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THE COOKING OF THE BOOKS There are laws that restrict the school district spending of taxpayer’s monies. The school board and the administration step outside the law when they spend our tax money on campaign propaganda. When money is spent on campaigning, that fact must be hidden and the payment must be made for something else. This is called "cooking the books" THE BOARD HIRES PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM In order to pass the 2001 building project our Board of Education hired a public relations firm named " Syntax" which is affiliated to a German owned building company named Turner Construction Company. Syntax made a presentation to the Board where they laid out their no cost-spared-propaganda blitz they were going to do to convince the S-VE voters to vote for the project. Syntax was hired, and together with Superintendent Bailey they pitched for building the project, which of course could enormously benefit Turner Construction. THE BUYING OF A VOTE The school board elected to hire Syntax for a fee of $16,000 to help the German company to get their share of the $18.5 million of American taxpayer money that was up for grabs in Spencer-Van Etten. Syntax produced several brochures that were mailed to the voters. The material Syntax produced was propaganda, which should not be produced with taxpayer money. Taxpayer funds were also used to produce a campaign videotape, which cost the taxpayers $8000. The law prohibits taxpayer monies to be used for electioneering use, so the district does not have an account from which propaganda can be paid for. There is therefore a need to pull the money from some other account and make the payment for the propaganda look above-board. Syntax sent an invoice addressed to Turner Construction Company, and the Spencer-Van Etten taxpayers paid for it. Do you know someone else who pays bills that are not directed to him? The district committed to pay another $16,000 to Syntax for campaign services they provided to pass the building project. They also sent every home in the school district 4-5 sets of campaign brochures, and a card. Guessing that every mailing cost the school district $ 2500, we have a total campaign estimate of $36,000 and the vote for the project was 657 votes, so every vote the school establishment got, cost them about $57. This is not a justifiable use of your tax money. |