Jack is a junior here at DHS who is a three sport athlete. He is a member of soccer, winter track, and spring track teams. Additionally, Jack is the class treasure for the class of 2027, and he's on the math team and forensics team. He is also a firstear member of TEDex. Jack wanted to participate in our TEDex DHS conference because he has been interested in finance for a long time and he wants to share his knowledge about how to gain financial freedom. Please welcome Jack Silva. >> Now, if you're like me, you've probably heard somebody say something along the lines of, "I remember when I was a kid buying a burger for 10 cents or a quarter." But now, if you go somewhere, even if it's just McDonald's, the price of a burger can be four, five, six, or even more. Okay? Now, this pattern isn't only consistent across burgers.
Like WSU is kind of more tech and like because we're all like here and uh KU is more like hospital like doctor and that because they have like a lot of hospitals out there in Kansas City and the Missouri area and then Kates's around like Lily. Yeah. >> All the a stuff. So >> they have I think they have their own little section of Kate. >> I don't know what is it called? >> Aggieville. >> Well, not that that's the >> that's the downtown. That's I I mean I know >> they do have their >> have their downtown area, >> but uh I don't know what it's called, but they have they have a ranch, so there's a big I I don't know how big it is. I know it's pretty large scale and they've got cattle, horses, sheep, and then it just allows everybody to actively engage in what they're going to do.
We've also had wellness weeks, uh, activities happening in some of our, uh, middle schools and high schools. So, a big thank you to, uh, phys ed teachers and school counselors and committees within each of the schools. Um, so, it was great to get into the classrooms and read to some of the kids. I know I can, uh, speak for members of the Board of Education, other members of our administration who were present, um, in some of the classrooms the last couple weeks. It was just nice getting, um, back into those rooms, back into the schools, meeting with some of the kids, answering some of their questions. Um, so, big thank you to the staff for everything that you did with that. [clears throat] Um, I do want to note that we are looking to, um, adopt an updated calendar for 2026-2027 in, in, um, April Board of Education meeting.
So, to me it's just an issue of how how we go and use that and if there was ever a situation where something took place off campus and I and I could be wrong about this, but if it took place off campus, then that's in the realm of of the police. So, like if a if a kid went and this is my question, too. If a kid went and said something threatening to another kid off campus and it was documented on a social media platform that was at not during school hours. I mean, I know we could still go and use that as part of the investigation, but I would feel like we would have some limitations in terms of what we could do, you know, like if if something was going to happen, we can handle the on campus stuff, but if it happens at someone's house or someone's somewhere off campus, we we have no control over that and we usually recommend that the parent call the police and have the police come investigate.
Um, I'm keeping an eye on hands, too. A hand did just go up. I don't know if you would like to take the person with their hand up or answer the questions in the chat first. Do you have a preference? So, well, I'm looking at them. So, I think Diana Epstein's question is the same one that Sarah Best asked, which is the question about level service versus level funding for other departments. Um, and can you please explain where Okay, so this is from Sarah Seagura. Can you please explain where the cost of the cameras falls in the budget and what that specific amount is? And I guess the question is, are there cameras in the fiscal year 27 budget? Because that's what we're talking about tonight. >> No. Um, not that I know of. Um, no, but those the cameras that are being referred to were already purchased.
And everybody looks at me now and they see, "Oh, town manager with the high salary, right? And he can easily afford this. And and so, what about us?" And most of you know my story, but I know I'm not going to get into it. But the thing is, folks, I wasn't always this way. I've been there. I know what it's like. I know what it's like to choose between food or paying your rent or paying your mortgage or paying your taxes. I know what it's like to wonder what the next day is going to look like financially, if you're going to have a roof over your head, literally. Literally. I remember being in my 20s helping my grandparents who didn't have much money talk to the pharmaceutical companies so they could get a lower health care or lower prescription cost so they could afford other things that they needed.
This rise in if you look at anything, the price of it 20 years ago was probably cheaper than it is now. Whether that be toothpaste or anything else that you use in your everyday life. Why is this? Well, this is because of something called inflation, which can be defined as the constant increase in the price of goods which leads to the devaluation of money. Now, to help you visualize this, here is a graph showing what happens to the spending power of your money with inflation. Now, inflation is constantly changing, but currently it's about 2.7% per year. Meaning that every year, the price of goods is about 2.7% more than it was the year before. And therefore, your money is worth about 2.7% less. So, take a $10 bill for example. A year from now, it's going to have 2.7% less spending power or about 27 cents less.
It's pretty cool. >> I've never been to Manhattan, never been to Agil. Never been to any of it. I mean, it's not I mean, I I always say I'm not a big fan of K State, but like >> I mean, I wouldn't mind going there. Why not? Seeing what it's all about, seeing what all the hubhub is out there. >> Um, but yeah, I've had I've been interested from uh what is it? Manhattan Christian, >> that college, but they're like smaller than here. >> Yeah. >> So, I was like, it's like literally going to K State, but just have Manhattan Christian on the label basically because you take a lot of classes there. >> So, I was like, I think I'm going to pass on this one, but I appreciate the offer. >> Um, and I just didn't want to, you know, be up there, but I want to go.
So, we are looking to, um, bring every, bring the teachers back, um, August 31st. So, if we want to start planning, um, vacations and return to school, August 31st is going to be that date, um, because since, uh, Labor Day is running a little bit later than normal, it is going to impact the school calendar a little bit. So, I'm looking forward to working with the teachers, um, and coming up with a plan that makes sense for everybody, um, but do circle that count, that date on, on your calendar. Uh, Mr. Porfido, our athletic director, did supply a couple important dates and students and athletes to recognize. On April 25th, we will be honoring, um, Ben Luderer, one of our elementary special ed teachers, on Ben Luderer Day. So, we will have a couple baseball games over at the high school, um, and big thank you to, uh, Mr.
So, to me the and and and I'm just I'm just throwing stuff out. I could be really, really wrong here. So, please correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like the those domains are pretty well defined already in terms of like where things happen and how they happen. So, I feel like it's it makes our it could be used against us by going and defining the school day. And you know, let's have whatever restrictions that we want in place in terms of the policy and systematize them as much as we possibly can. I'm all for that. Uh but I almost feel like defining the school day could be a disadvantage. Does that make sense? So, I'm listening to the conversation and I'm wondering like if maybe we're getting a little bit too much in the weeds of the things. And I would feel better, much better honestly, if we just took out the before school part.
Not but that has not the 27 budget. >> Okay. So, Sarah, I think um that that's a topic that may come up at our April meeting, our April 7th meeting won't be forgotten. Uh, John Larson is asking, "Will the school hire someone to do the clerical work of registering or will that be added to a current staff member's job description?" >> So, that would be because we're adding additional days and am a salary amount to the current clerical person, it would be the responsibility of that clerical person. >> Okay. So, it wouldn't be hiring a new person. >> No. >> Okay. All right. Um, you do have a person with a hand up. Julio. >> Oh, Julio. Okay. >> I'm gonna allow you to talk now. >> Hi, Julio. >> Hi. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Um, and this is just questions related to the to the budget, not public comment, correct?
They were actually too darn prideful to do it themselves. And I felt a lot of of happiness and warmth when I was able to help them. And that that helps drive me do what I do today. And that's nice, but what does that mean for you? Right? So let me show you. Oops. Sorry, this thing is a little slower than my usual. These are Ashland's tax bills compared to the region. Okay? Ashland's on the green line. The peers, again, in our region, and that's 17 other communities are on the yellow line. So, since 20 uh 16, when I started, um tax bills in this region have gone up 46%. This is the average single family tax bill. This is right from the Department of Revenue. Again, not what I'm saying. And so, we've gone up only 38% during that time. An 8% difference. You know, you look at that 2016 mark, the gap between Ashland and the regional average was only $1,300.
See, you can see this pattern on the graph on the right, which shows that each year your money is having progressively less and less spending power as a result of inflation. Now, many of you here probably have jobs. And if you do, you probably have a bank account, too. And one thing that banks often talk about is the fact that they pay out interest, which is essentially just money that they give to you for holding money in their accounts. However, these interest rates are often far below the rates of inflation. Take Bank of America for example. They have an interest rate of 0.01%. 01%. Which means that if you had $10,000 invested in one of their accounts, you would only make $1 in interest by the end of the year. So, while it's great that you're gaining interest off these accounts, your money is actually still technically losing spending power because these interest rates are far below the rates of inflation.
Like I want to see what all the hype's about up there, you know, cuz I've heard so many good things about the area and how fun it is >> and the difference between there and like Witchah or like Lawrence. >> I I think it's just cuz it's such a college town. I mean, the entire thing is just based completely around K State. >> Yeah, I think I wish kind of more like that a little bit more. >> Um, but KU and like Kate, like Lawrence and Manhattan are definitely like that. >> And I think it's really great that it's like that. But >> thank you guys for coming on. Appreciate you guys time. Thank you guys for telling us about FFA and uh >> thank you guys for listening. Catch you in the next one.
Porfido, um, for organizing that, um, for another year. On June 8th, we will have our winter and spring athletic night. Um, so, please circle that date on the calendar. That is June 8th. Our girls bowling team finished 19th in New Jersey and fourth in North Jersey. Um, it was great getting out and seeing some of the, uh, some of the matches that they had. And it was interesting, um, to kind of see how the scoring works and, you know, you've got, uh, bowlers on the, this lane, bowlers on that lane. So, learning a little bit about how the, uh, high school bowling process works, um, was very interesting. Um, but a big thank you to, uh, the coaches that we have and a big congratulations to, uh, Caitlin Balens for finishing 16th in all of New Jersey, uh, which is very impressive. I know she was down, um, out of school a couple days participating in the state tournament.
What if we took My thought was going to be what if we took out that whole sentence? What if we took out students may use their wireless communication devices before and after school for personal use including on school transportation. What if we just remove that and kept it as students are required to use their wireless communication devices in conformity with the student code of conduct. Students may not use their device to disrupt the educational environment. Actually, that's pretty perfect and brilliant, Evan. Thank you. >> Then it would just like on your site, whatever you allow, but then for policy it's I don't know. That's why Evan's awesome. I think that's perfect. Are you guys okay with that? Yes. Then I'm going to take this part out that we even added. And then I'm going to just cross that sentence out. Sorry, I could hear you, but I I'm a little confused.
>> Yes. Well, it's public comment about the fiscal year 27 budget. >> Oh, okay. I have a couple things about the report, but um about the explanation of the increased registar cost are with if we're going to itemize that, are we going to out um are we going to do outline costs for other central administration tasks that are for Pelum? Like for if we're saying $6,000, which is is that like for the for just the incoming class of p elementary kindergarteners? Like so we're paying we're paying six $6,000 for potentially 15 to 20 kids. Is that what we're trying to say? >> Well, registure Oh, I'm Margaret. May I responders? um it's it's less pelm sees less move in students but there can be movein students within other grade um within other grades and and also it's it's I guess I wouldn't just say it's solely registration of making sure students have sign have signed up but it's also a piece of the school choice um and processing that which is something that historically Amherst has always done um not not charging Pelum for um so there's that piece and then in terms of itemizing other central office staff most central office staff like myself like people within the business office HR the um the superintendent's office that are uh really active within all three districts do have 4% of their salary charged to Pelum um in some cases depending on what the nature of the job is uh the percent changes um depending But majority I' I'd say like 98% is 4% of their salary.
Today, it's grown to 2,700. So, all that stuff I showed you in the other slide, what that means is that that line, that green line, goes up less slowly than everybody else. Or excuse me, more slowly. Thank you, Yolanda. I'm looking at you now Yolanda is like, "I don't think that's right." Thank you. More slowly. Um so that's how it impacts your taxes, folks. By the way, Jim, you said Google Slides is what you use? Oh, man. You got to show me some tricks here cuz I'm I'm having a hard time with this. And again, folks, this is the second thing I want to I want to point out and I think I I said it at the beginning. This is a math problem. It's not a management problem. And I'll put it in very as simple terms as I can. By law, our tax levy only goes up 2 and 1/2%.
Now, you might be asking, "What can I do about this? How can I make sure my money isn't devalued by inflation?" And luckily for you, one very straightforward strategy that people use to beat inflation is called investing, which is when you put your money into an asset, which is something that you own with the goal of making income off of it or having it appreciate in value over time. Now, there are many different types of investing, but I'm going to go over two of them in this presentation. So, first of all is real estate. In when you're investing in real estate, you're buying property, whether that be a house, a rental property, or just land, and you're trying to make money off of it by appreciating value, appreciating in value, or you renting it out. Now, some cons of this are that it requires a lot of money to start investing in real estate, and you have to pay money to maintain it over time.
So, big congratulation goes out to her, as well as Ashley Bernal. She's one of our wrestlers. She was down, I believe, in Atlantic City a couple weeks ago and she ended up placing sixth, um, in all of New Jersey. So, it was great to see that program, um, growing. Uh, big shout out goes, goes out to the coaches for that. Um, and we do have over 200 student athletes signed up for the spring session. So, um, keep doing what you guys are doing. Thank you to the coaches. Thank you to Mr. Porfido, um, for all the work that you're doing with the athletic department. And I guess at this time I'll turn it over to Mrs. Calabrese. I don't know if there's anything, uh, from the in-service day or anything curriculum-wise that you would like to share. Yeah, so on Friday, um, Friday, March 20th, we all met as, uh, district, uh, the building admin teams facilitated staff updates on our NJSLAA, um, administration highlighting key resources and expectations and the staff engaged and it was, um, for the most part, a really, you know, great, uh, PD.