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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:06 pm 
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I’ve been traveling for my company for over 30 years and I have never been asked to pay for my expenses out of my own pocket and then get reimbursed and I’m sure was not the expectations of most companies. My company use to issue cash advances via travelers checks until the early 90’s when we were provided company credit cards. Your concept of expecting board members to spend out of pocket money and get reimbursed for their expenses is totally unrealistic and unheard of. I would however be someone skeptical of giving out cash advances not know how the money was being spent, although it is a requirement of turning in receipts.. but using the pre-paid card will not let the district better track the expense electronically. So you pay your bills when you get them… well the school district is obligated to pay the travel expenses of board members and as you say.. when the board member gets them.. which is after a meal or other pertinent expense they would expect the School District to pay for it.
I do commend you for being concerned about tax dollars falling in the wrong hands… I’ve seen that happen in Sauk Village because they had a corrupt Superintendent and naive board members. All school expenses including those of board members are scrutinized via an annual audit by certified auditors. The risk that money cards will be abused by board members and not be detected by the auditors is not likely.


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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:26 pm 
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funnyman wrote:
I’ve been traveling for my company for over 30 years and I have never been asked to pay for my expenses out of my own pocket and then get reimbursed and I’m sure was not the expectations of most companies. My company use to issue cash advances via travelers checks until the early 90’s when we were provided company credit cards.
You have much more to lose than a school board member...YOUR JOB.
funnyman wrote:
Your concept of expecting board members to spend out of pocket money and get reimbursed for their expenses is totally unrealistic and unheard of. I would however be someone skeptical of giving out cash advances not know how the money was being spent, although it is a requirement of turning in receipts.. but using the pre-paid card will not let the district better track the expense electronically.
You are wrong. Most small businesses require receipts as well as Expense Reports.
funnyman wrote:
So you pay your bills when you get them… well the school district is obligated to pay the travel expenses of board members and as you say.. when the board member gets them.. which is after a meal or other pertinent expense they would expect the School District to pay for it.
The school board is ONLY obligated to reimburse expenses, which have been approved, by roll call vote. That roll call vote cannot be taken until an expense report is submitted.
funnyman wrote:
I do commend you for being concerned about tax dollars falling in the wrong hands… I’ve seen that happen in Sauk Village because they had a corrupt Superintendent and naive board members. All school expenses including those of board members are scrutinized via an annual audit by certified auditors. The risk that money cards will be abused by board members and not be detected by the auditors is not likely.
Scrutinized by an ANNUAL audit? In most cases that is too late. The Business Manager and the Board Treasurer must prepare a list of bill at least once a month, to be approved BY ROLL CALL vote. An annual audit of the school district is a joke, if no Checks and Balances are in place. I think I'll start going to board meetings and voice my concerns.

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 4:31 pm 
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Remember...
It's NOT your money...

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 7:56 am 
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LoisLane wrote:
I think I'll start going to board meetings and voice my concerns.


Good, I hope you do go to a meeting and voice your opinion. I think I'll go too just to hear what you have to say.

No one EVER said that the Board members don't turn in receipts. They do turn in receipts and if they get the purchasing cards, they still have to turn in receipts. The difference is that there is NO money in their hands and there is only a limited amount of money on the card. Right now they get a per diem for any coferences they attend, which is their training for their JOB as a School Board member. They will still get the same amount on the P-Card per diem, but then the district doesn't have to get cash back because there is NO CASH involved. YOU STILL ARE CLUELESS.


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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:37 pm 
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http://reason.org/news/show/corruption- ... -schools-c

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 7:02 am 
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You geniuses want to explain again how River Oaks tax appeals do not affect the school districts...
The Times wrote:
Tax appeal bad news for D.215

CALUMET CITY | An appeal of property tax bills by the Sears store at River Oaks Center could cost Thornton Fractional high schools some $800,000 in funds the district was expecting for the upcoming school year.

Creg Williams, Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 superintendent, said Tuesday the potential loss of local property tax money would add to the district's loss of finances needed to maintain high schools in Lansing and Calumet City.

Cuts in state funding and increased numbers of home foreclosures within the school district will add to the district's fiscal woes.

Sears appealed its property tax bills from the years 2002 to 2004, and two weeks ago district officials learned the appeal in Cook County is likely to succeed. Seventeen government entities will suffer losses of varying dollar amounts.

James Gigliotti, vice president for the District 215 School Board and Calumet City's economic development coordinator, said the city and the school district would lose about $800,000 apiece in expected tax revenues to compensate Sears for its alleged overpayment of taxes for those three years.

School Board member Lee Ann Revis said she wishes Sears would compromise with the district. "This may sound Pollyannish," she said. "I'd like to see Sears try to meet us in the middle."

But School Board member Charles Maricich said there is one potential benefit: The Landings shopping center at 170th Street and Torrence Avenue in Lansing is located within a tax increment financing district that has expired, which means it will begin paying property taxes directly to the high school district and local governments.

"It could be a trade-off," Maricich said of taxes from the shopping center, which includes Wal-Mart and Ultra Foods supermarket. "It has to be more than what we got for the past 23 years."

Regarding home foreclosures, Williams said because of the time involved in tax collection, foreclosures being done now will affect the school district until at least the 2010-11 school year.

Williams also said he is paying close attention to word from Springfield, where some of the grants the district is counting on to cover its expenses could be cut to help Illinois balance its budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

"So far, we have survived many of the major cuts" in state government, Williams said. "We have to wait and see how things turn out."

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:08 am 
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LoisLane wrote:
You geniuses want to explain again how River Oaks tax appeals do not affect the school districts...
The Times wrote:
Tax appeal bad news for D.215

CALUMET CITY | An appeal of property tax bills by the Sears store at River Oaks Center could cost Thornton Fractional high schools some $800,000 in funds the district was expecting for the upcoming school year.

Creg Williams, Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 superintendent, said Tuesday the potential loss of local property tax money would add to the district's loss of finances needed to maintain high schools in Lansing and Calumet City.

Cuts in state funding and increased numbers of home foreclosures within the school district will add to the district's fiscal woes.

Sears appealed its property tax bills from the years 2002 to 2004, and two weeks ago district officials learned the appeal in Cook County is likely to succeed. Seventeen government entities will suffer losses of varying dollar amounts.

James Gigliotti, vice president for the District 215 School Board and Calumet City's economic development coordinator, said the city and the school district would lose about $800,000 apiece in expected tax revenues to compensate Sears for its alleged overpayment of taxes for those three years.

School Board member Lee Ann Revis said she wishes Sears would compromise with the district. "This may sound Pollyannish," she said. "I'd like to see Sears try to meet us in the middle."

But School Board member Charles Maricich said there is one potential benefit: The Landings shopping center at 170th Street and Torrence Avenue in Lansing is located within a tax increment financing district that has expired, which means it will begin paying property taxes directly to the high school district and local governments.

"It could be a trade-off," Maricich said of taxes from the shopping center, which includes Wal-Mart and Ultra Foods supermarket. "It has to be more than what we got for the past 23 years."

Regarding home foreclosures, Williams said because of the time involved in tax collection, foreclosures being done now will affect the school district until at least the 2010-11 school year.

Williams also said he is paying close attention to word from Springfield, where some of the grants the district is counting on to cover its expenses could be cut to help Illinois balance its budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

"So far, we have survived many of the major cuts" in state government, Williams said. "We have to wait and see how things turn out."


No one ever said that the tax appeals do not affect the school districts. They do affect them, but it's usually a couple of years later after the district has received the money and they have to pay it back. I know that the districts do fight the appeals and sometimes Sears or whoever is filing the appeals do compromise with the districts.


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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:10 am 
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Who (or is it whom?) looks stupid NOW?
funnyman wrote:
What does stores closing in RO mall have to do with income for the school district. The schools do not benefit from sales tax, they get income from property tax which remains the same whether or not the mall has occupants or not. Your knowledge of school finance makes your comments questionable. D157 is working in the red, has been for decades. You cannot maintain a working force if you don’t give people fair annual raises saying we think our income is going to be lower in the years to come because Lois Lane say so. Is it wise to plan for the future, but when there is a steady income and only speculation that the income from property tax will drop, that will not fly. If you look at the financial history of D157, I don’t think you would ever see a decrease in the schools income based on property tax revenues dropping and property tax income represents the greatest revenue for D157. In regards to a bonus paid to an administrator, this more than likely was written into their employment contract and I believe the administrator in question was hired by the board that was forced out 2 years ago in the 2007 election. If you recall, that old board did a lot of crazy things with contracts. Even if the current board or Superintendent did not like the idea of issuing a bonus payment, their hands would be tied by the contract. A little history as to how crazy this old board was. The administrator who received this bonus was re-hired after they forced out Dr. Molin and the Assistant Principal that took her place. This person was released when the new Hoover school was built removing the need for 2 principals. This released administrator sued D157 and they still hired this person years later. Makes no sense to me.

Need I go on?

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:19 am 
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chugar52 wrote:
No one ever said that the tax appeals do not affect the school districts. They do affect them, but it's usually a couple of years later after the district has received the money and they have to pay it back. I know that the districts do fight the appeals and sometimes Sears or whoever is filing the appeals do compromise with the districts.
Yeah, pay back money they don't have? Exactly the reason school districts should NOT enter in LONG RANGE contracts. Again, who (or is it whom?) is stupid now?

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:21 am 
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LoisLane wrote:
chugar52 wrote:
No one ever said that the tax appeals do not affect the school districts. They do affect them, but it's usually a couple of years later after the district has received the money and they have to pay it back. I know that the districts do fight the appeals and sometimes Sears or whoever is filing the appeals do compromise with the districts.
Yeah, pay back money they don't have? Again, who (or is it whom?) is stupid now?


They have no choice but to pay it back. The courts order them to pay back money if Sears or any other business files an appeal and wins. Maybe D157 and D215 should say they won't pay it back. Then what do you think will happen?


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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:27 am 
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chugar52 wrote:
They have no choice but to pay it back. The courts order them to pay back money if Sears or any other business files an appeal and wins. Maybe D157 and D215 should say they won't pay it back. Then what do you think will happen?
Then, a whole lotta liars (lawyers) get richer...and eventually so does Sears.

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 6:59 am 
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Well, I am NOT going to say a word...
The Times wrote:
D.157 to repay nearly $1M in taxes to Sears

JOAN CARREON - Times Correspondent |

CALUMET CITY | The outcome of a local retail giant's property assessment challenge means Hoover-Schrum Elementary District 157 must repay nearly $1 million, plus interest, to the Calumet City retailer.

The mood was suddenly somber at Tuesday's District 157 School Board meeting as business manager Alicia Evans explained the impact of the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board's decision in favor of Sears, Roebuck and Co.

The appeals board agreed with the retailer's claim that the 2002, 2003 and 2004 assessments on its property at the River Oaks Shopping Center were too high.

As a result, District 157 owes Sears $986,118.40 in property tax revenues collected years ago from the retail giant, Evans said. The total amount due to Sears is actually a bit higher but a $9,675.52 payment already has been made, she said.
http://nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois ... 26f7a.html
...unless provoked.

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 4:53 pm 
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Would someone please explain.....
The Times wrote:
In addition, the board approved the hiring of Brad Ervin as a full-time computer technician at an annual salary of $27,000, Juan Flores as a maintenance technician at a salary of $33,280, and Sean Potempa as a physical education teacher at Schrum at $35,485
.....how is it a full-time computer technician starts at $27,000 and a maintenance technician (a janitor/custodian) starts at $33,280? Does it take more skill to push a broom than it does to keep the school's computer systems running?

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2009 7:55 am 
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How is this NOT a private DAY CARE CENTER?
Quote:
Hoover secretary launches new business

JOAN CARREON - Times Correspondent

CALUMET CITY | A new, privately run after-school program for children of all ages is scheduled to begin Monday at Hoover Elementary School.

The Hoover-Schrum Elementary District 157 School Board approved a contract last week with Vanessa Johnson, allowing her business -- Safe-Grounds Youth Recreation Center -- to use the Hoover School's multipurpose room for the program on student attendance days, beginning Monday through Dec. 17.

Board President Natalie Barnes abstained from voting because her Farmer's Insurance agency is providing Johnson with liability insurance coverage for the Center.

Johnson, who works as a secretary at Hoover, will be involved in the business after her regular work day ends at 3:30 p.m. She also will pay the regular rate charged to those who rent school space, Barnes said. The exact amount of that fee was not immediately available.

The Center will be open from 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and is available to children between the ages of preschool through high school. The program will include instruction in dance, drill team, drama, drum corps, vocals and more.

As of Thursday, about 40 youngsters had signed up for the program. The cost to parents is $20 per month.

"Whatever skills and talents children have, we are going to help develop them," Johnson said.

She said the Safe-Grounds Youth Recreation Center will give youngsters "something to do" after the regular school day ends and will help build integrity, self-esteem and allow them to have fun.

A parent booster club has been formed, various field trips are planned, and the first musical production for the community will take place in December, she said. There also will be scholarship opportunities for college-bound high school students who enroll in the program and plan to major in the arts.

Some School Board members expressed concerns about student safety between the time school ends and the program's 4 p.m. start.

Johnson had talked about possibly having parent volunteers helping to transport students to the public library for homework help.

But Johnson now says there will not be a homework help and tutoring component just yet.

Born and raised in Chicago, Johnson moved to California in 1978 to attend high school and college. She has been teaching and training youngsters in dance, drill team, and drama since 1979.

She returned to Illinois in 2001 to take care of her ailing mother and in 2007 she moved to Calumet City and took the job as a Hoover School secretary.

Owning her own business has been a lifelong dream, she said, and she hopes to eventually open the Safe-Grounds Center in her own facility.

"God made this all possible. He gave me the vision and the dream when I was little," Johnson said.
...again, this School Board is almost as bad as the last. How does this benefit the taxpayer? This entire arrangement just plain smells...

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 Post subject: Re: S.D. 157 - Leave It Alone
PostPosted: Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:00 am 
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The Center will be open from 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and is available to children between the ages of preschool through high school. The program will include instruction in dance, drill team, drama, drum corps, vocals and more.


This is NOT a DAY CARE program. It is a program instructing dance, vocals, etc. As to how it will benefit the taxpayer - it is the taxpayers children that will be getting the instruction and it is only costing them $20. Will it benefit all taxpayers? No, it won't, but most programs do not benefit all the taxpayers. The district had Champions for several years, which was an after school program for the children. It was basically an after school day care. It benefited the taxpayers whose children were in the program. It didn't benefit all of the taxpayers, yet you never complained about that. The Board approved that program also. Why the negativity about the Board on this program? What is your probelm with this Board? What have they done to you? Or are you one of the "old" Board Members and you're just being nasty because you didn't get elected?


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