“If we could move in that direction, we believe the center could be funded without any need to raise taxes, or take away resources already allocated for other district purposes,” Wallace said in a prepared statement released by the Fort Bend ISD administration. FBN
According to this FortBendNow.com exclusive, the director of the "feasibility committee", Dave Wallace, is working over-time behind the scenes, not to investigate the feasibility of this 30+ million dollar project, but to find private contributors and contractors to support it during a RECORD district budget deficit. No REAL firm dollar commitments were reported at this time. More than likely district bond money and taxes will come into play at some point. If not during construction then most assuredly during operations. Either way is it a cost the district can afford given the current crisis in the local economy?
Further: "Board Position 6 candidate Bruce Albright called the proposed center “another stellar example of a sectretive board of trustees and an aloof administration with a pork-barrel project, so they can have a showplace to brag about.”
Echoing a complaint made by Position 2 candidate Carlos Cain, Albright said there are FBISD teachers without adequate supplies or teaching assistance, and “no computers, broken computers, no projectors, no access to copiers, no copy paper, no para-professional aasstants and no specialists in the classrooms,” implying money should be spent on those things before being spent on a science center." FBN
Follow this link for the continuing story: http://www.fortbendnow.com/2009/04/06/36903
FBW comment/opinion: It comes as NO surprise to FBW that some sort of resolution to the on-going controversy over this project may occur just prior to the May 9th election date as apparently the superintendent is utilizing the project to distract from many other district concerns and unofficially supporting Bhuchar and Glover for these positions.
Background:http://blogs.chron.com/fortbend/archives/2009/03/is_jenney_seeki.html
