Kelly won’t support tax increase
I thought y’all would be interested in this article that ran today in the Spartanburg Herald Journal.
State Rep. Joey Millwood on Thursday introduced a bill calling for an independent audit of school districts across the state, as well as the Department of Education.
Millwood said Spartanburg School District 7 was not the sole inspiration for the bill, but its recently announced $325,000 deal with the Country Club of Spartanburg spurred him to put the legislation on the fast track.
“The things that have transpired in District 7 show the need for an independent audit,” said Millwood, R-Landrum. “Somebody has got to step up and look out for the teachers and the taxpayers.”
Millwood said District 7′s agreement with the country club – $200,000 up front and $5,000 a year for 25 years – and the addition of an assistant superintendent at $170,000 per year were out of line when teachers were being forced to buy their own supplies.
“I think there’s waste, and I think District 7 has opened a can of worms,” Millwood said. “All these rants and raves about all these districts being broke aren’t valid, and I think District 7 proves that. An independent auditor will dig into everything and show where the money goes.”
More than 30 co-sponsors have signed on to the bill, but none from the Spartanburg County delegation.
Rep. Keith Kelly, R-Woodruff, said he questions where the funding would come from for the audit. The bill requires the General Assembly to appropriate the money, but doesn’t specify a dollar amount. Read more
