dark_clouds

This is “Sunshine Week.”

The purpose of the week is to remind the citizens as well as the governmental agencies that in order to have a responsive and responsible government, there must be transparency.

State law requires that public agencies provide citizens with any information they request. If the governmental agency does not want to provide the information, it must provide, in writing, to the person making the request the legal basis (citation) that excludes the specific information from the Public Records Law.

Very Cloudy

Despite this being “Sunshine Week” dark clouds hang over the operations of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board.

The Tangipahoa Parish School Board is in the process of imposing a massive tax increase on the citizens of Tangipahoa Parish. The taxes will directly cost every man, woman and child in the parish as well as those who merely visit our parish.

This tax increase must be presented to the voters in a parishwide referendum. It appears that the Board plans to hold the election at a time when the fewest voters are likely to participate.

Campaign Cost?

The Board plans can spend an unlimited (and unknown) amount of our tax dollars campaigning for this massive tax increase as well as delivering to the polls only voters favorable to higher taxes.

A Louisiana Attorney General’s Opinion (not the law) allows the Board to spend our tax money to pass more taxes.

If you and I were to mount a campaign to support or oppose this tax with our personal money or the money of others, we would have to publicly disclose every dime that we raise and where or on whom we spent it.

That law doesn’t apply to the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. Why? Because politicians passed the law.

Stonewalling

The only way we have to find out how our money is spent is by making a request of the Board. I’ve done so in writing.

The Board claims it doesn’t have a budget and doesn’t know when it will. It could be after the election.

Unfortunately, we ordinary citizens are at the mercy of the employees of and the elected members of the School Board being willing to follow not only the letter, but the spirit of the law. Even more we have to hope they will realize that they are responsible to the citizens of our parish and respond accordingly.

I’ve asked, in writing, the Superintendent, the Board and the legal custodian of the Board’s records, other questions about the campaign to insure that they are complying with state laws.

The Board has refused to answer and has failed to respond in writing citing the exception to the Public Records Law whereby they don’t have to provide the information. In fact, they have refused to even acknowledge my inquiry.

I’ve written my representative on the Board and he refused to even acknowledge my request.

Apparently, the Board intends to spend our money sneaking this massive tax past us.

If I get the information about how our School Board intends to spend our money, I will be happy to share it with anyone who is interested.

If anyone has better access to the public servants at the Tangipahoa Parish School Board and are willing to assist me in getting factual information, please let me know.

C.B.