Posted 11:03 AM by Susan Darst Williams

IF OPS DOES 'ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACK' SURVEYS . . .

Go Big Ed political consultant Paul Dorr says that in most communities in which a big school bond issue or tax-lid override fails, school district officials usually commission an expensive post-mortem survey to find out why people voted against them.

Most of the time, they try to justify it by saying they have to find out why people didn't UNDERSTAND their request for more money and how they fell SHORT in explaining to the public their high-priced, complex needs.

Riiiiiiight.

Who is it who doesn't understand the message that Omaha Public Schools voters sent Tuesday, by a whopping 60 / 40 margin, that OPS is going to have to shift its costs and cut its budget a little, instead of getting more just because they asked for more?

So here's what Go Big Ed will do . . . if OPS starts doing such a survey, WE will do a counter-survey. As funds permit, we will start calling around to find out why that 40 percent mistakenly voted FOR the tax increase, and what they didn't UNDERSTAND about the need for units of government, such as the public schools, to set priorities and hold the line on spending when times are lean.