The state of Washington just completed an audit of 13 of the state’s biggest school districts and the waste they found really makes you stop and think. They found that the school together could save over 1.1 million over the next couple years if they controlled their spending on retreats. They found that the Vancouver school district could save at least $37,000 and the Evergreen school district could save $40,000. No keep in mind that they only checked 20% of their travel expenses so that number could be 5 time higher at $185,000 & $201,000.
On one conference in Chicago they found that the board members only attended 2 of the 5 day of conference but stayed for the full 5 day. They didn’t share rooms and spent over $200 a night on room. They also went out to dinner on two different nights spending over $50 each on dinner and all this on tax payer’s money. Now I don’t know about you but I don’t go out and spend $50 on dinner for myself even if I pay for it. To expect the tax payers to pay for these unnecessary and out of line spending when they keep telling us they have budget shortfalls and need more money is downright dishonest and should be illegal
Now I have always supported taxes I thought were necessary and of value like schools, police & fire but after reading about this waste I would have a hard time voting them any more money. It is bad enough that they give their employees raise’s every year (3% to 6%) and city of Seattle gave their police a 25% to 34% raise last spring. They seem to have forgotten they work for us and have a responsibility to spend the money we entrust to them.
Spending by our state and local officials has gotten way out of control. They do what they want with no regards to the tax payers they represent. It is time to put our foot down and demand they be responsible and live within their budgets just like the rest of us do.
