If you are a taxpayer in the Indianapolis Public School system, your jaw should be dropping to the floor about now.  IPS is preparing for its hearing on the budget and at least two board members apparently do care about the details.

I obtained a copy of some e-mail correspondence between the several board members regarding whether the budget, which I am told is more than 880 pages long, will be available prior to the upcoming budget hearing.

Here is what IPS Commissioner Diane Arnold had to say about getting a detailed copy of the budget.

I do not require a copy of the entire budget.   I have neither the time or desire to wade through thousands of pages of information.  I am interest[ed] in basic categories i.e. staffing, benefits, supplies, etc and classroom expenses versus administration and what changes are proposed for this budget. I believe that we have received most of that information so I am fin[e] with what I have already received.  I will ask questions if I have any in the next week or so.

This was the response from Commissioner Marianna Zaphiriou…

I agree with Diane. I do not want or need nearly a thousand pages on a jump drive or whatever!!!!! We have and will receive enough information!

At the risk of sounding sarcastic, this is the type of inquisitive thinking that is partially responsible for the state of Indiana getting ready to take over some IPS schools.

One of the main jobs of any elected official is to review the finances of the body that it serves and make sure that everything is above board.  I realize 800+ pages can be a bit much but this is what they get paid for.   If  doing a detailed budget review is too much trouble for Commissioners Zaphiriou and Arnold then maybe they should find new positions to hold somewhere else.

By the way,  I do plan to drop off a open records request to the school district this morning and request an electronic copy of the budget, which I will post for you to read it.  Because if members of the IPS school board aren’t willing to do their jobs, somebody else should.  And who knows, maybe someone with skills in organizational management will.

I know the last thing you’d expect to see on Sunday is your favorite political pundit and a chicken.   But that’s what happens when you give your wife and mother-in-law tickets to the Indiana State Fair and they end up buying chickens for her farm land.

Of course they end up running late and my mother-in-law had to work so she couldn’t take them home, so instead I spent a good chunk of my Saturday evening chicken-sitting.

But it did make my wife and mother-in-law happy, so there’s no crying fowl.   (Insert rim shot here!)

And yes, I do remember the episode of  “Sandford and Son” with the chickens.  And I also can appreciate the irony of me taking a photo with poultry in my arms because of my occasional back and forth with some members the Marion County Democratic Party.

As part of the new public safety advisory board, one of my goals is to reach out to different segments of the community through various channels and solicit input on how to improve public safety.

I’ve already got a couple meetings under my belt and I wanted to make sure I reached the readers of Indiana Barrister as well.   My technical buddy and I are creating a link on the web page where you can express your thoughts and opinions on what public safety is doing right and what it is doing wrong.    It will also be a place where you ask questions about particular aspects or policies regarding public safety.

It’s easier to offer suggestions on making life better for people when you know exactly what their concerns are.  So once the link is up (under the WXNT logo) feel free to offer your thoughts on a regular basis.   You can also e-mail me at abdul@newstalk1430.com.  The more concise the better.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

My counterpart Jon Easter of Indy Democrat made an argument this week for the early start of the school year.  While I think my friend is wrong, I do think he presents another point of view that deserves a fair shake.  So with that said, he’s granted me permission to cross post his thoughts so here they are…

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School is starting or has started for many Central Indiana communities this week. Yesterday, for example, Indianapolis Public Schools and several other Marion County school districts returned to class. If the students aren’t back in class this week, then they are likely back in class at the start of next week.

It’s early, and students (and some teachers) are likely belly aching about having to go back to school, but it makes sense to start now given our current laws.

In recent times, the state legislature has required 180 days of school. Prior to Tony Bennett’s tenure as Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, that 180 day number was sorta kinda just a guide. Schools could apply for waivers or have half days and use creative math to come up with 180 days.

So, let’s say you’re the MSD of Podunk. A winter storm comes through your area and cancels school for four days. Under the old system, the MSD of Podunk could request a waiver from the state to cancel those days, and it would likely be granted.

Bennett ended that practice as one of his first acts in office and has told schools that he expects the districts to be in class 180 days, come heck or high water. He also said that any days short of that would have to be made up. Thus, he ended professional development days and other half days of testing, etc. Basically, he wants 180 days of instruction, and I support him.

For every week you go later for the start of school, you can add one week at the end of school. So, that means that if you do the math, a post-Labor Day start as many argue for right now puts schools in session into mid-to-late June. It’s simple math. Add up the energy costs as the AC gets cranked for an extra month, and you begin to see that financially, it just doesn’t make sense for districts in the state.

From an instructional standpoint, a Tuesday-after-Labor Day-start doesn’t make sense, either. Right now, the current schedule allows most schools to nicely end its first semester at the winter break point in December. When school resumes in January, the second semester can begin as a fresh start. I know that when I was in school and we legged over that winter break, teachers would always load me down with homework.

I can accept many ideas for educational reform, but I just can’t see where an “after Labor Day” start does anything but recall somebody’s “good ole’ days” of yore. It just doesn’t make sense to me. I say let the educational professionals determine start dates and school schedules. Besides, I think the time for year-round school or the “balanced schedule” is upon us, perhaps. That goes back to school funding, however.

That’s a can of worms for another day.

Although the big news of the day was the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department answering questions about David Bisard who was charged with driving drunk and killing a motorist in the process, the Department of Public Safety also announced a new advisory board to help with police-community relations and department policy.

I bring this up, because I was asked to serve on that panel and said “yes”.  I went back and forth for a while before deciding in the affirmative.  Although it’s a non-paid, pure advisory position, it does raise and issue of a potential conflict of interest, because I am a news commentator and from time to time I discuss public safety.

To be honest, I don’t worry about a conflict of interest, my life is full of them and I frankly don’t trust anyone who’s never had a conflict of interest because that’s someone who hasn’t lived.   Just kidding.  I’m pretty involved here in Indianapolis and it’s not uncommon for worlds to collide.  So I decided to deal with my current situation the same way I deal with everything else, full disclosure and let the audience make up their mind.   I’ve always believed that when you’re in the opinion business, what people take away from you is usually determined by what they brought to the table.  If you like me, you probably still will.  If you’re an emotionally unstable, jealous blogger with a ton of unresolved issues, I suggest therapy. But I digress.

In my day jobs I have an opportunity to voice my opinion, influence public policy and try to make life better for people who are working hard, footing the bill and carrying the load.  The chance to serve on the public safety advisory board is just another opportunity to do what I do everyday.  Does this mean I will change my  opinions, not at all.   Does it mean that people I come into contact with who might have had an incident with IMPD, now have another voice where they can express their concerns, yes.

And if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just go back to doing what I was doing before, getting paid to express my opinion and having fun in the process.   This is just another way to serve and make life better for the citizens of Indianapolis.  In other words, it’s just another day in the Abdul existence.

As much of a fan that I am of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department,  someone is going to have some explaining to do when it comes to Officer David Bisard.

Bisard was reportedly drunk when he got into an accident with his squad car on Friday that ended up killing one motorcyclist and sending two others to the hospital.

According to police, Bisard reportedly had a .19 blood alcohol content level at the time of the accident.  The accident occurred at about 11:45 in the morning.  To blow a .19 you would have to have nine drinks in an hour.     It’s no big secret that I enjoy an adult beverage from time to time, but even I couldn’t pull that off, nor would I want to.  And remember, when someone gets busted for driving under the influence, it’s usually the first time they caught, not the first time they commit the offense.

So with that established, here are the questions that are going to have to be answered…

1. Did Officer Bisard display any behavior when he reported in for duty that morning that would have led someone to believe he was under the influence?
2. Did any officer have knowledge that he was under the influence
3. Does he have a history of alcohol abuse and has he ever been disciplined for abusing alcohol?
4. What is the policy on reporting an officer that might be under the influence?
5. Does IMPD have a random drug/alcohol testing policy and if so what is it?

Those are just a handful of questions that come to mind.  I am sure there are a whole lot more that need to be addressed.  And IMPD needs to address them soon.

As many of you know,  the best way to describe my religious affiliation is Agnostic-Islamic.  I pray five times a day, I just can’t remember when to do it.  (Insert drum roll here).

I bring this up because Ramadan begins tomorrow.  My parents are pretty orthodox observers and my father at 74-years old still has the ability to lay a fairly effective guilt trip on his oldest son, especially since he’s had his recent health issues.  So he’s convinced me to do it this year, but as always, I am the consummate deal maker.

So with that said, for a period totaling 30 days, your favorite political pundit/blogger is giving alcohol, cigars, red meat and junk food.   I know Ramadan is a little more involved than that, but this is Abdul, remember.  And I can can do whatever I want.   Also giving up my vices means I will be a pleasure to be around.  So if the blog gets a little more snarly than usual in a couple weeks, you now know why.

Oh, and an interesting sidebar, my lovely wife who is a practicing Baptist asked me what was the point of doing “Ramadan-lite” and if I wasn’t going the full 45, why bother?  I then told her that if I did old-school Ramadan there was a lot more I’d have to give up for 30 days.  She’s  since then stopped asking questions.

I am about to say something that will likely take a number of you by surprise.   The Bush tax cuts slated to expire this year should be allowed to do so and the money should go towards deficit reduction.  I know this may sound odd coming from someone like me, but I have always believed in fiscal responsibility and government living within its means.   And as this nation runs up trillions of dollars of new debt it’s time for some tough medicine.

A quick look at federal outlays for 2010 is as follows…

• Defense and Security – $715 billion.
• Social Security – $708 billion.
• Medicaid/Medicare/CHIP – $753 billion.
• Other Social Safety Net – $482 billion.
• Interest on the Debt – $209 billion.
• The rest of government – $733 billion.

This nation will  spend nearly $3.6 trillion in Fiscal year 2010.  $2.2 trillion will come from taxes and the nation will have to borrow $1.4 trillion.  And we haven’t even started to add in more stimulus dollars.   That’s why the tax cuts should be allowed to expire and every dime should go towards deficit and debt reduction.    By most credible estimates, leaving the tax cuts in place would cost this nation at least $700 billion that it would have to borrow.   At the same time, this country really needs to but a freeze on spending, in fact it should go back to 2003 levels.

We are spending too much money and can’t afford to keep going down this road.   And as much as some of you would like to say spending alone will get you there, sorry, that won’t cut it.  You are not going to simply cut your way out of $3.6 trillion.   Every credible economist says you are going to need tax increases and spending cuts to make this happen.   We are too far down the rabbit hole for to do otherwise.

For those of you who don’t like this suggestion, all I ask is that you bring a credible solution to the table.  Is that really too much to ask?  We won’t turn this economy and nation around until we get this debt under control.  And the only real way to do it, is the way lots of people do it in their daily households, cut your spending and pay off your debt.

With a good chunk of school starting this week, I figured it would be the perfect time to entertain the thought of the subject of school choice.  I bring this up not only because I’m a big fan of choice and competition, but also the fact is that there are five new charter schools slated to open up in Indianapolis and there’s a waiting list of more than 1700 students trying to get a spot.   That should tell you something.

I’ve never fully understood the opposition to school choice.  What is so wrong about figuring out how much it cost to educate a child in Indiana and then letting the parent (or taxpayer) designate that money to the school of their choice.  If the parent does nothing I can live with the dollar automatically defaulting the district the parent lives in, but other than that, let the free market go at it.   And I will even add that when a parent elects to send his or her child to a school, they are stuck there for the entire year, absent some serious health or safety issue.  What harm could choice possibly do, except get rid of some bad schools that should have never existed in the first place?

My friends who teach in traditional public schools will tell me the choice system is inherently flawed because traditional schools are competing on a different playing field than charter and private schools.  That statement is not entirely true because traditional public schools can apply for waivers from numerous state rules and regulations but many choose not to do so.   The dirty little secret is if they do apply for the waiver and get it  they won’t have the state to blame when things go wrong.   In addition, charter schools don’t get money for transportation like traditional schools do.  So they are literally doing more with less.

Now I believe this is the point where the anti-choice crowd comes out of the woodwork and says charter schools don’t, as a whole, get better results than traditional schools.  I remind my friends that when charter and private schools don’t perform they shut down.  When traditional schools don’t perform, they get more money. Which is worse?

We’re always talking about more accountability in schools.  What better way to hold people accountable than let the consumer vote with his or her dollar about where they want their children to be educated.