OPED: School Board’s lobbyist in question by ‘Dads’ supporter

SUBMITTED BY: Maureen Sielaff, Littleton

The Jeffco School District employs a full-time lobbyist to try to influence the state legislature in matters affecting the district administrators and employees, not the students.  Direction to the lobbyist is theoretically provided by the board, however, the instructions are highly influenced by the administrator and the teacher unions.

Just this last year, as an example, the lobbyist was instructed to support the bill intended to provide in-state college tuition for the children of illegal immigrants and just last week the board voted to support Proposition 103 to increase both the sales tax and income tax.  These decisions were recommended by the district administration and supported by the teacher unions.  Only one board member voted “No”.

Over the course of an entire state legislative session, hundreds of bills like these are acted on by the board.  The discussions preceding these two decisions and others didn’t consider the desires of the district taxpayers, only the establishment which seems to have an insatiable appetite for more and more money and excuses for declining student achievement.

What is this lobbying costing us the taxpayer?  What value is being returned to us, the taxpayers, and how does it benefit our students?  We need to get spending in line before we can do anything else.  Challenge the status quo, elect the right candidates.

Support “Students First and Fiscal Responsibility” in our public schools!

Vote for the “Dads”: JIM POWERS and PRESTON BRANAUGH ARE THE BEST CHOICE FOR THE JEFFCO BOARD OF EDUCATION.