Half the truth is seldom enough. That's why a court clerk swears witnesses to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." They expect the whole truth right here in Schoharie County Court. Is that not the least we should expect of Schoharie Central School?
Highlights

Sept. 8, 2010:
Mr. Sherman requests construction project
Among other things, he asked for a new sign for the lawn and a fitness center addition.
Read more...

Sept. 22, 2010:
Mr. Sherman, architect pitch the project
Superintendent Sherman gave a Power-Point presentation, giving an update on the capital project.
Read more...

Sept. 29, 2010:
Times Journal swallows the bait
Do they question the school's story? Of course not.
Read more...

Oct. 6, 2010:
Mr. Sherman expands the project
Gym acoustic panels, score boards added. School claims that net impact on local tax levy is $0. Mr. Sherman explained there are no additional taxes caused by the project.
Read more...

Oct. 13, 2010:
Press echoes the company line again
Does the Times Journal ever question a fish story?
Sorry, this one is not on the web.

Oct. 20, 2010:
Board unanimously approves bond vote
Business manager again says the $455,000 in asbestos work is required but he's mum on the other $1.8 million that's been added.
Read more...

Oct. 27, 2010:
Times Journal leads publicity parade
Calls the work "necessary" and repeats the "all state aid and capital reserve" fable.
Sorry, this one is not on the web.

Nov. 17, 2010:
Bond, interest payment, tax levy revealed
Legal Notice in Times Journal reveals plan to issue bonds, pay interest, and levy taxes to pay for the bonds.
Read more...

Dec. 1, 2010:
Fifteen-year payback implied
Brian Sherman says, at public hearing, that state aid will be paid over fifteen years.
Sorry, you had to be there.

Dec. 4, 2010:
Newsletter arrives in homes
Colorful newsletter on slick paper, produced with tax money by the publicity department at the state Education Department's BOCES district, arrives in homes.
    BOCES somehow neglects to mention the bonds and interest and claims no tax will be needed for any item.
Read it...

Dec. 7, 2010:
The Tattler blows the whistle
We inform the media about this, post the information, and send complaints to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Attorney General, Commissioner of Education, and Chief Judge.

Dec. 8, 2010:
Times Journal again misses bond issue
As expected, the local alleged newspaper reprints the same cock-and-bull story it has right along. Hey, come on, they are paid off with the legal advertisements.
Sorry, not on the web.
Read a homeowner's view

New SCS bond
interest $750,000

The Schoharie Central School Board of Education is not talking about some parts of the $2.255 million building project. On thing they have never stated publicly is how much interest will be paid on the bond issue.

Fifteen-year New York State public school bonds now being traded have coupon rates between 3.5 and 4.7 percent. With that range of rates, interest on a 15-year $2.255 million bond issue would be between $646,708.24 and $891,757.30--about three-quarters of a million dollars.

Here are five things the school doesn't want you to know.

  • * It is all tax money--every last cent. School officials want us to believe this will require no local tax money so they have been saying that publicly for three months. That is just not true.
  • * The school will borrow the entire $2.255 million and pay interest on it.
  • * Superintendent Sherman admits it will take 15 years to collect all the state aid.
  • * This year the school levied $9 million in local taxes and is paying more than $1.8 million on its bonds and loans. That $1.8 million is 20 percent of $9 million.
  • * The annual payment on a 15-year $2.255 million bond issue is about $200,000. That's more than 2 percent of the tax levy. Taxes could be lowered 2 percent if new bonds were not issued.

Could we possibly teach school without repaving tennis courts, paving the parking lot at the soccer field, buying new scoreboards, and replacing all the doors? Are not wired computer networks obsolete in the wireless era?

Read a homeowner's view
Comment here
 Official Notice Of Vote On Bond Issue & Tax Levy

It goes on. It's in the Times Journal.




Keep your eye on the ball

   It's a bond issue and they concealed it for months

   There's interest and they concealed that for months

   It's all state and local tax money

   The tax-paid school newsletter conceals all the above

   It's not all necessary and not all health and safety

   Keep your hand on your purse and a big mean dog in the yard
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