Previously I had complained on this blog about the pro-Guion Creek referendum group, Pike Taxpayers for Better Schools, not having filed their finance report which was due on April 16th. Today the report showed up on-line with a date stamped April 19, 2010. I had gone to the Clerk's Office the middle of last week and was told they still had not received the report and PTBS wuld be fined $50 a day.
It appears the report was hastily put together. The PAC was misidentified by the treasurer as "Taxpayers for Better Schools" (or "TFBS") which may explain why the form wasn't located when I asked for it.
Interestingly the report lists four expenditures totalling $8605.85. While codes are listed for the contributions, no recipient is listed nor is there an explanation what the expenditures are for.
Flipping forward to the contribution section, it is most noteworthy that despite the appearance of strong public support, the PAC only raised $2310 from ten sets of individuals, including Superintendent Nathanial Jones ($200), Pike administrator Linda Searles ($100), School Board member and education consultant Larry Grau ($200) and Guion Creek Elementary Principal Pam Conley ($200).
Companies that stand to benefit from the Guion Creek and other construction projects in the district were much more generous, giving $19,200, more than 89% of the total dollars raised by the PTBS. These contributions are as follows:
Summit Realty......................................... 200
Dallman Contractors..................................500
Blakley Corporation .................................2000
Open Control Systems............................. 1500
Validated Custom Solutions................... ....3500
Summit Construction ...............................1000
Schmidt Associates Architects...................2500
JLFox General Contractors........................2500
Bill Lawrence Company............................. 500
G3 Technologies...................................... 1000
REI Construction........................................500
Henry C. Smith Roofing Co.........................1000
Connor Fine Printing ................................ 1000
Old National Insurance............................. 1500
TOTAL ...............................................19,200
Most of the above business entities are corporations. Some of the contributions appear to be in excess of the confusing aggregate limit imposed by Indiana law. Regardless, the way these companies have banded together to support a referendum that will line their companies' pockets at taxpayer expense, is more than a little troubling. We need to have school board members who will ask questions about these construction projects and whether taxpayers are actually benefiting from them. The construction industry's enthusiasm for this project certainly raises a red flag.
It appears the report was hastily put together. The PAC was misidentified by the treasurer as "Taxpayers for Better Schools" (or "TFBS") which may explain why the form wasn't located when I asked for it.
Interestingly the report lists four expenditures totalling $8605.85. While codes are listed for the contributions, no recipient is listed nor is there an explanation what the expenditures are for.
Flipping forward to the contribution section, it is most noteworthy that despite the appearance of strong public support, the PAC only raised $2310 from ten sets of individuals, including Superintendent Nathanial Jones ($200), Pike administrator Linda Searles ($100), School Board member and education consultant Larry Grau ($200) and Guion Creek Elementary Principal Pam Conley ($200).
Companies that stand to benefit from the Guion Creek and other construction projects in the district were much more generous, giving $19,200, more than 89% of the total dollars raised by the PTBS. These contributions are as follows:
Summit Realty......................................... 200
Dallman Contractors..................................500
Blakley Corporation .................................2000
Open Control Systems............................. 1500
Validated Custom Solutions................... ....3500
Summit Construction ...............................1000
Schmidt Associates Architects...................2500
JLFox General Contractors........................2500
Bill Lawrence Company............................. 500
G3 Technologies...................................... 1000
REI Construction........................................500
Henry C. Smith Roofing Co.........................1000
Connor Fine Printing ................................ 1000
Old National Insurance............................. 1500
TOTAL ...............................................19,200
Most of the above business entities are corporations. Some of the contributions appear to be in excess of the confusing aggregate limit imposed by Indiana law. Regardless, the way these companies have banded together to support a referendum that will line their companies' pockets at taxpayer expense, is more than a little troubling. We need to have school board members who will ask questions about these construction projects and whether taxpayers are actually benefiting from them. The construction industry's enthusiasm for this project certainly raises a red flag.
3 comments:
Why am I not surprised to learn this, while still shook up. What clique of deceivers rule us.
Do any of these companies have any business relations with current Pike school board members? Will any current school board members receive any monetary benefit from contracts with these entities?
Zap, great question albeit very difficult to research.
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