Before I talk about my journey. I want to introduce myself. My name is Crystal Thompson and my user name is crtconsu. I will be writing under my new name starting next week (I will create it after my sister's surgery tomorrow). I consider the DKos community as family and know your generosity well. Instead of money, I hope that you will share your knowledge and guidance (grammar check and snark included) as I begin this journey.
Follow me after the fold.
Hi, Dkos Family: I have some news. March 25, 2010, I have thrown my hat in the ring as a candidate for Prince George's County Council District 1. My platform is to "Create. Build. Grow." I see Prince George's County as the new Education, Community Health, and Environmental Corridor in Maryland and beyond.
One week later, I received a teacher union's survey regarding current happenings in the school system including a 5/10 days furloughs for teachers. Before I catch the foot-in-mouth disease, I did a detailed analysis of the county and school proposed Fiscal Year 2010 budget before by April 12th deadline. A review of these budgets should be an exercise for us all.
I have learned that I have to Look Within before I Ask Without. Look, I have gone through a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The courts made me go through the process of auditing myself. I found that I was spending 16% percent over my income. I am now grateful for that self audit. I love the fact that I learn to spend below my means. Which leads to a fundamental question:
How can our county government can ask citizens to pay more taxes or layoff/furlough (blame the teachers) employees or borrow more money without showing us, in line-by-line detail, how the money has been spent?
Let's look at the Board of Education budgets of 2009 and 2010. The Board of Education's budget is 62.7% percent (Exact Amount is $1,617,400,000) of ENTIRE Prince George's County budget (See graphic on page 2 of the county budget and Board of Education Budget). Now, the Board of Education is proposing cuts and furloughs. After reviewing the Board's budget, I can't see how the Board justify furloughs or any other severe cuts in School Operating Resources without a full independent audit (not internal). Below is a sample listing of the PG County Schools 2009 and 2010 expenditures that had literally kept me awake for almost a week:
- On page 10 (or 351) below the Total Deputy Superintendent line, $1.01 Billion in School Operating Resources section of the Board's budget is listed as a ONE line item. $1.1 billion budgeted in 2009. No details. Where is the money going? A black hole in space comes to mind.
- The Board of Education is proposing 364% increase ( in salary from $933,000 to $4,314,400) for the Chief Accountability Officer. Wow! That's over 100 times President Obama's salary and the group only won $6 million dollars in grants. See page 10.
- Only $7.07 million is proposed for Food Services for the kids and PG County has an Obesity Rate of 68%. Rand Health Report dated February 2009.
- One more thing, theBoard of Education Agenda #9 wants to have the voters to allow it to bypass the county council and directly issue bonds (or borrow money) for school construction. At the same time, they are proposing teacher furloughs.
The citizens of Prince George's County paid over $1 billion for these Board of Education achievements in 2009 (see page 3 of the Board's Budget):
- Achieved adequate Yearly Progress for the first time since the passage of No Child Left Behind.
- Recieved a $6 million grant from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to support the transformation to a "performance management" culture in the school system.
- Moved "highly qualified" teachers in the core academic subjects to 90% of those classes with large number of students impacted by the challenges of poverty.
- Nearly nine of every ten schools classes with large numbers of students highly impacted by the challenges of poverty.
- Implemented four new policies (Core Beliefs and Commitment, Theory of Action, System Oversight and Constituent Services) that will help govern the way the Board operates as a governing body of the school system that stuffs over $1 billion over School Operating Resources on one line of the entire budget (emphasis mine).
My Biggest Priority is Education. We are talking about over 62.7% of the ENTIRE Prince George's County Budget. Based on my own financial flaws, what will I fight for as a council member? In the first 30 days, I will submit bills to do the following:
- Conduct a full line by line independent audit of the Board of Education’s 2009 expenses to reconcile major funding swings in the 2010 budget including School Operating Expenses, Administration (Chief Accountability Officer’s Salary will increase to $4,314,400 for 2010), Technology, Special Education, and Plant Operations.
- Require the Board of Education request board approval for purchases of $100,000 dollars or more until the audit is complete.
- Require that the Board of Education submit and implement plans to ensure all students receive physicals including vision, dental, hearing, and counseling and nutritious breakfasts and lunches before the end of the FY 2010.
- Freeze the Furloughs until the audit is completed and to seek reimbursement for employees if furloughs have taken place.
- Require the Board of Education Technology staff to develop and implement an emergency plan to prevent class disruptions in case of snow days and furlough, to allocate its resources to ensure every student and teacher has a laptop with required software and connection to the internet.
- Reject the Board of Education’s Legislative Agenda #9 to issue bonds for school construction outside of Council approval.
I look forward to sharing my vision for Prince George's County. I am undaunted by the financial challenges of Prince George's County and my own candidacy. I will push the envelope to look within county resources and efficiently work with what we have. It will take some time, but I know Prince George's County can boldly to become the new Education, Community Health, and Environment Corridor in Maryland and beyond.
My website will be up in a few weeks. I hope that you will join me in my journey as I work to earn your vote. Have an awesome day.
Cheers,
Crystal Thompson
Democratic Candidate
Prince George County Council District 1
UPDATE: my new username is crystalforpgcouncil.