Columbia homeowners can expect a 2 percent increase in their 2016-17 taxes if the proposed $23.7 million budget is approved.
The board voted 7-0 on May 12 in favor of the proposed budget, with two board members absent. The board’s final approval is set for June 16.
Columbia Spy 
Apparently they are not hearing the cries of the residents.
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Just another one
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i agree. the school board NEVER listens to the taxpaying residents. NEVER. CONSOLIDATE THE SCHOOLS. NOW.
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If they would stop spending money on stupid things like a trolley that very few people will use, except perhaps on special occasions, they wouldn't have to raise taxes. Very high taxes are a big reason all the decent people are moving out of columbia. Obviously they're not listening to the residents.
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The trolley has nothing to do with school taxes.
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I regularly hear the call to consolidate and comments about wasted tax dollar, i.e., the trolley. First, the money for the trolley has nothing to do with our school taxes yet I agree, in the end, the money is coming from the same source, the taxpayer. As for the call for consolidation, I agree this would be a good thing, yet it is not an easy task to accomplish. First, what school district would want to completely consolidate with us and take on our burden. I believe the school district is heading in the right direction by sharing a superintendent and I.T. consultant. Hopefully, we will see more of this. While I know this will not go over with those who bleed Crimson and Gold, but we really should consider entering into cooperative agreements with a neighboring school in regards to some of our sports teams, such as football, track, and baseball. (Good thing about track is you can succeed individually, way to go Jordan Haberstroh!) We don't have the numbers to field a competitive teams and it is not fair to the kids who work hard only to fail as a team because as it. Other schools do this in various sports, time we think about it. I personally know some ofthe school board members and have no reason to believe they are not doing anything less than their best for the citizens. Express your concerns to them. Go to a meeting,(there is seldom a citizen to be found at a school board meeting) email them, send them a letter, (yes, people still do that) or call them with your concerns. They are open to suggestions and will answer your questions.
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Fact is, School Tax is not affiliated with the Trolley.I pray the Trolley works and shuts the Negative Nellies up!
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What about the Taj Mahal of an admin building. Think we can eliminate this financial burden, & all of the admin employees in it. If we don't work on a consolidation the taxpayers of Cola will be paying way more than they need to for educating their children.
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Uneducated folks continue to blame the school tax madness on the Borough of Columbia. Go figure. Try dealing with the teacher's union and the police union. Their pensions- that's where your taxes are going! Once the unions are out of here, you'll see a decrease in taxes. Pitiful that folks can't see that. Instead, just be keyboard warriors and complain about the wrong source of the problem.
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I think it is important to remember the administrative building was a gift from a local church and did not cost the taxpayers a cent. Those who work on the inside….that's another story.
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Consolidation would be nice, but will not happen overnight. A lot of factors go into mergers or consolidation. It would be nice for the state to assist if we. go this route.
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Your not taking into consideration the huge amount of money that went into fixing that building up. And no expenses were spared
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Pitiful that you think pensions are the source of the problem. Maybe if we stopped the race to the bottom this country (and town) would improve.
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Consolidate with Donegal
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Columbia has the same number of kids they did when fielding competitive teams in the past. The problem is the pajama wearing, front porch sitting sorry excuses for parents are too cheap and last to get their kids involved in sports from a young age so none of them play. “Why would I spend 50 bucks on a sport and take time to go to my kids game when I can but Jack Daniels and sit on my porch”
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In all seriousness, everyone talks about Penn Manor and Hempfield, what would the problem be with Donegal ?, I'm curious ??
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Any one of these school districts would be better than we have now & cheaper for taxpayers
LikeLike
Apparently they are not hearing the cries of the residents.
LikeLike
Just another one
LikeLike
i agree. the school board NEVER listens to the taxpaying residents. NEVER. CONSOLIDATE THE SCHOOLS. NOW.
LikeLike
If they would stop spending money on stupid things like a trolley that very few people will use, except perhaps on special occasions, they wouldn't have to raise taxes. Very high taxes are a big reason all the decent people are moving out of columbia. Obviously they're not listening to the residents.
LikeLike
The trolley has nothing to do with school taxes.
LikeLike
I regularly hear the call to consolidate and comments about wasted tax dollar, i.e., the trolley. First, the money for the trolley has nothing to do with our school taxes yet I agree, in the end, the money is coming from the same source, the taxpayer. As for the call for consolidation, I agree this would be a good thing, yet it is not an easy task to accomplish. First, what school district would want to completely consolidate with us and take on our burden. I believe the school district is heading in the right direction by sharing a superintendent and I.T. consultant. Hopefully, we will see more of this. While I know this will not go over with those who bleed Crimson and Gold, but we really should consider entering into cooperative agreements with a neighboring school in regards to some of our sports teams, such as football, track, and baseball. (Good thing about track is you can succeed individually, way to go Jordan Haberstroh!) We don't have the numbers to field a competitive teams and it is not fair to the kids who work hard only to fail as a team because as it. Other schools do this in various sports, time we think about it. I personally know some ofthe school board members and have no reason to believe they are not doing anything less than their best for the citizens. Express your concerns to them. Go to a meeting,(there is seldom a citizen to be found at a school board meeting) email them, send them a letter, (yes, people still do that) or call them with your concerns. They are open to suggestions and will answer your questions.
LikeLike
Fact is, School Tax is not affiliated with the Trolley.I pray the Trolley works and shuts the Negative Nellies up!
LikeLike
What about the Taj Mahal of an admin building. Think we can eliminate this financial burden, & all of the admin employees in it. If we don't work on a consolidation the taxpayers of Cola will be paying way more than they need to for educating their children.
LikeLike
Uneducated folks continue to blame the school tax madness on the Borough of Columbia. Go figure. Try dealing with the teacher's union and the police union. Their pensions- that's where your taxes are going! Once the unions are out of here, you'll see a decrease in taxes. Pitiful that folks can't see that. Instead, just be keyboard warriors and complain about the wrong source of the problem.
LikeLike
I think it is important to remember the administrative building was a gift from a local church and did not cost the taxpayers a cent. Those who work on the inside….that's another story.
LikeLike
Consolidation would be nice, but will not happen overnight. A lot of factors go into mergers or consolidation. It would be nice for the state to assist if we. go this route.
LikeLike
Your not taking into consideration the huge amount of money that went into fixing that building up. And no expenses were spared
LikeLike
Pitiful that you think pensions are the source of the problem. Maybe if we stopped the race to the bottom this country (and town) would improve.
LikeLike
Consolidate with Donegal
LikeLike
Columbia has the same number of kids they did when fielding competitive teams in the past. The problem is the pajama wearing, front porch sitting sorry excuses for parents are too cheap and last to get their kids involved in sports from a young age so none of them play. “Why would I spend 50 bucks on a sport and take time to go to my kids game when I can but Jack Daniels and sit on my porch”
LikeLike
In all seriousness, everyone talks about Penn Manor and Hempfield, what would the problem be with Donegal ?, I'm curious ??
LikeLike
Any one of these school districts would be better than we have now & cheaper for taxpayers
LikeLike