm sure you'll both live happily ever after if you would just skip on down that Yellow Brick Road over yonder.
 

Londo_Jowo

Lifer
Jan 31, 2010
17,303
158
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londojowo.hypermart.net
I'm sure that most can afford higher property tax or paying a higher county sales tax to raise more money. :rolleyes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_County,_Tennessee

As of the census of 2000, there were 7,976 people, 3,379 households, and 2,331 families residing in the county. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 7,992. The population density was 34 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 3,959 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.75% White, 1.44% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 1.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,379 households out of which 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.00% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the county, the population was spread out with 21.50% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 27.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $23,958, and the median income for a family was $29,784. Males had a median income of $23,513 versus $16,219 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,320. About 14.30% of families and 19.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.40% of those under age 18 and 27.60% of those age 65 or over.
 

trenchfoot

Lifer
Aug 5, 2000
15,534
8,062
136
I'm sure that most can afford higher property tax or paying a higher county sales tax to raise more money. :rolleyes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_County,_Tennessee

But you see, that county is simply obeying the ideological blueprint that their Republican ruled government so ordained.

To wit: "Starve The Beast in order to create wealth and prosperity."

*translation* - (The poor must suffer so that the rich may prosper)
 
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Moonbeam

Elite Member
Nov 24, 1999
74,300
6,640
126
wow, umm ok well i guess that explains it all! :rolleyes:

Republicanism is, after all, a rural Southern, anti intellectual, undereducated white disease, very similar to the anti-intellectual poverty and crime infested cultural disease we find in crack smoking Black ghettos in liberal cities. People who hate themselves teach their children to hate themselves and in isolation from progressive cultures of optimism remain culturally sick.

The very thing that can save such degenerate aberrations is education, the one thing they despise more than all else.
 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
Republicanism is, after all, a rural Southern, anti intellectual, undereducated white disease, very similar to the anti-intellectual poverty and crime infested cultural disease we find in crack smoking Black ghettos in liberal cities. People who hate themselves teach their children to hate themselves and in isolation from progressive cultures of optimism remain culturally sick.

The very thing that can save such degenerate aberrations is education, the one thing they despise more than all else.

your cup full of hate is disgusting.
 

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
30,445
45,031
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I've got $60,000 in credit card debt and I quit my job so I could have more free time available to practice my one-man naked pogo stick interpretive dance routine commemorating Slavic independence. Suddenly I can't afford groceries. THANKS OBAMA.

Damnit Playboy, you owe me a new keyboard! :biggrin:
 

theeedude

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
35,787
6,197
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Modern Republicanism is based on never ending grievances and siege mentality. Started with the Southern Strategy, but devolved even further.
 

kage69

Lifer
Jul 17, 2003
30,445
45,031
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Anyone heard of any other schools shutting down like this, claiming ACA as the cause?
 

HumblePie

Lifer
Oct 30, 2000
14,665
440
126
Anyone heard of any other schools shutting down like this, claiming ACA as the cause?

Not the only cause, but the last straw is what they are referring to. Not the same thing. There is a huge set of reasons for the shutdown, but blaming ACA is just the most politically motivated one for them right now.