Tangipahoa Schools Update

Outside audit would add credibility

After reading the piece in The Daily Star on Saturday about the Tangipahoa Parish school deficit I have a suggestion for Financial Officer Brett Schnadelbach and the school board. Do more than put rumors to rest. Prove the school system has money problems with an outside audit. I said outside not in house. One should never let the fox count the chickens; only country bumpkins do that.

Magnet schools progress: Hiring procedures get under way

$10M deficit expected: Parish has no districtwide tax to run schools

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Higher Ed Roundup – 11/30/10

GSU awaits reacreditation OK

Keep searching for budget answers

Brian A. Salvatore: Cutting higher ed, raising tuition is not solution

LA Newspapers Not the Only Ones Asleep

It seems Louisiana’s newspapers are not the only ones who stand idly by while local government officials steal with impunity.

Where was The Plain Dealer over years of Cuyahoga County corruption?

In the 28 months since the FBI went public with its investigation of corruption in Cuyahoga County government, one question has been asked repeatedly: “Where was The Plain Dealer?”

Someone named “swarley” asked it again in an online comment appended to an Oct. 24 editorial about the long and disgraceful tenure of former Cuyahoga County Sheriff Gerald McFaul:

“. . . the worst element in this sordid scandal was the lack of a decent newspaper, which would have investigated the claims, had it not been so busy whistling a happy tune and sitting on its butt . . . for more than a decade, you guys failed to live up to your name, or your responsibilities. You ignored what was going on, you endorsed the crooks every time they were up for re-election . . . At what point are we going to see an expose of how poorly The Pee Dee handled its watchdog responsibilities?”

The Pentagon Barracks – 1st Class Public Housing

Here’s a story that we had thought about writing for quite a while. Louisiana Voice’s Tom Aswell beat us to it. He’s done a thorough job and it is a must read. You’ll never see this written in The (Baton Rouge) Advocate, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune or any of the state’s Gannett papers.

Hidden legislative perk: Pentagon Barracks housing

Here’s a sound business plan that’s sure to attract shrewd investors in today’s competitive real estate market: Construct four apartment buildings containing 39 one- and two-bedroom units of an average size of 800-900 square feet each.

Throw in about $74,136.46 in free furniture and locate the $4.4 million apartment complex on prime property with scenic views of the Mississippi River on one side and the majestic Louisiana State Capitol building on the other. As a final inducement, offer the units for an average monthly rent of about $310, utilities included (sorry, no cable TV). Add two units assigned to a special VIP who pays $3,268 per month for 2,964 square feet, and the average monthly rent balloons to a whopping $368 per occupant.

Higher Ed Roundup – 11/29/10

Your Mail: Jindal should give back

Bruno transition covered laudably

ULL set to begin first phase of housing work

ULL housing plan may cut oaks

Letter: Jindal’s travel, education cuts

LSU AgCenter: ‘Less with less’ the way of the future

Higher Ed Roundup – 11/28/10

Movement seeks to raise funds for universities

New nonprofit sets sights on higher ed

Tangipahoa Tax Update

$10M deficit expected: Parish has no districtwide tax to run schools

Tangipahoa Parish School’s chief financial officer is projecting a $10 million deficit next year.

“I want to put the rumors to rest,” Brett Schnadelbach recently told school officials. “It is not true we have enough money already in the school system.”

Tangipahoa Parish is the only district in the state without a districtwide millage for operations, he said.

If the proposed parishwide school tax passes, Schnadelbach said 3 mills will be sufficient to cover funding of existing bonds, and the rest will be used to fund the desegregation plan. All other millages that individual districts are currently paying for education will be eliminated.

Higher Ed Roundup – 11/27/10

Southern U. leader decides to resign

Kofi Lomotey, chancellor of Southern University’s Baton Rouge campus, resigns

Chancellor Lomotey to resign

Mire is second non-Southern alumni to head board

Southern U. Chancellor Quits

Sources: Lomotey announces he is resigning

The chancellor of Southern University has resigned. Chancellor Kofi Lomotey put in his notice just a few hours ago.

Although the news is big, it is not surprising for a few. Some people have been expecting the word for weeks. The board of supervisors met in New Orleans on the eve of the Bayou Classic and before it could announce its annual performance review of the chancellor, sources said he submitted a letter of resignation.

Higher Ed Roundup – 11/26/10

Southern supervisors to meet before Classic

Activist bashes ed cuts

Officials should work together

Another AAUP letter requests extension of nonrenewal date

SU board expected to make decisions today