What is the school tax problem in St. Joseph?

Tom Pendergast got what he wanted by meting out favors and punishment from his Main Street office. His political power rose from Irish neighborhoods in the city’s West side, but he spent his boyhood on Frederick Avenue in old St. Joe.

Like a new chapter in the Pendergast legacy, a big part of last decade’s school district salary scandal involved stipend favors and fears of employer retaliation. A few hours in the public library’s news archives can rekindle your memory. Or read the Missouri State Auditor’s report here: https://auditor.mo.gov/AuditReport/ViewReport?report=2015006

Two themes draw almost universal praise from donors and fundraisers everywhere: children and buildings. Nothing tugs at the checkbook quite like a smiling child. In similar fashion, bricks and mortar provide a pleasing illusion of permanence that’s hard to match.

Those friendly fundraising images clash with local taxpayers. What ought to be easy, or at least easier, isn’t easy at all for schools. Every tax is a struggle.

It is not a new struggle, either. There is a chronicle of failed elections for both operating and capital projects. Many local politicians and officials routinely talk about repetitive school proposals. “People have to vote it down once and then we’ll run it again to pass.” What an odd idea that is, actually.

But those politicians and officials misdirect their blame. In their eyes, the voter is the problem. Those darned voters make us beg for money every time. They don’t like taxes, they don’t like education, they don’t like teachers, they don’t like kids.

I don’t buy it. I think citizens here love children and they (mostly) admire teachers. Nearly everyone understands the importance of education for the community. Truly, local voters are as caring and enlightened as anywhere.

So, what’s the big disconnect? Institutional history and culture esteems Pendergastian behavior. They seem to believe that secrecy, manipulation, misdirection, and demonization of skeptics are all required political tools. None of those win community supporters.

The old superintendent left, a new one was hired, and all done in secret meetings. No interviews, hearings, or public explanations. The secret hiring was announced on the eve of an election for two new board members. Within 48 hours, another incumbent board member announced her resignation.

Voters knew just two things prior to this election: the former superintendent quit, and two existing board members were leaving. All the rest - hiring, resignation, and contract negotiations - were shielded from public scrutiny. Deliberate choices were reached by the group or by individuals about the timing and transparency of those decisions.

It needn’t be that way. The only reason for secrecy is that they prefer it. It’s just easier if those pesky voters don’t get involved. They’ll cite policies, lawyers, and precedents to support the secrets, but it is simply easier without input.

They remind me of a gangster who spends more energy trying to rig the system than it would take to win fairly. We all know people like that, right? They take weird pride in all their convoluted efforts; they try to make it look like work when it is really just conniving behavior.

All this talk about school taxes with barely a word about students. Unfortunately, that’s common, too. Thousands of words spew at public board meetings, but far too few discuss student performance and learning. Voters aren’t fooled, though. There are other ready sources of information about student achievement.

Running a successful business taught me that no amount of good messaging can offset a bad decision or product. Customers are too smart for that. Communications can be a deft tool, but only if the product delivers on promises. It is a huge waste of resources otherwise.

If you need money, just tell the truth and deliver the goods:

·        Teach the students to read, write, and spell.

·        Treat your employees fairly and right.

·        Spend money efficiently and open the books so voters can see.

·        Open your meetings and discussions so the public can see. Quit using closed meetings to mask your decisions.

The real books. The real scores. The real meetings.

Tom Pendergast left St. Joseph 130 years ago. Forget the awful history and update the culture; it’s a governance issue. It is not the voters who have a problem.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Pendergast

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Can you explain the laws governing public board disclosures? The Sunshine Law.

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Why do horrid people prosper? From Washington to Hollywood, it’s hard to understand why nasty people succeed.