I am not in a good mood right now, but with the loss of the Eagles today, I now have time to focus on this blog — something I have considered for several months. I am a former 3-term member of the TE Board of School Directors, and I’m doing this blog to share my observations and conclusions about the current operation of the District. I believe the current board is working hard, but does not seem to be asking enough questions (public deliberation) about the recommendations from Administration that are becoming policy.
T-E is a very successful program — and I have no interest in tearing it down. I think it’s a rightful source of community pride. I believe the School Board today and in my time work hard to get things done and to elevate the level of discourse in the community. My motivation, however, comes from a the “tax to the cap” mentality that is bearing down on all school boards. It’s turning into an artificial floor rather than a ceiling. It does not tell the story of the increase in expenditures, which up to now has gone well beyond the cap. But those are details that will follow. This is just an introduction to why I’m doing this.
I encourage you to comment and share information that you have. I have made a formal request to the district for information on salaries, benefits, contracts, retirement contributions, capital budgets, fund balance and investment capital. I look forward to sharing that information with the public as I review and analyze it.
Thanks for stopping by. I don’t expect this to be a forever blog — but I hope it will be useful during budget seasons and as T-E reacts to a dramatically changing economic climate.
Please indulge me as I close with a quotation. I share it as a cautionary tale, not as a conclusion or a prediction:
The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men. Plato
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Understanding School $pending 
Jan 19, 2009 Getting Started
T-E is a very successful program — and I have no interest in tearing it down. I think it’s a rightful source of community pride. I believe the School Board today and in my time work hard to get things done and to elevate the level of discourse in the community. My motivation, however, comes from a the “tax to the cap” mentality that is bearing down on all school boards. It’s turning into an artificial floor rather than a ceiling. It does not tell the story of the increase in expenditures, which up to now has gone well beyond the cap. But those are details that will follow. This is just an introduction to why I’m doing this.
I encourage you to comment and share information that you have. I have made a formal request to the district for information on salaries, benefits, contracts, retirement contributions, capital budgets, fund balance and investment capital. I look forward to sharing that information with the public as I review and analyze it.
Thanks for stopping by. I don’t expect this to be a forever blog — but I hope it will be useful during budget seasons and as T-E reacts to a dramatically changing economic climate.
Please indulge me as I close with a quotation. I share it as a cautionary tale, not as a conclusion or a prediction:
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