On another post Cindy wrote:
"http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11307/1187164-298-0.stm
Board Pres. Hazuda defends her evasion of school tax payments and destruction of the school district by accusing city teacher Lisa Jones of being a "disgruntled employee" because of "drastic changes". WOW.
Hazuda also complains yet again about her income. Hazuda would not have her cushy job at Biotronics if she wasn't the puppet she has become.
Isn't it odd that Hazuda got a job with UPMC as soon as she was elected to the school board. Then she voted to protect UPMC from potential future taxes. Hazuda now works for Biotronics which seems to almost exclusively contract with UPMC. She is a "contract specialist". (and still can't pay her taxes in a timely manner.)"
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
30 comments:
I wonder if the Board President's lax attention to tax deadlines is spreading to the administration.
It is unbelievable that after hiring nearly $400,000 in financial consultants (Two Bell LLC and Alvarez) this calendar year the Pittsburgh Public Schools has failed to file their Annual Financial Report (PDE-2057) on time (the due date was October 31, 2011) with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
As of November 3, 2011, 489 local education agencies in Pennsylvania were in compliance, including the impoverished Duquesne City School District:
ftp://copaftp.state.pa.us/pub/PDE_PUBLIC/ePDE_AFR/AFR_LOG/Afrweblog2011.xls
The penalty for late submission is the withholding of State funds. Legislation also authorizes fines of $300 per day to be assessed on any school not filing components of the AFR within 30 days of the established due dates.
As a taxpayer, I am not very happy that Mr. Camarda and others took a huge raise this spring - the day before the governor announced his budget - only to find out that basic reports are not timely filed, despite several hundred thousand dollars of assistance.
Will the financial report clear up whether the previous superintendent misapplied Gates or other govenrment funds, on programs where they were not supposed to be used?
Has anything been announced about the A+ review of district finances or whatever it was called? I thought it was slated to be available by end of October.
agreeing with anon 7:23-- there are rumors that much of the Gates money has been spent in various ways
Hopefully Lisa Jones gets in and helps put an end to that mistake that is Mark Campbell. Of course he is just one of many.
Seen It All wrote:
To anon 10:05
You wrote: "Hopefully Lisa Jones gets in and helps put an end to that mistake that is Mark Campbell."
No truer words were ever posted to this forum.
However, Ms. Jones did not get the Democratic nomination, Hazuda did.
Even though Jones ran for both the Democratic and Republican nominations (as did Hazuda), Jones won only the Republican nomination.
So it's an uphill battle for Jones, and time is short. I suspect that Hazuda will be elected even though she is [name calling directed at an individual deleted].
She'll win because she has the (D) next to her name. Pity.
That's not to say anything against the Democratic party. I am a registered Democrat myself.
It's just the way Pittsbugh elects officials. The fool and tax evader (D) will prevail over the true reformer (R).
Again, a pity.
Questioner,
My apologies if I inadvertently violated any rules of this forum. But I hope you will agree that Hazuda is both misguided and a tax evader.
May I submit this revised version:
To anon 10:05
You wrote: "Hopefully Lisa Jones gets in and helps put an end to that mistake that is Mark Campbell."
No truer words were ever posted to this forum.
However, Ms. Jones did not get the Democratic nomination, Hazuda did.
Even though Jones ran for both the Democratic and Republican nominations (as did Hazuda), Jones won only the Republican nomination.
So it's an uphill battle for Jones, and time is short. I suspect that Hazuda will be elected even though she is both misguided and a tax evader.
She'll win because she has the (D) next to her name. Pity.
That's not to say anything against the Democratic party. I am a registered Democrat myself.
It's just the way Pittsbugh elects officials. The misguided tax evader (D) will prevail over the true reformer (R).
Again, a pity.
No she would not be a tax evader just because she did not remit her taxes due. Tax evasion is a criminal offense; those who simply cannot/ do not pay taxes due are not criminals. There would need to be an added element such as intentionally filing an incorrect return.
It is very, very sad to watch PPS disintegrate into a cesspool of corruption, incompetence, PR, and blatant misrepresentation of equity and excellence in education for Pittsburgh's children.
Wherever you go the sad stories prevail. Tonight at Allderdice, there was an induction into the Allderdice Hall of Fame (similar to the revered, established event at Westinghouse). It was beautiful to hear the reminiscence of former graduates who have made it:
It was the 3rd Annual Induction into the Allderdice Hall of Fame. The inductees this year were Curtis Martin (Patriots and Jets), Rob Marshall (winner of Oscars, Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Critics Choice, Director of Pirates of the Caribbean etc., Sharon Epperson, CNBC, NBC, MSNBC, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, etc., D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff, former Mayor Bob O'Conner and Mr. William A.G. Fisher (who had three standing ovations). Each spoke of treasured memories at the Dice with humor, eloquence, humility and deep appreciation for the faculty, staff and what was learned at Allderdice.
Curtis Martin was the most memorable, funny, warm and deeply grateful to his Mom and Coach Wittgartner.
Can PPS be restored to its former reputation for quality education such that Halls of Fame can be established, maintained and flourishing?
What about the successful graduates of the high schools that are closing left and right- Schenley, Peabody, Langley, Oliver and/or Perry- will there be a way to recognize and establish these graduates as role models?
What about them? What do you suggest? What can you do? These Halls of Fame came about only because the former graduates were committed and persistent in pursuing this effort. These Halls of Fame are certainly not the result of Central Office Administration!
I gotta agree with Anon 12:34. At Dice there is so much less apathy than what exists at other schools. If you need evidence of this just ask to see and compare sign-in sheets for parent meetings at Dice and other PPS high schools. Other examples must also exits. Central Admin could not pulloff an event like this.
hey lets take a time out not to mention a name you have a board member give UPMC a tax shelter is this a joke ok it's time for PPS to be run by the state board as in Duquesne school dist. well now got the big three!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GATES
BROAD
UPMC
now tell me CAPA don't pay taxes being since they have a 501 c3 did not know that did you!!!!!!!
Lack of apathy at Dice, eh? Please. Are we talking about the school within the school or the general student body?
I doubt that you are talking about the latter, or that you would even know.
I'm glad that Dice has a tradition that makes you warm and fuzzy and that once again, we're treated to an ode to Allderdice.
Check the amazing list of alums that come from Carrick. It's amazing. Guess they don't count.
Uh, Anonymous? Why doesn't Carrick do a program like this? Or is it apathy? From the article, Allderdice just started it three years ago. Obviously Westinghouse has done it for years. It's up to the school, eh?
And no, I didn't go to Allderdice nor did my kids.
Uh, anonymous? Perhaps you ought to look up the Carrick Alumni Association. Get back to me when you are able to do a little research that incorporates more than just the lovefest with Allderdice.
Tell the entire story about the school. Don't talk about apathy while you're looking at one part of the school. Maybe we can talk about the people who came out of Schenley or the lack of apathy that was over there--at least within the Spartan Classics program.
PPS is more than just Allderdice and CAPA, elitist babbling notwithstanding.
I have to laugh at Hazuda calling Jones " a disgruntled employee." What incredible gall to drop that low into the gutter to make a point.
She ought to be ashamed of herself.
If you know Mrs.Jones, you know that she is a fighter, and someone who is in it for the kids.
Sad that Ms.Hazuda is in it only to make a name for herself.
Here's hoping that she learns what karma is.
PPS Board President, Sherry Hazuda, brags to the Dormont/Brookline Patch about the Board's incestuous relationship with the PFT teacher's union. Read it for yourself.
http://dormont-brookline.patch.com/articles/candidates-to-represent-brookline-on-the-pittsburgh-board-of-public-education-focus-on-teacher-effectiveness-and-budget-cuts
Do you think Hazuda will do the bidding of her EMPLOYER UPMC and move employees out of Highmark BlueCross and put them into UPMC health coverage??
That could ber the dealth kneel for HighMark giving UPMC a monopoly.
Hazuda sent a postcard mailing this week stating that she is employed by UPMC as a contract specialist.
Her conflict of interest with UPMC is unethical as she has already aided UPMC with board decisions.
It is also unethical for Hazuda to force HS Cheerleaders and elementary school children to have photos taken with her so she could use them on her political mailing to get elected.
Sherry Hazuda is a HUGE disappointment. The woman who cared about her children's education, who was devoted to the schools they attended, who was committed to advancing progress in those is gone ( perhaps because her children are gone from the schools, perhaps not). She appears to have been co-opted, corrupted, and her former values have flown out the windows (of our schools). Her primary goal is now to serve (first and foremost Mark Roosevelt) and now an administration who has put the education of PPS children at the bottom of the their list of priorities. The Board, under her leadership, continues to act as ONE with Central Office in the support of the fast track to total destruction. Ms. Hazuda and the Board have been enveloped by their own PR and Broad/Gates 'corporate' agenda. What a terrible shame to watch independent thinking, intellectual analysis, insightful decisions, and interest in our students slide into oblivion.
When she started out she sounded like a real person with real thoughts. But then as time went on she began to sound more and more like a press release from PPS headquarters.
And yet, The PG gives her the nod as the best qualified? Amazing. Remember when the PG wasn't hand in hand with PPS?
I don't know who all the superintendents are. Why was Mark Campbell hired? I see his name pop up a lot in this forum, can't find him on the website?
"As a taxpayer, I am not very happy that Mr. Camarda and others took a huge raise this spring"
In my own humble opinion, Mr. Camarda was the only one that deserved the raise.
What did he do to deserve the raise? And why has PPS needed to hire expensive consultants on financial issues since Chris Berdnik left?
"What did he do to deserve the raise? And why has PPS needed to hire expensive consultants on financial issues since Chris Berdnik left?"
He hired consultants too... Remember the facililty studies (500k) group? Berdnik hired them.
Anon 7:56 PM:
The Board approved the selection of Dejong at the January 21, 2009 legislative meeting.
Mr. Berdnik, then Chief Financial Officer, was not the Acting Chief Operations Officer until January 22, 2009 and was not the Chief Operations Officer until February 25, 2009.
The request for proposals for a facilites study was issued during the 10 month Broad-driven regime of Paul Gill (who incidently stayed long enough to receive a vested pension after working for less than a year).
The Dejong study was the first districtwide study of facilities in 12 years. It cost 50% less than the prior study.
Basic Education Circular (BEC) 24 P.S. § 7-733, "School Construction
Reimbursement Criteria," explains the requirement for school building
district-wide facility studies as a condition for reimbursement.
School districts must develop a complete building facility study of
all district educational facilities including the district
administration office. The study must be completed prior to, and
within two years of, the Department’s receipt of the PlanCon Part A
“Project Justication” submission. The study must provide an
appraisal as to each facility's ability to meet current and planned
educational program requirements, the degree to which the present
facilities meet reasonably current construction standards, and an
estimated cost of necessary repairs and improvements. Facility
studies must contain documentation regarding the authors'
credentials for producing the document.
Before the Commonwealth will consider a building project for reimbursement, school districts must demonstrate that they have evaluated all of their facilities. The purpose of the district-wide facility study is to develop a
plan for addressing the entire school district's facility needs. The study must consider how well each building lends itself to the school district's current and planned educational program, both in terms of the building’s design (e.g., arrangement, number, layout and size of various spaces relative
to current and projected enrollment) and structure (e.g., soundness, compliance with codes, access, environmental conditions). When the study indicates some inadequacy or deficiency, it must provide an estimate of the cost to correct the problem.
Well let's hope it cost a lot less than the previous study, because deJong did very little new research into conditions- teams spent something like a half a day at many schools basically adding any necessary updates to work done in the previous comprehensive review.
Post a Comment