So I hate to be the messenger but...
Yesterday, I posted a blog about how Grant County Schools decided that it would be a better idea to give the run-around for a simple Open Records Request (that had been filled by 30+ other school districts already) by opting to involve their legal representation rather than just send me the requested information. I posted the letter I received from the nice folks at O'Hara, Ruberg, Taylor, Sloan and Sergent and asked this question:
Is it a good use of taxpayer money to involve a law firm in a simple Freedom of Information request when the request could have just been filled like all the other schools districts that received the same request? Furthermore, is it transparent?
Well, my curiosity got the better of me. Thankfully, last year, we did an open records request to obtain the Grant County Schools check register. And what did we find? In fiscal year 2009, Grant County Schools paid a legal fee of:
$109,727.81
Wow. A six-figure expenditure for legal services in a school district with only 5 schools!?!?? Help me understand this.
Comparable school districts, such as Lee County Schools (4 schools), opted to spend money on legal services by individual use rather than a one time expense and spent a mere fraction of what Grant County did.
- Is this a good use of taxpayer money?
- Why do they feel the need to retain legal services with six-figures
- Why couldn't they just fulfill the request?
6 comments:
Good going, Jim!
I wonder how much their Superintendent, principals make compared to their teachers?
Oddly enough, approximately 60% of property tax evasion associated with local car owners circumventing payment of property taxes robs schools!
What is Grant County Superintendent and other Kentucky superintendents doing to help state collect uncollected local motor vehicle school taxes from these outlaws?
1989-1990 through 2009-2010 Average Certified School salaries:
Boone Co Avg. certified salaries went from $28,871 to $52,919;
Campbell Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $28,410 to $50,334;
Carroll Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $27,920 to $51,516;
Gallatin Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $24,884 to 49,541;
Grant Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $26,025 to $50,404;
Kenton Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $27,495 to $53,087;
Owen Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $24,622 to $52,114;
I wonder what the comparsion between these same schools of avg. certified teacher salaries increases compared to principals and superintendents' avg. salary increase would reveal?
I'm glad you asked.
Here's the stats:
1989-1990 through 2009-2010 Average Certified School salaries:
Boone Co Avg. certified salaries went from $28,871 to $52,919 or 1.83%; Superintendent from $119,807 to $168,163; i.e, 1.40 times
Campbell Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $28,410 to $50,334 or 1.77% times; Superintendent from $102,000 to $$130,248; i.e, 1.28times
Carroll Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $27,920 to $51,516 or 1.85 times; Superintendent from $$81500 to $105,232; i.e, 1.29 times
Gallatin Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $24,884 to 49,541 or 1.99 times; Superintendent from $80,000 to $101,948; i.e, 1.27 times
Grant Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $26,025 to $50,404 or 1.94 times; Superintendent from $105,908 to $116,291; i.e, 1.09 times
Kenton Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $27,495 to $53,087 or 1.93 times; Superintendent from $126,731 to $158,696; i.e, 1.25 times
Owen Co Avg. Certified salaries went from $24,622 to $52,114 or 2.12 times;Superintendent from $80,340 to $100,345; i.e, 1.23 times
Superintendents' median average was 1.27% increase from 1989-90 = 2009-2010
Good work, Dash!
Dash, these numbers are enlightening. Where did you get your information?
Post a Comment