Weiner: Schools won’t wastefully spend anymore
We recently called out Scott Weiner, head of the NJ School Development Authority – challenging Weiner to stop wasting taxpayer money and putting children needlessly at risk by building schools on toxic waste sites: (see:Calling Out Scott Weiner on school reforms http://blog.nj.com/njv_bill_wolfe/2008/05/calling_out_scott_weiner.html
Well, Weiner replied by issuing a non-response:
“I believe unequivocally that the capability of the SDA to manage additional funding has been demonstrated and really is beyond question,” said Weiner.
According to Friday’s Courier Post story: Panel leader: Schools won’t wastefully spend anymore
TRENTON — Needing to convince lawmakers to provide $2.5 billion to replace and renovate schools in the state’s poorest districts, state Schools Development Authority leader Scott Weiner told lawmakers Thursday the agency has made reforms and will not repeat sins of the past.
Formerly known as the Schools Construction Corp., the group has been criticized for wastefully spending $8.6 billion to date. Weiner told the Assembly Education Committee more has been done besides changing its name to fix it – including better management, more fiscal oversight through comprehensive budgets and project schedules, prioritizing projects based on need and being able to recoup costs from responsible parties for mistakes that result in more money.
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080613/NEWS01/806130383/1006
Yet the proposed legislation to renew SDA funding fails to restrict building schools on toxic waste sites:
“We talk about the kids being the most important things in our lives, and we still hear about schools being built on contaminated sites or remediated sites. I would think the first thing we should do … is look at noncontaminated sites to place the school so we don’t have to spend school dollars for remediation,” said Assemblyman Joseph Malone III, R-Burlington.
Not one more penny should be appropriated to SDA until restrictions are put in place to stop abuses related to land acquistion and construction on toxic waste sites.
Period.
Bill: What did you expect the SDA CEO to say? Sorry we wasted billions it won’t happen again. Right, that’s in fact what he said. Wiener basically says”Trust me” and that’s it. EOM. Until the Legislature tells Corzine/Wiener that’s not good enough it will be BAU at the SDA. Has the SDA/AG taken any legal actions to try to recover misspent/wasted funds? Any investigations to pursue the State’s remedies for fraud? $8.6 billion almost sounds surreal for school construction. The Supreme Court continues to intrude in the education process without regard for the financial consequences on taxpayers. Quality schools could have been built if the Court didn’t essentially mandate an impossible schedule that every one should have known could not have been properly managed and wasn’t. Not one person has been held accountable for this scandalous waste of billions. Education is more than buildings+teachers. It is most importantly about stable homes and caring parents who have the ability and desire to make a better life for their kids. When will we admit that and work harder on that part of the problem: dysfunctional families and communities in poverty areas with no hope!
It’s like the SDA motto should be, “and this time we really mean it.”
Still looking to build at contaminated sites, & we’re supposed to have confidence? Off to a bad beginning right there.
ferdek is right – where are the investigations into what happened to 8.6 BILLION dollars? We have a State Comptroller, an Inspector General, & an Attorney General in this state. These offices should be working towards recovering all this wasted money – & that’s where the next round of school construction funding should come from.
Hey Bill, when did public bureaucrats begin claiming that there decisions/policies are “beyond question?” Did I miss a proclamation or edict from the SDA? SKEPTICS CAN PREVENT THE TYRANNY OF TECHNOCRATS! Remember even the Pope is fallible on some issues…