Indiana

So Sue Me

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Okay, I’m going to have to talk to you about your TPS reports.

That’s a line from “Office Space” one of the greatest films of the 1990s.   If you don’t know what I’m talking about, rent the movie.  If you do know what I’m talking about you know a TPS Report is a total waste of time.  And it’s the first thing that came to mind when I read this morning that Hamilton Southeastern, Franklin Township and Middlebury Schools are suing the over the school funding formula.   The districts say the school funding formula is inequitable and violates the state constitution.  They argue that their per-pupil funding drops even though their enrollment increases.

Or to put this another way, the school districts are using taxpayer dollars to sue the taxpayers in order to get more of the taxpayers money.

Let me say that again, the school districts are using taxpayer dollars to sue the taxpayers in order to get more of the taxpayers money.

Schools say they are hurting because of the recent $300 million budget cut as well as property tax caps.  They say they don’t like the cuts and want more of your money.     Never mind the fact that the state picks up the operational costs of schools and when the state is low on cash, so are schools.   Never mind the fact that schools nearly 40 cents of every classroom dollar goes to something other than instruction.  Never mind the fact there’s already a procedure in place that schools can go to the taxpayers and ask for more money above the caps, it’s called a referendum.

Of course Franklin Township tried that and the voters said no.  So I guess if you can’t beat them, sue them!

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on February 23, 2010 (boomark / email).