APS Supt Winston Brooks is having trouble figuring out how to deal with a looming $43M budget shortfall.
Early in the process he decided to grab some low hanging fruit by screwing over some widely loathed "double dippers". The plan failed to recognize that double dipping was initially authorized for the expressed purpose of retaining these very teachers. At the time, they were retiring from APS and moving to Tucson to teach, and drawing both salary and pension. The authorization allowed them the same benefits, but without having to move, and without APS loosing their expertise and experience.
Brooks found out rather immediately that his little brainstorm wouldn't work. How can you tell a person that it is OK for them to retire and then rehire, and then cut their legs out from under them the next year?
Now, Brooks has decided to increase class sizes. The pitfalls that creates are too obvious to bother to explain. And still, we have no idea whether he has cut his administrative staff to the bone; the first and most fundamentally important budget cut.
The Journal this morning, link, gave Brooks an opportunity to pat himself on the back for his oft asserted "openness" in the process;
Brooks said. "... his staff is aiming for openness ...
The truth is quite different.The truth is that if you ask
Brooks why he won't conduct
an "open" review of APS
administrative standards and
accountability by independent
efficiency experts,
he is not open at all.
He will stonewall the question.
The independent review would reveal one of two things;
- Brooks is telling us the truth; APS' administration is as lean and efficient as it can be, or
- APS' administration is top heavy with superfluous administrators.
If Brooks is not telling the truth, he would be avoiding an audit like the plague.
Brooks is in fact, avoiding an audit like the plague.
The obvious conclusion is that he has something to hide,
and enjoys aid and abet from the Journal in that endeavor.
photo Mark Bralley
No comments:
Post a Comment