More Money For Education

In Illinois, there's a state-run lottery that provides extra funds for education, but that's not enough. Politicians and preachers all cry out for more. More money for education. Your taxes simply don't meet the needs and the budget shortfall will lead to cuts and you don't want that, do you?

Where does all the money go, anyway, that they rake in? Why don't schools have sufficient funding to pay for books and science labs and computers and all the rest?

If you're looking at the expenses of the Chicago Public School system, you'd have to include fraud. Turns out that theft by the employees is a big reason why the city's empty palm is permanently outstretched, begging for more.

Three rather clever folks figured out that they could take advantage of their jobs as voucher coordinator, school clerk and payroll adjustment clerk to amend their salaries. They wrote out bogus payroll checks, had some accomplices cash them, and then collected a commission.

Easy to pretend that the teacher had worked long hours and tack on a bit of overtime. The teacher involved was happy to get the bonus, even if it was shared with Tremaine Edwards, Mark France and Shandta Lambert. One of the teachers involved took home an additional $56,000, while Ms. Lambert pocketed $8100, and just in time for Christmas.

Fraud to the tune of $137,000 was uncovered, and more people are expected to be charged in connection with the operation.

Little wonder, now, that Illinois taxpayers are strongly opposed to changing the current system of local property taxes paying for local schools. Who'd be dumb enough to see their taxes raised so that everyone could contribute equally to getting fleeced?