Schoolhouse Shenanigans

Mr Smith goes to Washington

Mention government corruption, wasteful spending, crony politics and most minds will undoubtedly go straight to the sleaze pit we know as Washington D.C. Try to convince your neighbor that that same ooze may lie closer to home at the municipal level and you’ll likely run into some opposition. After all, we’re talking about our neighbors. Our co-workers. These are local heroes who take time out of their busy lives to make ours better.

They are also human. Just as corruptible and just as likely to misuse public funds as the parasites in DC. Let me explain.

Last year the Keene School District unabashedly spent $24,000 of our money to advertise its very controversial Article 1 that dealt with the acquiring of a $13 million bond for school renovations and the subsequent closing of Jonathan Daniels Elementary. They placed pro-article 1 ads in the Sentinel, the Shopper, on WKBK radio, and blanketed the city in campaign signs. For those unaware, the act of using government property to influence the results of a vote is known as electioneering and is illegal in the state of NH (RSA 659:44-a). The school board justified this act by claiming a need to “educate” the folks on current affairs. This is nothing new, really. Governmental departments across the country are guilty of using public funds to perpetuate their own agenda. The problem is no one is calling them out on it.

When asked what he thought of this misuse of taxpayer money, KSD attorney, John Wrigley, had this to say: “I think the school board has an obligation to inform and to educate… In 30 years I’ve been doing this I’ve seen the board over-extend itself more than once. I sit there and I look at something and I say, “Whoa I hope no one asks me about that.” But those are specific details that sometimes I trip across. I think on the whole, the board does it right, it has public hearings to inform and to educate. …but, I think sometimes they over-extend themselves. But I think it’s all in good faith…we’re not talking about Richard Daley in Chicago and that sort of thing.”

So in other words, it’s ok to break the law as long as it’s for the kids and as long as it’s not Richard Daley level. Had you or I attempted this same stunt, we would be looking at fines and or imprisonment. It’s true. Badges and titles do grant special privileges to some.

Need another example of how KSD spends your money?

On last year’s election day the 26 session workers, who were paid between $35 and $100 for their services were also supplied lunch courtesy of the taxpayers. But no ham sandwiches for these heroes. They ate Luca’s Cafe that day. The bill? A whopping $1,037.

Question? How many Netbooks could have been purchased with that money? Of course, that wouldn’t mesh with today’s theme: never miss out on an opportunity to dine on great food at the expense of some clueless schmo (the taxpayers). And don’t worry. No one will notice. This is just an infinitesimally small slice hidden within a monstrous $63.7 million dollar budget.

But don’t you dare recommend trying to reduce that budget any further, says your local bureaucrat. That would be “dangerous and irresponsible.” Think of the children. Never mind the declining student population. Never mind advances in technology that should actually be reducing the overall cost of education across the board. Never mind the negative impact an increased tax rate will have on future generations. The only solution is to spend our way to success.

This sort of corruption present in local politics may not be as apparent or even on the same level monetarily as the shenanigans that take place in DC, but I hope these two examples prove to you that they are one and the same. I know many of you will write these off as the necessary evil that is government and that there isn’t any other option available to us. But there is. And voting one clown out in favor of some new blood isn’t the solution. The answer is less government, less spending, more freedom.