What is the CCBASD?

October 6th, 2009
What is the CC-BASD?

The Concerned Citizens of Bethlehem Area School District (CC-BASD) is a non-partisan group that is concerned about the trend of significant growth in all levels of government. The CC-BASD supports the uniquely American founding principles of limited government and individual liberty. Early in 2009, a small group of citizens were shocked by the publicly documented severe financial distress experienced by the Bethlehem Area School District. The combination of proposed tax hikes, significant debt, and unprecedented use of risky financial derivatives was too much to ignore. They founded the Concerned Citizens of Bethlehem Area School District to speak out against the irresponsible financial management of the school district.

In the spring of 2009, reinforcements were provided to the group by the nation-wide grass roots “Tea Party” movement. A fresh group of reasonable liberty loving local Americans joined forces with their like-minded colleagues to expand the reach and influence of the group. The group declared a mission to focus on poorly run and unresponsive government at all levels, starting with the Bethlehem Area School District. The group’s first priority was to develop a thoughtful and detailed assessment of the school district’s major financial issues. The second step was to create a set of very basic and straight-forward recommendations to resolve the identified problems. The third step was to respectively present this package of ideas to the school board, during the June, 2009 public meeting, and offer any help required by the board to implement these specific recommendations. In a future commentary, we will give you a summary of this proposal and an update on the school board’s response and progress.

The CC-BASD’s chosen mode of operation is based on a methodical and logical approach to problem solving. Rational, aggressive, and constructive public debate serves the people best. The group conducts monthly public meetings. This forum provides like-minded individuals with an update on the organization’s activities, an opportunity to express their individual concerns about the creeping loss of liberty in our country, and a brief and informative perspective on relevant current issues.

The CC-BASD will leverage this blog as a vehicle to provide a periodic update of the group’s activities and positions. Buckle up; the ride will probably be bumpy, but certainly worthwhile. The march is on to restore our republic.

Publius II
CC-BASD

Contact Us

If you have any questions about our organization or would like to join our mailing list, please contact us at:

ccbasd09@gmail.com

CC-BASD Mission Statement

CONCERNED CITIZENS OF BETHLEHEM AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
(CC-BASD)

Mission Statement - July 13, 2009

The CC-BASD is a non-partisan group that is concerned about the trend of significant growth in all levels of government. We support and encourage limited government and limited taxation in keeping with our American traditions and founding principles.

I. Since education is key to the future of our community and our country, our initial focus will be on the Bethlehem Area School District. This focus shall be to foster and grow a healthy School District in Bethlehem, PA by means of achieving a financially balanced budget, lifting our currently underperforming schools to a standard of excellence for students of all backgrounds, the prudent use of available funds and a School Board that is accountable and responsible to the citizens of Bethlehem, PA at all times and which shall never put the District’s funds at undue risk. Here is a specific set of budget guidelines that we are recommending the school board adopt.
We the people of the Bethlehem Area School District petition the school board to incorporate the following perspectives into the annual budget process:
• Demonstrate the interests of the tax payer in developing the annual school budget.
• Increased spending does not automatically equal quality education.
• Raising taxes and borrowing money must only be considered as a last resort, not the first solution.
• Prudent financial management includes a realistic assessment of our community’s finite resources.
1. Prioritize spending requests based on providing a quality education to our students.
2. Evaluate every expenditure and assess the most cost effective way to deliver that service.
3. Fund any new priorities by spending cuts in other areas of the budget.

II. We will also focus on poorly run and unresponsive government entities as circumstances arise that match our priorities.

You can reach CC-BASD at: ccbasd09@gmail.com
(CC-BASD) Concerned Citizens of Bethlehem Area School District