Folks, running a school system is a complex undertaking. R=First you have to build, maintain and operate school buildings. School facilities include roofs, floors, walls, doors, windows, plumbing, lights, HVAC and other such infrastructure. All these are called Capital Projects. All these items are intensive in scope and deal with infrastructure only.
Of course, running schools requires teachers, administrators, pencils, paper, etc. These things are NOT infrastructure. They are NOT Capital Projects. They are operating costs of one sort or another. For all accepted accounting purposes associated with School Budgets, you keep track of Capital costs and capital reserves. Everything else in called and budgeted as something else.
Like Teacher pay. This is absolutely NOT a Capital Project. Of course, teachers get paid, but certainly NOT out of Capital funds. To pay teacher salaries out of Capital funds of any kind is a big NO-NO in accounting. To do so breaks accounting rules right down to the basic level. It may very well be fraud. And Fraud is illegal.
Now, think about this. Commissioner Chairman Kevin “Mad Dog” Gordon has said many, many times that the proposed quarter-cent sales tax increase would all go toward school construction projects. CAPITAL PROJECTS. And boy does CCS need good planning for new school construction projects.
The average age of all our Cleveland County Schools exceeds 55+ years. Which means CCS has not kept up with school construction projects, Capital Projects, at anywhere close to an acceptable and sustainable level. School Construction at CCS is just like Education; way, way behind the eight-ball. Education at CCS is in an emergency level and nobody is talking about that.
And nobody is talking about this situation at tonight’s Commissioner’s Meeting either. The Commissioner’s, especially Kevin “Mad Dog” Gordon are set to take $1,740,378 out of the County’s School Capital Reserve funds and spend it on teacher supplements. And remember, Teacher Pay, including supplements, is anything else but Capital Projects.
This means that Commissioner Chairman Kevin “Mad Dog” Gordon is a “Dirty-Dog” LIAR when he said that the sales tax increase Referendum funds will go toward School Capital Funds. Oh, they might “sail through” Capital Reserves in the budget. But on its way to somewhere else. Probably into Mad Dog Gordon’s favorite “hidie hole” for tax dollars. EMS Cost overruns and a County-Wide Fire Department. With Mad Dog running the show. Taking over Shelby Fire Department, Kings Mountain Fire Department, all the volunteer fire departments. With Mad Dog running the show. Of course, this takeover means fire taxes go UP for ALL of Cleveland County. While the Fire Tax component of Shelby and Kings Mountain taxes goes down. Just like the School Merger did 20 years ago.
Of course, voters can put a stop, maybe only a temporary stop, to this by Voting AGAINST the Sales Tax Increase Referendum. Just like we have already done twice before.
At least until 2024. When better commissioners, perhaps like Robert A, who would put a stop to this tax, spend and lying madness on the Commissioner’s Board.
Remember Folks, vote AGAINST the Sales Tax Increase Referendum on the backside of your ballot. Also, vote ONLY for Danny Blanton and Ronnie Grigg for the School Board.
