A decade ago, the Seattle School District built themselves a brand new shiney Head Quarters and Administration building for the low, low price of 54.5 MILLION dollars. There wasn't really money in the budget for it...why would you need cash on hand when you can offer bonds and get voters to increase levy's? You don't need to tell the taxpayers WHY you need more money...just threatedn to lay off teachers if you don't get more money.
And if there was no money ear-marked for this little plan a decade ago, after three straight years of state-wide budget cuts, there really isn't money now. Things have limped along for the last decade...the school district did sell off a few old buildings, and shuffled some money from one account to another. There was sooooo much shuffling of money that it took the school districts new Executive Director of Finance several weeks to figure out just how things had been getting paid for the last 10 years, and where the loans currently stood.
What a cluster.
What got my goat the most in this whole article is when the Executive Director of Finance revealed the possible courses of action for fixing the problem. The 4th option blew my mind:
Finally, the district could find another source that would generate a significant amount of revenue. But what that source might be is unclear.Ummm...what does that mean? They are holding out of finding a herd of unicorns, and selling unicorn horn aphrodsiac? My wife said maybe the could sell Avon...who doesn't remember soaking in a tub with a cap-full of Avon Skin So Soft?
Oh...or maybe the could decide they don't need an Executive Director of Finance. Having an 'Executive' Director means you have other Director level folks working for him...just how big and convoluted is the Seattle School Districts Financial Department?
What matters is that this yahoo stood up in front of reporters, and reported that 4th Statement as an actual OPTION!?!?!?!?!?
Crap. The worst thing is that 2 years from now, Seattle School District will be saying 'if you don't raise property taxes, we'll have to get rid of teachers'...just like the State of Washington always says 'If you don't let us raise taxes, we will have to get rid of nurses and dental care for poor kids'!
Ever notice that they can build a really nice privately owned office building for about a third of the cost of a school office building? Odd, that.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that every time physical plant needs to be upgraded - not just education, it's usually the administration buildings that are top on the list ... just before the money runs out for the rest of the planned improvements...
ReplyDeleteQ