EdActivist.com

WANTED:

Your true stories of last-minute school spending at end of budget year to spend it all so next year the school/district/state gets as much or more.

Wanted:  Names, dates, purchase order numbers, dollar amounts.  Collect the information and have it somewhere secure yet handy.

It would make sense for dozens of taxpayers in every school district to visit every school and ask to view all the purchase orders--especially during the LAST 60 DAYS of the school’s fiscal year (usually May and June).   That is your money.  Those are your employees.

School Site things to watch for:   Hotel bills--what hotels and were they single or double occupancy (double occupancy means half the luxury and half the cost to taxpayers)  Library book purchases.  Textbook purchases.  Computer equipment.  Temporary Building Fees.  Maintenance Fees.  Furniture. Any large amount.

Pay extra attention to payments to companies that rent costly exhibit booths from the teacher unions at the annual union convention/trade shows. 

Look for anything that might be frivolous or wasteful or smell like a kickback.  Make copies--you have some sort of public records act in your state.  Know it and use it.  Persist and if you are met with resistance, let your neighbors and online friends know.  See the Legal Resources page here if needed.

School District things to watch for:   The above plus Bus contracts.  Building contracts.  Any and every large fee.  Ask questions.  Make sure you are provided satisfactory answers.  It is YOUR money they are spending and saying it’s not enough.  As some administrator salaries top $100,000 per year plus benefits (possibly some are worth it but...).

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