“Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right of. I’m stuck in the middle with you.”
-Steelers Wheel
Did you ever get ticked off about something and then realize that you are the only one (or one of very few) that gives a damn? After waiting two weeks to see if anyone in the Santa Clarita Valley would respond to the Signal’s December 3 “Newsmaker of the Week” interview with Paul Strickland and Jaime Castellanos I now realize that no one cares that these clowns are wasting your money and mine.
Not one letter to the editor upset about the 33 million of taxpayer dollars flushed down the toilet because of the incompetence of Hart School District. Paul and Jaime otherwise known as Bud (Abbot) and Lou (Costello) did their “Who’s on First ” routine and say that the reason the district is 33 million dollars over budget is a “lack of communication” and trusting someone who turned out to be untrustworthy. That’s an excuse but not a reason.
Where were they when the projects were 2 million over budget, 10 million, 20 million? Guess none of those numbers were big enough to get there attention. Apparently 33 million hit them in the eye like a big pizza pie.
As I recall when the bond issue was sold to the people of the Santa Clarita Valley one of the big selling points was that there would be put in place a Civilian Oversight Committee (COC) that would make sure that none of the projects would go over budget. Where were they? What were they doing to prevent this? (Apparently nothing.) Who is on the COC? What responsibilities do they have (if any)? The COC is mentioned in passing by Jaime during the interview, and then only to be told that the projects were over budget. Some oversight!
Now it is true that the 33 million in over runs is not going to increase our taxes. That money is already being taken out via our property taxes. What it means is that not everything that was supposed to get built or refurbished from this bond issue will not get done unless money is found elsewhere. Where is that elsewhere? Well, as these two jokers said in the interview they will be back in about 5 years with another bond issue.
Heck it’s “for the children” and it will “only” be about 30 dollars per 100,000 assessed valuation. (By the way, why don’t you take a look at your property tax bill sometime and see how many “only 30 dolars per assessed valuations” are listed.) I am sure there will be another COC to make sure everything is on the up and up. Oh and by the way, don’t look for anyone from the school district to mention the “lost” 33 million dollars. In five years all will be forgotten and forgiven.
One last thought. Betty Aronson, last summer wrote several articles in the Signal about the cost over runs by the Hart School District. For her trouble someone wrote to the Signal vilifying her for daring to criticize the School District. Amazing!
And we keep passing the bond issues and reelecting the same clowns and jokers.
Simon Westson
Commentary
