2009 FBISD Tax Hearing (On YouTube)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 FBISD CONTROVERSIAL TAX HEARING (YES THEY ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN--see petition of over 500 district taxpayers asking for board accountability) --In case anyone missed it they raised the property tax rate again (4th time) in 2010 and more than likely will do so again in 2011 facing another projected 15-20 million dollar budget deficit, according to some media reports. ***NEW*** ..Petition TO STOP THE GSTC (Global Science Museum being planned at the district central office--near $30 million dollar project that superintendent Jenney is pushing): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthegcst/ (see update below on this apparently ending this project after 2 years)

Friday, January 29, 2010

Chron: Jenney Email On Budget Crisis Released By Teacher's Federation--

Superintendent's e-mail "dropped like a bomb"
January 29, 2010 2:51 pm Zen T.C. Zheng wrote:

An e-mail from Fort Bend school district chief Tim Jenney sent out to employees throughout the district on Friday morning created shock waves, representatives of a teacher’s union said.

“It dropped like a bomb,” said Anthony Lacsamana of the Fort Bend Employee Federation. “Teachers were alarmed.”

In his message, which was obtained by the Houston Chronicle, Jenney warned that a set of cost-shrinking measures will be unveiled in late February to end a cycle of the district operating under a deficit budget.

“We must take drastic action to work toward developing a balanced budget for the coming fiscal year,” he wrote.

A total of $18 million must be cut in operating costs, he said...

Full article: http://www.ultimatefortbend.com/2010/01/superintendents-e-mail-dropped-bomb#comment-1000

15 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Area blog comments:


Transparency Now!
Submitted by anonymous on January 29, 2010 4:12 pm
Thanks for getting this out to the public Mr. Zheng and Anthony. This is the type of communications that Jenney is keeping from the public that they have every right to see.

Higher local taxes and more debt? Or the GSCT must go!!!
Submitted by anonymous on January 29, 2010 4:12 pm
That is a good suggestion patriot since he did basically give himself a huge raise last year when the district was only 10 million in the red. Amazing how he is still defending the spending monster GSTC (30 million dollar duplicate museum) while preparing for drastic cuts in personnel. Most government vendor feeding types know that you punish the public first and then they react by voting for a major tax increase. So far Jenney has been successful at raising the rate 3 times in a row. I'm sure that's what he is hinting at and seeking as the public response. Then he can say he had no choice. The reality is he can look at this one major fixed cost and also at admin salaries and layers of waste first, rather than looking at direct classroom services, which will negatively impact the kids through the student-teacher ratio.

Unequivocally, Jenney should be a model for his employees and
Submitted by patriot missive on January 29, 2010 3:51 pm
Unequivocally, Jenney should be a model for his employees and take a pay cut. In addition, he needs to stop this 60MM foolishness with his Global Science Center crapola. So many of our kids are in private schools. I wonder what the tipping point is for 80% more to leave the public schools? Is this part of Jenney's plan for public education?

Pay Cut
Submitted by mores on January 29, 2010 3:10 pm
Times are tough and I hope this does not effect our kids. I do have an idea thou. Why don't we ask Jenney to take a pay cut? While others are on a pay freeze he is still getting raises.

Anonymous said...

More:

I wonder if this e-mail was requested via TPIA if Jenney would
Submitted by anonymous on January 29, 2010 4:49 pm
I wonder if this e-mail was requested via TPIA if Jenney would turn it over or hide behind the Feldman law firm again?

Art Center Too?
Submitted by anonymous on January 29, 2010 4:48 pm
Are they planning an arts center too in this midst of all this? I bet they will keep these facilities well staffed, but not our schools. What is the board doing, nothing as usual?

Hold up, anonymous. That Global Science Center was going to cost
Submitted by patriot missive on January 29, 2010 4:35 pm
Hold up, anonymous. That Global Science Center was going to cost taxpayers just over 20MM WITHOUT corporate partnering. Wallace has brought NO CORPORATE SPONCEORS forward to date. Yet, Jenney plans to break ground in April. Looks like we will all be April Fools for this 60MM + boondoggle before we even begin to talk about transportation, staffing and maintenance.

He's going to come back to us and ask for more money. That's all
Submitted by taxpayer_beware on January 29, 2010 4:34 pm
He's going to come back to us and ask for more money. That's all this is setting up for.

Anonymous said...

With the current mismangement of this budget and the finger
Submitted by anonymous on January 29, 2010 6:01 pm
With the current mismangement of this budget and the finger pointing strategy Jenney is engaged in there is no doubt it will get worse before it gets better. Apparently Laurie Caldwell will support him along with Sonal no matter what. They must go!

my kids classes are already crowded enough.
Submitted by rounders on January 29, 2010 5:02 pm
my kids classes are already crowded enough.

Anonymous said...

The sky is falling...
Submitted by my two cents on January 29, 2010 7:43 pm
What a tizzy we've worked ourselves into here... I'm an employee of FBISD and received this e-mail like all other employees today. I've been here longer than Dr. Jenney and appreciate when he communicates directly to the district through e-mail. Typically we receive an e-mail from him only in emergencies (hurricane, etc.) and then again at the start of the year and X-mas. The rest of the time he uses an appropriate channel of communication for a large organization. When he does e-mail I'm guessing that he understands that he is e-mailing as the head of one of the largest employers in the county and anything said will be heard by all (not exactly hiding behind lawyers or withholding from the press). His e-mail foreshadowed an upcoming announcement based on two years of an elected board's pressure, an aggressive TASB study, and the common sense of his cabinet of highly qualified and very experienced educators that will address the fiscal challenges that many school districts throughout the nation are facing. $18 million for a district this size represents a tightening of belts not a lopping off of arms and legs. Let our classes grow by a couple of kids, reassign teachers to the new campuses next year instead of hiring folks from out of district, maximize federal dollars, and make fiscally sound decisions protecting the quality of education, the current employees and our benefits, and us as taxpayers. I've yet to see gross mismanagement of funds in Jenney's tenure, what I've seen instead is a team of educators trying to focus resources and attention towards student achievement. This district grew from a bedroom community to a large and very diverse entity almost overnight, Jenney has been the first leader since I've been here to try and organize and build a common vision and goal which is always the fiscally right thing to do. Please do not cut Jenney's pay he is simply a man who holds a position. When he is gone that position must be compensated at a level that will attract another competent big district superintendent. Please do not listen to a union that tries all the wrong ways to make itself relevant. An attempt to bully itself into a conversation with alarmist scare tactics for its members is much less impressive than courting quality educators to join the ranks and conversing civilly (The Fort Bend Employee Foundation rarely speaks for quality educators, they are much more interested in collecting dues and getting their name in the paper). Please do not fall for Mr. Zheng's consistently misleading, uninformed, and biased stories and headlines painting life or death scenarios out of uneventful FBISD meetings and communications. Please do participate in the political process and vote for the board member that represents your beliefs, even if it means a change in leadership. And... Please do continue to be passionate about your children's education. Visit a board meeting and speak with the decision makers yourself!

Anonymous said...

Record Debt, Budget Deficits, Higher Taxes, Oh My!!!
Submitted by anonymous on January 29, 2010 8:39 pm
"Let our classes grow by a couple of kids, reassign teachers to the new campuses next year instead of hiring folks from out of district, maximize federal dollars, and make fiscally sound decisions protecting the quality of education, the current employees and our benefits, and us as taxpayers. I've yet to see gross mismanagement of funds in Jenney's tenure, " my2cents ---This sounds very much like the crowd that brought this man to power in our district and is using misinformation to cover for Jenney's inability to keep the public informed. As you know this letter was not released to the public except through the media. I for one am glad Mr. Zheng and the federation released it. Otherwise we would never have seen it. A public that is footing the bill for this mismanagement and concurrent RECORD budget deficits (close to 10 million last year and near 20 million now) has a right to this info. These are not small insignificant amounts and they are occurring on his watch. He has been promising since he came here that he would get the district back to its recognized status and hasn't done so (drop out rates have even increased as well as truancy). In the process he has been given several raises with a very liberal bonus package. He is paid more than the governor and lt, gov.---He has proposed and defends record bond debt of more than 1.4 billion (yes BILLION) DOLLARS (almost half of it came under his watch).....is pushing a near $30 million dollar duplicate museum and now an arts center too, while cutting back on direct services, music, academies and more. You are defending increasing class sizes so that he can have these projects and put his name on these vendor programs, while our kids deal with the over-crowding and the cut in services. He came in on promises of doing just the opposite and was supported by you then my2cents. ---SHAME ON YOU....in the corporate world we criticized executives for non-performance and when they took golden parachutes for it too. We certainly can criticize this man when he has openly promised to turn records over and then hid behind the district legal vendor that our taxes fund. Something you criticized the last superintendent for.--Currently he and the district is under investigation by the DA's office for with-holding quite a bit of public information he promised to turn over against the ORDER OF THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL. None of this is a good neighbor policy or even being a good steward, but we fully understand why someone who helped bring this man here and who is close to the problems would write such in his defense. We've talked to virtually thousands of taxpayers, teachers, foundation members and even a few senior admins that do not like what he has done to this district and would rather see him go. If he is going to make a case to raise our taxes again with this type of performance, then tell him he will be strongly opposed as with his last 3 property tax increases to cover his vendor feeding projects. If you want him so bad then take him with you and exit with him. We can pick up his pieces with someone else and for much less.

Anonymous said...

Mytwocents, Your soliloquy is solid proof to me that we should
Submitted by patriot missive on January 29, 2010 9:06 pm
Mytwocents, Your soliloquy is solid proof to me that we should all join a union this very night, ASAP. You sound like an old Alfred Hitchcock movie in you frantic desire to have taxpayers focus their anger at unions, reporters, watchdogs, concerned citizens and the dog. NO, this mess has ended and we must look at the true bad actors and they are Jenney, his board, and the vendors that put them in place to serve themselves. I am only sorry that it did not end sooner before pain was caused to the teachers, students, and taxpayers.

Papertowels, soap, and the Global Science Center
Submitted by lewiswbennett on January 29, 2010 9:01 pm
You might be interested in the fact that high school science teachers and art teachers have been told to now use money in budgets dedicated to purchasing equipment and supplies for students to now buy paper towels and soap. This is because the district under Dr. Jenny has cut the custodial budgets so much they barely have money to supply soap and paper towels for the rest rooms. Yet he and the board want to spend 20 something million on a Global Science Center.

Anonymous said...

Your Two Cents is not My Two Cents
Submitted by pragmatic educator on January 29, 2010 11:00 pm
I was amazed at the following posting: "Please do not listen to a union that tries all the wrong ways to make itself relevant. An attempt to bully itself into a conversation with alarmist scare tactics for its members is much less impressive than courting quality educators to join the ranks and conversing civilly (The Fort Bend Employee Foundation rarely speaks for quality educators, they are much more interested in collecting dues and getting their name in the paper)." I am a long time educator in this district as well as a member of the Teacher’s Federation and I am simply astonished at the opinion expressed by "My Two Cents.” If my memory serves me, last year, the district found itself in an 18 million dollar deficit also. At this same time last year, we had few custodians, those that had departed were not replaced... this at the onset of the swine flu pandemic. The District's cost saving solution? Let's have educators clean the bathrooms and we can make this a teaching moment for special education life skills students... cleaning bathrooms, refilling toilet paper and sweeping the halls. This district has added layers of "specialists" "helping teachers," and other ivory tower titles- making big $ salaries but contributing what? Spending how much time in the classroom? The bottom line is, this superintendent has insulated himself with a cadre of Virginians that have served and learned from his tenure at the district in Virginia beach and Pat Robertson's (the Haitans got what the deserved) Regents University six figure gatekeepers. I would like to challenge Zen Zhao to have the courage to publish the following information- submit a Freedom of information request or open records request for the following information: Dr. Jenney’s contract, benefits package and bonus details- Is he willing to “sacrifice like the rest of us?” While we’re at it- How much is each member of his executive staff being paid and every other ranking staff member enjoying it in salary and benefits? How much money is in the “fund balance?” How much was there last year, how much will be added in this year? What astonishes me is that "the sky is falling," is completely cognizant that this correspondence was sent by the district, was signed by the superintendent, but doesn’t recognize that this email is just another brick in the message that Mary Anne Simpson's propaganda marching band has presented to our gullible Board of Trustees and now, the hard working teachers and employees of FBISD. So, Ms. the sky is falling / your two cents... you made a Freudian slip... you cite the Foundation... made up of vendors and other interests that would like to keep business as usual operating ... headed I might add by Brenna Smelly, married to Steve Smelly (Candidate for commissioner), who "constructed us,” commissioned the over blown studies from demographers about incoming new students and projected endless growth for his political contributors, (developers, construction companies etc.), and district vendors. This District has had no problem throwing their hat into the ring in lawsuits against the Texas Education Agency and The State of Texas. Why aren’t they suing the state for adequate funding? It’s been done before… it seems way more politically palatable then floating more bonds, raising taxes, firing teachers, increasing class sizes, cutting services or taking more Obama money. I think it is pretty evident that this wasn’t a situation created by "the union,” to inject themselves into the conversation, this bell was rung by the District. The union’s position doesn’t seem alarmist or unreasonable but more collaborative and constructive.

Anonymous said...

Such excellent comments and well informed people. I wish I knew
Submitted by taxpayer_beware on January 30, 2010 12:12 am
Such excellent comments and well informed people. I wish I knew all of you but I'm late to this show. I did google Tim Jenney and Virginia beach though and found some records from a civil trial involving him. You would think when they brought him here they would have understood what they were getting. Let us hope that it isn't too late to stop this spending spree and deep service cut. I'm with you!

hey now
Submitted by Mike on January 29, 2010 11:20 pm
How does he expect to cut budgets while opening a new high school next year along with building his Jenney Center? My guess is that, like always, the teachers will be forced to do more with less at the cost of vanity for the "elite leadership" of FBISD.

Anonymous said...

And you are surprised about this? If you are please tell me
Submitted by carloscain on January 30, 2010 1:54 am
And you are surprised about this? If you are please tell me where YOU were when 3% of the voters decided for 100% of the taxpayers on our current board. This is one reason I home school my child. I know she's getting an education and I know there's soap and paper towels and a clean bathroom for her. I specifically remember being told by Jenney and Mike (The Bond King Guy) that Fort Bend WAS IMMUNE TO RECESSION when they were out hyping that last MASSIVE bond-doggle that put us over a Billion $$ in debt. You are 100 % right pragmatic about the whole lot. Gypsies, Tramps and THEIVES.. came to town from Virginia Beach and brought the whole traveling road show. And guess what... When the district is filing for BANKRUPTCY all you will see is the tail lights on the line of Lexus's, BMW's and Mercedes Benz's as they head to the next sucker that will take them in... It's common knowledge that Jenney is looking for a job. You think he gives 2 cents about what happens here? This could have been stopped. I spoke out about the massive Bond issue that got shoved down our throats. I spoke out when running for the Board in 2008. But no body cared enough to get off of their dead #@$ and go to the polls. So the Vendors got their rubber stamper back and the politically correct HR EXPERT that was born without a brain. So Jenney has his own personal board that will do whatever he tells them to do. What do you expect. Jenney is a bottom feeding administrator that only know's how to spend money. And boy can he spend it. You just wait and see that this Taj Ma Jenny Hall will look like. Especially with the LARGEST PLANETARIUM IN THE WORLD!!! But what the heck JENNEY AND COMNPANY'S BIGGEST LIES 1. Fort Bend is immune to recession 2. 3700 new students a year will move here for the next 10 years. 3. Taj Ma Jenney Hall will be built with donations from local business's 4. The maintenance and operational cost of Taj MA JENNEYHALL will be paid out of the money we save by not bussing our kids to the Houston Museum or NASA for Science field trips. 5. The teachers will teach on the bus so they will not lose any classroom time. 6. The district will actually make a profit by renting out space for local business's to do internet podcast's and Satelite meetings. 7. The district will form a partnership with Houston Museum of Natural Science so no competition exists between them. 8. David Wallace will personally make sure the district get's plenty of $$$ from the local business community to fund this plan. 9. The district will not have to cut back on any thing in order to fund Taj Ma Jennyhall 10. SURE WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT DOCUMENTATION, JUST TURN IN A REQUEST AND WE'LL GET THAT RIGHT TOO YOU FOR A TINY LITTLE FEE. 11. YOUR TAXES WILL NOT BE INCREASED IN ORDER TO PAY FOR OUR MASSIVE BOND PROGRAM OR TAJ MA JENNEY HALL. IN FACT YOUR TAXES ARE GOING TO GO DOWN AS A RESULT OF OUR BRILLIANT METHODOLOGY OF HANDLING OUR MONEY AND OUR BUDGET. Oh I almost forgot this one. 12. Mr. Cain is a LIAR. We DO NOT have $176,000,000 stashed in a TRUST FUND. And besides, if we did, it's just good business anyway. NOW ASK ME IF I CARE??? I could give a flying @#&^% what happens over there. I home school, so I don't have a dog in this fight. Carlos Cain Taxpayer Home School Parent

Anonymous said...

Many of us worked very hard for you Carlos
Submitted by anonymous on January 30, 2010 11:12 am
Carlos, I can understand your frustration but many of us did and continue to work hard to expose these actions by this leadership. Many of us also appreciated your run last year and the issues you highlighted. Things don't always have a happy ending but much was accomplished and still can be if these "yes" board members are served notice when they make lame decisions based on what the superintendent and vendors are pushing for the latest flavor of the month. We need to keep sending the message that it is not the boards, superintendents or taxpayers responsibility to keep the vendors employed. In a school system it should always be about what is going on in the classroom.--Some though just don't seem to get it or care to get it.--Thank you for your efforts in the past but we need you now too! Get back involved and keep shining the light on the gaps in the system. The public does have the right to know and we are all paying for it.

Use the ballot
Submitted by rounders on January 30, 2010 8:38 am
I agree with much of what you are saying cain. They appear to have manipulated quite a bit for these projects. As far as not being involved though, we all are because we are all paying ever rising property taxes for this style of leadership. It is sad that such a small portion of the population votes and most don't pay attention to the details. We need more like you that will continue to push these back room dealings into the public eye. Maybe over time they will decide, like I'm doing here, to reject such actions at the ballot. Aren't there 2 more up for re-election this year?

Anonymous said...

Your Comments:

Sometimes we just have to wake up some of those sleeping dogs
Submitted by anonymous on January 30, 2010 2:32 pm
Sometimes we just have to wake up some of those sleeping dogs PM. Of course Jenney helps with his spending proposals.

Dear My 2 Cents
Submitted by carloscain on January 30, 2010 1:51 pm
You must be the twin of the gray matter challenged HR expert that was recently installed on the board. Or perhaps they have successfully cloned another sheeple... Can we call you Dolly from now on?

Cain and others, YOU absolutely do "have a dog in the fight."
Submitted by patriot missive on January 30, 2010 12:10 pm
Cain and others, YOU absolutely do "have a dog in the fight." Although it is true that "it takes a whole village to raise a single child" and I am 100% in agreement and support of that, most of us also own real estate in Fort Bend and we must be deeply concerned about sustainable business models that protect our property values. Now, if you buy the village paradigm, AND OR you own real estate, then you do have one or more dogs in the fight. For these reasons, we must turn over the tables in the temple.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

I must say I had an opportunity to finally witness our school board in action last night. After all the uninteresting feel good activities were done I saw the board president bully a number of speakers and then the audience when they dared applaud. Mind you he only enforced the "no applause" rule during the public comments agenda item and then he kept insisting that the board meeting wasn't a public meeting but a business meeting with the public present. It sounded ridiculous just hearing it.

Anonymous said...
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