They say it's fairly easy to teach a dog to roll over. I haven't tried it yet with Arthur because, let's face it, at 150 lbs. I'm not sure I want him rolling all over the place. Sometimes he lays on his back with his eyes looking wild and his paws bent -- I call it his "Thriller" pose. He doesn't roll all the way over though.

So, how hard is it to teach people to roll over? And why are so many rolling over and letting the Northgate School Board increase property taxes by 3.1 mills?

Not one single person has come to a school board meeting and protested. There have been no petitions, no letters to the editor, no revolution -- all of which would be appropriate responses.

I know you're upset, but complaining to your neighbor doesn't count. You have to get the message to the people who make the decisions, and believe me, these guys are NOT getting the message.

Here's a perfect example.

Northgate has the opportunity to reduce the cost of its workers compensation insurance by $3,600. The school board doesn't want to do it, and here's why:

1. The current insurance carrier has been working with the district for 20 years. (That's nice. Maybe next year they'll come up with lower rates. Loyalty only goes so far when it comes to my tax bill.)

2. The current insurance company has taught worker safety. (Yeah, that's what insurance companies do, try to prevent claims. It's why I get regular advisories from my health insurance carrier on everything from getting a flu shot to getting some exercise. This isn't a special gift to Northgate, it's just a practical business decision.)

3. The other company might raise its rates next year. (At which point Northgate can return to the current company, who might just decrease its rates next year because it lost a nice contract this year.)

I know it's only $3,600, but there are a lot of little $3,600 expenditures out there that this board has found itself incapable of identifying and eliminating. They need your help. They need your anger. They need your complaints. They need to find it harder to spend money than it now is.

This is not the time to learn how to roll over. It's time to start barking -- maybe even growl a bit.