Senator White Weighs-in on Local School Boards

by Nathan Lasher

While holding a question and answer session during a meeting of the Indiana/Armstrong Patriots yesterday evening at Elderton’s Smith Complex, Senator Don White (R-41) spoke about the importance of casting well-informed votes when it comes to voting for School Board members.   

Senator Don White speaks during a question-answer session held last night at the Smith Complex in Elderton. The event was sponsored by the Indiana-Armstrong Patriots.

“They wanted me to weigh-in, for example, on this closing Elderton school, reopening Elderton school,” said White. “The elections that the general populous does not pay attention to, that I think are the most important from a taxpayer standpoint, are School Directors’. And, we don’t vet these people. I hope Tom Smith opens up this venue, and you sit and you talk to people next time you vote in Armstrong County on who’s going to represent you on the School Board.”

White went further to clearly state his opinion on the issue of reopening Elderton Jr. /Sr. High School.  “You need to know where they stand on these issues; you as a taxpayer; and you as a parent.  We don’t pay attention, and we end up in a situation like we have here, which, in my opinion, wasted about $4 million in taxpayer money in Armstrong County. Now, everybody says, ‘that’s easy for you to say Don; you don’t have any kids in the Armstrong School District.’ I agree, but if you talk to these kids, and I spend a lot of time talking to residents and kids, those kids were acclimated. They went to West Shamokin, they went to wherever they went, and 75% of them were really happy where they were.”

As he continued talking about the importance of citizens being knowledgeable of school board candidates, White spoke about other areas in his District. “Right now, in my District, I have Ligonier, Valley, and Laurel Valley. Our merger is as contentious as anything you’ve ever seen,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if anything happens there. Blairsville-Saltsburg; as soon as Blairsville gets back in control of that school board, they’re going to close down the improvements they’re making in Saltsburg. It’s a mess, and it’s because we’re putting people with no fiscal restraint on these school boards.”

At the end of his segment about education, White concluded by saying, “School boards are on the front lines, and they’re making decisions each and every Monday, or the first Monday of the month, that I hope you are concerned about,”

Earlier during the meeting of the Indiana/Armstrong Patriots, which was open to the public, the Armstrong County Commissioners spoke informatively on the subject of “Funded and unfunded state and federal mandates and how they impact on the local taxpayers.”

Commissioner Patricia Kirkpatrick provided audience members with an overview of mandates, as well as a handout on Armstrong County’s sources and uses of funds. She also spoke about the current state of pension funds, budget constraints, and the State budget.

Commissioner Rich Fink used most of his time to discuss what the Commissioners have done with the Armstrong County Jail in order to cut spending and raise revenues as well as mandates related to the jail. Some of the advances he cited were buying food in bulk, and forcing inmates to pay “their fair share” for medical costs, booking and processing fees, and postage for letters exceeding one letter per month. He also said that they have reduced inmate pay when performing tasks from $1 per hour down to $0.25. “We’re trying to be fiscally responsible, run it the best we can in accordance with those mandates, and at the same time be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers,” said Fink. “And I can submit to you that we continue to search for avenues to continually reduce costs at that facility.”

Commissioner Jim Scahill yielded most of his time so that those in attendance could ask questions. He spoke about mandates related to engineering and bridges. “The mandates just go on and on and on and on, and I’m not going to bore you with it,” said Scahill. He also pointed out to those in attendance that there is a Mandate Relief bill in the Senate currently that is for local government to perform a two-year study in order to list all of the mandates and the complete cost of the mandates. Also, there is a House bill that states that mandates will not have to be followed if they are not funded.  

The Indiana/Armstrong Patriots will host a Town Hall Meeting tonight at 6PM the Indiana Holiday Inn. Their guest will be Bill Shuster.