Although I have my issues with the management of Indianapolis Public Schools, I have been trying to give them the benefit of the doubt this school year.   However that was shot down this morning when I read at  Tuesday’s budget hearing,  board member Kelly Bentley was denied an itemized copy of the District’s 2010 $448 million budget.

According to the Star’s behind Closed Doors, board members were given a general overview of the budget, but not an itemized breakdown of expenditures.   Bentley said as a board member she should know how funds are allocated, however IPS Superintendent Eugene White said he would not “waste the board’s time”  by giving it a total budget to review.  He said Bentley could make an appointment and come in and see the numbers.

No offense Dr. White, but the Board is made up of the duly elected representatives of the people and are entitled to review the budget line-by-line before they vote on it.  And a a majority of the Board members (the budget passed 5-1) don’t have the political spine to demand such information, I  will.

Below is a copy of  my Freedom of Information request that I will be dropping off by your office Monday morning.

31 August 2009

Dr. Eugene White
Indianapolis Public Schools
JMF Center For Education Services
120 E. Walnut
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Dear Dr. White:

Pursuant to the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (IC 5-14-3), I would like to obtain the following public records:

1. A printed copy of the District’s $448 million budget adopted this past Tuesday by the board by a vote of 5-1.
2. An electronic copy of the District’s $448 million budget adopted this past Tuesday by the board.
3. Any and all Executive summaries of the budget, as well as a line-by-line breakdown of funds by character, department  and school.

I understand that if I seek a copy of this record, there may be a copying fee. Please inform me of that cost prior to making the copy.  I can be reached at 317-XXX-XXXX.

According to the statute, you have 24 hours to respond to this request.  If you choose to deny the request, then you are required to respond in writing and state the statutory exception authorizing the withholding of all or part of the public record and the name and title or position of the person responsible for the denial.

Thank you for your assistance on this matter.

Respectfully Submitted,

Abdul-Hakim Shabazz, Esq.
WXNT-AM
9245 N. Meridian, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46260
(317)816-4000

I get very suspicious when school districts aren’t willing to open up and provide full disclosure and individuals have to jump through hoops to get public information.  It makes me think they’re hiding something.  For example, it’s been rumored IPS hired an “Activity Director” at Broad Ripple High School for $85,000 at a time when teachers are getting laid off.   A good look at the budget would put that to rest.  Taxpayers could also find out how much they are paying to put gas in Dr. White’s car.

This attitude by Dr. White is the epitome of intellectual arrogance (which I of all people am a expert on) and a total disregard for the taxpayers.  It’s amazing that someone would spend all legislative session crying poverty, but when asked to show their budget line-by-line, as my lovely grandmother would say, “they start acting funky and talking crazy.”

I am dropping off my request Monday morning after my radio show.  I will let you know what happens.  And if I get an electronic copy of the budget, I will make it available for you to inspect yourself.

I got a tip late Friday afternoon that dozens of IPS teachers and staff were at the main building downtown mad as all get out because they were not getting paid.

When I got to the building they were waiting in the hall looking for their pay.   None of them would speak on the record but I overheard one teacher say this was the second time in a row he hadn’t been paid and another teacher she her pay check reflected five years of service, when in fact she had been in the district for 15 years.

I did manage to speak to Jane Ajabu, director of human resources for IPS, she told me the district has installed a new pay system, but they haven’t worked out all the bugs and will probably take years to get the entire system fixed.

Jane Ajabu

I’ve been hearing stories about IPS teachers either not getting paid or major errors in their paychecks.   It was something to see it up close and personal with all the issues the school district is facing.

With Melina Kennedy announcing that she is forming an exploratory committee for Mayor today, IB figured the least it could do was put up a new poll.   We’re asking which Democratic candidate would be the best to run in 2011.

We list the six current possible contenders.

• Jose Evans
• Joe Hogsett
• Melina Kennedy
• Woody Myers
• Kip Tew
• Brian Williams

This is totally unscientific, but will make a nice straw poll.  Happy voting.

I know all God’s City-County agencies have money problems, but I am seriously wondering what’s going on over at the Marion County Sheriff’s Department these days.

At a Pension Board meeting Thursday it was revealed that due to the economy the pension fund for retired deputies is creating a more than $3 million shortfall.  And if it’s not addressed, retirees could lose their pensions altogether.   In addition, the Sheriff’s office is also in arrears by several million dollars over health care costs at the jail.

At the same time, someone found money to spend on new cars and motorcycles.

This really makes me wonder, at least from a financial perspective, what’s going on over at the Sheriff’s Department and are there any other ticking time bombs out there?

There’s nothing like taking taxpayer money, using it to sue taxpayers in order to get more of the taxpayers’ money.   And then again there is nothing like the Franklin Township School District.

It’s one thing to go to the taxpayers and ask them to give up some of their property tax relief so administrators can build more buildings.  But the District, along with Hamilton Southeastern,  has also decided to sue the state of Indiana over the school funding formula.

Officials say the funding formula is unfair because since they are the 29th largest school district they shouldn’t be 251st when it comes to state funding.   Of course this is the same school district that had no problem finding $4.3 million for a new football stadium a few years back.

The school funding formula is complicated stuff.   But basically it comes down to a couple things;  your student population and how many of them live in poverty.  You get more kids, you get more cash.  You have more poor kids, you get more cash.   So if Franklin Township wants to max out on state funding,  it should start taking in a lot more poor students.

That makes more sense than using the taxpayers’ money to sue the taxpayers so you can get more of the taxpayers’ money.

It appears two local Democratic elected officials are running afoul of the law.

First Indianapolis Metropolitan Police are investigating City-County Councilor Doris Minton-McNeil over a possible hit and run incident three days ago.  Police were called Saturday to the 2000 block of Medford because a woman had called 9-1-1 saying McNeil was driving a green Trailblazer and nearly ran over the woman’s daughter and her seven-week old granddaughter, had alcohol in the car and yelled obscenities at the woman.

Police went to McNeil’s home where they say she would not answer at first and McNeil’s sister had to convince her to open the door.  Officers say McNeil smelled of alcohol and her speech was slurred.   McNeil said she had been home all day, however officers noted her engine was warm and there were fresh skid marks in the street.  While talking with McNeil officers noticed the front of her vehicle showed some damage consistent with a hit run.   Officers are investigating  whether McNeil might have been involved with an accident at IPS’ parking lot.

McNeil was recently acquitted of charges of public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

If that wasn’t enough, a Lawrence Township Board member is having her township pay garnished for failing to pay property taxes. Emmajean Hines failed to pay back taxes and now is having her township paycheck garnished.  In the past Hines has has voted to raise the pay of the township board,  and questioned why board members did not have health insurance.

Normally Rotary Club meetings are pretty routine, but there was an interesting exchange between Indiana 7th District Congressman Andre Carson and local citizen Gerry Mann.   Carson addressed the Rotarians on health care.   Mann wanted to argue some of the stats regarding the uninsured and that led to the following…

Carson-Mann Exchange

Carson later answered questions for us guys in the press.

Carson Interview

And they say Rotary is boring.

The nice thing about being back from vacation means you get to dive in all the issues that you missed while tanning on the beach with a cocktail and cigar.  Ok, I’m just kidding about the cigar part.

But seriously folks, one of the big issues right now involves school districts and theirtransportation programs.   There is talk that because of property tax caps, several school districts may have to cut transportation funding because there won’t be enough money in the budget.

For example, Beech Grove schools are asking for residents to take less of a property tax cut, otherwise it will eliminate bus service from its budget.   I find the threat highly suspect for a school district that is only four square miles in size, but that’s beyond the point.

Is there any reason why any school district in Marion County has bus service?  Why not consolidate their transportation budgets and create a uniform system of transportation with shared costs.  Or here’s a better idea.  Why not use IndyGo for high school student transportation?   Why can’t districts work out a deal with IndyGo, pay a certain amount to provide students with bus cards, and they can ride for free. I’m sure IndyGo could adjust some of the routes during the week to accomodate students.

With IndyGo providing service for high school students, districts can save on their transportation costs since they are now only paying for elementary and middle school.  And another side benefit is that you get people use to taking mass transit at an earlier age so it’s no big deal when they become adults.

Now to do this requires something school districts are notorious for not doing; looking for creative and innovative ways to deliver non-instructional services.  But then again, why should they when it’s so much easier to use fear tactics and avoid making tough choices.

I got back this afternoon from my annual tri-state trip to the land where all the radio and TV stations start with the letter K.   I didn’t get many text messages or phone calls while I was away, so I can assume there were no earth shattering events.   However, I did do a quick jaunt around the blogosphere and here’s what I found.

Democrat Brett Voorhies officially announced his run against Republican Phil Hinkle for State Rep in District 92 on Indianapolis’ west side.  This should be an interesting race.  Although Marion County is trending more Democratic,  in 2008 Hinkle beat Stephanie Dekemper by 3,000 votes when the County went heavily for Barack Obama.  Hinkle also won in 2006 by a similar margin.

Also former DNR Commissioner Kyle Hupfer has filed to run against Democrat Scott Reske in HD 37 in Pendleton.

There was an interesting exchange between local attorney Paul Ogden and Kevin Murray, the attorney for Marion County Sheriff Frank Anderson at last week’s budget hearing.  Check out the video.  It starts about 12 minutes into part 2 of the Public Safety Committee hearing.  What was most interesting is that Ogden, with no proof, accused Anderson of taking kickbacks from a contractor.   He tried to take it back, but the cat was out of the bag.  I’m not a big Frank Anderson fan, but you never publicly accuse an elected official of committing a crime with no evidence to back it up.

Speaking of budget hearings, I plan to get caught up watching them and give you some details over the course of the week.

And by the way, while in Illinois, one candidate for Governor, State Senator Kirk Dillard,  told a radio interviewer that he wanted to model my home state after Indiana based on the job current Governor Mitch Daniels has done.

Nice to be back.  Missed you guys, but I missed the future Mrs. Shabazz more.