Couple that with my continuing evolution away from the leftism I once believed in, and I get to the point where I'm not trusting wasteful government expenses at all; however, how come the schools always get screwed?
I mean, it's the first thing that takes the bullet (not to say they are spending wisely, but then again, what government agency does?)!
"Citing shortfall, Boston schools seek $9.9m; Blame fuel, other costs for 2007-08 deficit" by Tracy Jan, Globe Staff | May 29, 2008
The Boston public schools, which recently received a $10 million bailout from the city to close next year's budget gap, are requesting an additional $9.9 million to make ends meet this school year.
The deficit is driven in part by escalating food and fuel costs as well as higher-than-expected staffing costs, Superintendent Carol Johnson told the School Committee last night. The school system's financial woes are fueled by a steady enrollment decline and reduced federal funding.
"The trends that everyday citizens are seeing in their homes are playing out in our over 100 schools," Johnson said.
The plea for more money is an unusual midyear request.... The move also came as a surprise to the Boston City Council, which will ultimately have to vote on the request....
According to John McDonough, the school system's chief financial officer, the school system this year has had to shoulder the costs of several programs that previously were funded through private, federal, and state grants, including the district's teacher training program, a high school for students recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, a citywide student council, and science materials.
Yeah, let the kids drink and drug and then scold them for it.
Hey, if they are delinquent, they can always be shoved into the military, right?
Maybe none of this stuff is needed and it's money wasted, but WTF?!
No one seems to care about the TRILLIONS in WAR BOODLE that's been WASTED!!!
In addition, the cost of wheat bread has skyrocketed more than 70 percent in the last year, McDonough said. Combined with increased fuel costs to transport food, the district's food service program faces a $2.3 million deficit.
Another $3 million of the deficit, McDonough said, stems from the cost of keeping more than 40 school personnel on the payroll, even though their positions were officially cut.
Uh-oh. Here we go with the WASTE!
As part of a longstanding practice, he said, schools believed they could pay the salaries from other surplus funds. By the time they realized those would not be available this year, he said, it was contractually too late to lay them off.
"If you don't notify somebody by a cutoff date, you own them for the year," McDonough said. "It's a practice that we cannot afford anymore."
I mean I'm all for wanting people to live well, but this is exactly the thing Ron Paul is talking about!
Man in your pocket, Mass. taxpayer!!!
When identifying potential cost savings earlier in the school year, he said, he also overestimated by nearly $2 million how much could be saved by replacing retirees with younger, less expensive staff. "Our responsibility is to do everything possible to control overspending and take corrective action," McDonough said. "These are not mild efforts."
Dorothy Joyce, spokeswoman for Mayor Thomas M. Menino, said last night that she was not sure where the money to bail out the schools would be coming from but affirmed that the mayor supports the superintendent.
"She has a difficult job during these tough fiscal times," Joyce said. "Our number one priority is offering quality education to the young people of our city. The mayor is committed to working with the superintendent to make sure we leverage all of our resources and are using taxpayer dollars in the best way possible."
What, by continuing to pay people who have been laid off for a year still?
That's TAXPAYER MONEY!
Maybe if taxpayers had it back, they could buy a few teachers for their school, no?
And if I had gotten that deal, I wouldn't be in the trouble I'm in now!
Even if waste is the case, it doesn't seem to matter much when it comes to MILITARY SPENDING!!!
"Army plans training center at Devens""The US Army plans to spend up to $100 million to build a training facility at the site of the former Fort Devens military base. Army spokesman Dave Foster told The Sun of Lowell that the Armed Forces Reserve Center is expected to include three primary buildings totaling nearly 280,000 square feet on about 57 acres (AP May 29, 2008)."
That's 10 times what the Boston schools need, huh?
You know what is ironic?
This is the DRAFT CENTER those kids are going to end up at!!!!
Oh, that isn't ironic, that is SAD!!!!
SAD that more kids will be slaughtered for crazy Bush and his lies!!!!!!
Or they will just kill themselves, won't they!!
:-(