The lease/purchase bus option has been a red herring that has been beaten to death for years by the CPS crowd. I remember Jay Livernois, Gus Massiello and Preston Schultz ranting and raving about this in BOE/BOF meetings in the good old days of “Comings and Goings”. Like these CPS Founding Fathers, Reality Check is using this phony issue to attack the BOE with false suggestions of financial waste, fraud and abuse. When asked to support her accusations, she engages in a pattern of such obfuscation as to make one wonder if she is completely confused, simply lying, or both. It is amazing to me that this attitude toward public education in this town has been devolved to a whole new generation of stupid, sick people.
Oddly, Reality Check never seems willing to extend her investigatory determination to the many questionable expenditures by Woodstock Academy, including their rapidly growing expenditures on international junkets for top administrators. That is because Woodstock Academy has co-opted the CPS crowd with its Trustee positions, and used its considerable payroll to convert would-be critics in the politiscal system into supporters. One example of this is the Academy’s newly hired basketball coach, who was fired from this position several years ago for being verbally abusive with his players, but who was re-hired after his wife demonstrated her own considerable skills at verbal abuse over the past year with the Woodstock BOE.
The Academy continues to protect its financial interests the old fashioned way, including (i) use of public funds to provide positive public relations through public and its own multiple private media outlets; (ii) use of the third-party CPS crowd to attack its competitor for educational funds at the BOE in order to maximize the Academy’s own take from the annual budget; (iii) planting of multiple relatives of Trustees on key town boards, including BOE and BOF; (iv) use of public funds in the form of the school’s payroll to reward its political supporters; and (v) the recent takover of the Democratic Town Committee by Academy Trustee James Kaeding, his wife Margie Wholean and Becky Hyde, daughter of former Trustee Elizabeth Hyde who is permanently honored with a brass fountain in the lobby of her namesake Hyde Auditorium.
In the words of one of its mild critics, whose opinions were coincidentally silenced after being put on the Academy payroll, it reminds him of the metropolitan New York trash industry (or Al Capone’s Chicago police and court system).
Doesn’t the Academy know that as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization they are precluded from engaging in political activities? What is James Kaeding thinking? Isn’t he a lawyer? Shouldn’t he know better? Shouldn’t the Academy know better? What about Trustees Kevin Johnston and David Teed – Democratic State Auditor and Assistant State Attorney General? Don’t they know this activity endangers the school’s nonprofit status?
The true Reality Check is as follows: the radical anti-public education propoganda proliferated by CPS month after month, year after year, survives because it has institutional support from the Academy Trustees. What is wrong with these people?
Whoever wrote the above article really takes first prize as the number one moron in Woodstock. Your political group with the likes of the Breens, Leavitts, etal, have had their asses handed to them over the last 4 years. Every sneaky, unethical and improper attack you have made against the Academy and the taxpayers of Woodstock has been defeated. The education mafia in Woodstock has been exposed and discredited. Your political and financial agenda gets voted down every time at the polls where it counts. Now your bloated budget goes before the voters of Woodstock and you hope they will swallow a 1 mil tax increase to fund this shrinking enrollment school system. Unfortunately, the public is not well informed enough to vote this budget down. One other item for your information, the people who support the Academy, myself included, do so because the school has provided a value added education. Something I can’t say about the Woodstock K-8 system. What I have seem from you morons is deceit, lies, political manipulation and a mediocre school system. It has been alot of fun sticking it to you people for the last 4 years.
Orson, things will ultimately be OK. The civil rights movement took a long time too.
Orson,
My oh my. Red herring?
Unlike you I choose to focus on facts. Obviously this is in direct contrast to your propagandistic nature.
They can fool some of the people some of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but they can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
Hey Ernie, have you picked up your “YOU MORON” cup and t-shirt yet from the cafe store?
I don’t hear Reality Check denying the substance of the statement. I take this as acknowledgement of the truth of the matter.
As for Wetzel, when he was brainwashed as our own Manchurian Candidate, they installed a pull cord in his chest. When he doesn’t know what to say, he pulls it and a recording of CPS anti-public education propoganda is played. That’s why he always makes the same statements – Preston Schultz has just never picked up on it. Don’t anybody tell Preston – he’s much too entertaining acting on the belief that Wetzel is saying something of substance.
Ernie:
I’ve tried to ask you questions in the past. Your responses are always similar to the one you posted here.
Do you actually have anything useful to add to this site? You like to mention that the public schools are horrible, cost too much, and that you whooped ass in the last election/referendum, or something similar.
Please, for the love of all things civilized, choose one of the following:
1. Post with actual useful information and/or facts. (please remember, that facts that are to be considered useful should be more than “you suck, we kicked your ass, you’ll get no more money from us”)
2. Consider taking a long look at WA and WPS. Go ahead and note actual similarities and/or differences. You may then spew forth more uniniformed BS afterward, (hey if you don’t ask, you don’t know
3. Move. Don’t post anymore. I know this probably isnt realistic, but it’s worth a shot. Besides, you’re probably not going to try any of my other suggestions anyway.
4.Get a clue. WA takes as much taxpayer funding as it requires with no real accountablilty. WPS, gets what’s left and is accused of stealing from the poor.
5. Get a clue.
6. Respond to me by saying that I’m a typical weenie who wants to steal from the taxpayers and I don;t have a clue about what really is happening and has happened and you’ve dealt with and shot down the likes of me before.
Jk; you got that one right.
There is a downloadable publication from the Academy website, maybe it’s matriculation, I don’t remember, but it clearly states that only 50% of the graduates within the last TEN years have attended a 4 year college
Orson,
That is the problem. You always pick and choose what you would like to be the truth.
The reality is that your post is nothing more than rhetoric and propaganda. No substance on which a legitimate discussion can take place. But I’m sure you already knew that.
Orson: you people definately take the first prize in moron capacity. You got what you wanted from the BOF with your budget proposal. They are going to the taxpayers for a 1 mil tax increase with declining enrollment, no savings at all in the budget, and no questions asked as usual. Yet you continue to wring your hands and cry about the school budget. I though the definition of insanity was to continue to do the same things that don’t work and yet continue to expect a different outcome. You are losing and have lost your stupid argument for this school system and more and more money. The public isn’t buying it, just stupid morons like Glenn Converse and Co. on the BOF. I hope the Citizens of Woodstock send you a wake up call and vote this budget down. But that is too much to expect from the lazy electorate in America, heck we just might wind up with an unqualified President like Barack Hussein Obama. Where’s my Moron cup?
Is Ernie saying that the reward for “sticking it to you (defeating you)”, is a mediocre school system. Good job Ernie!
Once again, I am still not hearing a substantive response to the issue I raised.
Federal tax law clearly precludes nonprofit organizations from engaging in political activities. The IRS enforces this principle with nonprofit organizations of all types, including charities, schools and churches. So how can Woodstock Academy maintain its nonprofit status with the IRS while engaging in its extensive political activity? Lobbying for and against public education issues? The recent takeover of the Democratic Town Committee (the “Woodstock Academy Party”)? Behind the scenes support for CPS anti-public education propaganda? Publication of anti-public education political opinions in its school newspaper? Planting of Trustee relatives on the town boards of Finance and Education to ensure their funding?
Please, spare us all the meaningless pablum – just address the issue.
I think we need another topic to debate under this article so I’d like to ask for opinions on the costs and benefits of the recent donation by the Academy to the nearby church to help them pave their parking lot and allow Woodstock Academy students to continue parking there. How much was the donation? How was the job bid? How was it arranged to ensure that the school can continue to use the lot for parking in the future?
Since the paving may have been very costly (does anyone know how much?), the money from the Academy should have come from the endowment. Otherwise the taxpayers paid for this generosity by the Academy.
Citizen C., it’s doubtful that the paving money came from the endowment, because most of the endowment is restricted for scholarships. It seems interesting that the paving money could be donated to a church. Since many churches in Woodstock have an abundance of land, and school facilites are inadequate for recreation, maybe the town of Woodstock could donate some money to a church or two for use of their land as playing fields? It looks like that approach worked well for the Academy in solving its parking problem.
Orson,
I find your double standard of mocking the laison between DTC Jim Kaeding and Woodstock Academy but failing to mention the laisons betweeen former DTC chair Joe Breen and the BOE a bit amusing. But do note that I see no problem with either. Its simply politics. I understand that. What bristles my neck hair a bit is the kettle calling the frying pan black.
As an aside, it further amazes me that for our town to meet a good portion of our educational needs it would only take about a quarter a day for every man, women, and child…and yet, and yet, this meager amount meets such extreme resistance. Its really quite remarkable and begs the question of why this occurs? Why is there such resistance to investing a little pocket change daily to provide valued service? Is it simply a matter of being too cheap? Is it simply the pervasiveness of swamp yankee mentality in the quiet corner? Is it really that we just simply cannot afford it. Why?
What I believe is that there is a growing trend across the country, and even here in little Woodstock, of mistrust in our governement (go figure) and its historically irresponsible spending patterns.
Since the voting in of the Democrat congress in 2006 consumer confidence has plummetted, the cost of gasoline has soared, unemployment is up 5%, home equities are down, and all we hear is that the War in Iraq is costing us dearly and George Bush is to blame. While the war in Iraq may be expensive, so is the following, which is never mentioned by mainstream liberal media:
$11-22 billion dollars a year spent on welfare for illegal aliens by state governments.
$2.2 billion dollars a year spent on food asssitance programs for illegal aliens.
$2.5 billion dollars a year spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens.
$17 billion dollars a year spent on education for children of illegal immigrants born in this country.
$12 billion dollars a year spent on education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English.
$3 billion dollars a day to incarcerate illegal immigrants.
I can go on and on about the waste in our governement while here at the local level our services are starved…and you have the double standard of mocking those who are fed up and fighting for what they CAN control, while failing to point a finger at the irresponsible spending of state and federal governments. The money is available to fund our schools, its just that our politicians are like cheap whores who desire instead to snort our taxes, and then demand more.
Trust in government is earned, but it hasn’t been. Our governement is failing its middle class taxpayers and their vital services suffer as a result. I sincerely join you in the frustration of it all, but in the words of Obama Barack’s spiritual mentor Reverend Wright, “the chickens…. are coming home… to roost.” And they love here in Woodstock.
I am still waiting for a response to my query about the Academy taking over a political party in town, with the obvious intent of controlling nominations and therefore membership on various town boards, and therefore their own contracts, funding, permits, etc. Isn’t this a blatant conflict of interest? Isn’t this a violation of their nonprofit status to engage in political activity? Doesn’t Attorney James Kaeding, new chairman of the Democratic Town Committee, know this? Doesn’t he have the minimal scruples required to avoid such a conflict?
Is Mr. Kaeding still on the Board of Trustees at the Academy?
Okay Orson,
You keep pushing for a ‘response’ so I will give you one.
Taking over a political party in town? Wow.
So citizens are not allowed to be politically affiliated or involved in that party’s pursuits if said individual is part of a non-profit organization?
Gee. Wonder if somebody’s going to break this to our other politicians?
I remember well how involved Loftus was in the Breen-run DTC. No problem with that, Orson? That’s right, it was your party back then.
And let’s see Lindsay Paul, Charlie Snow, and Romeo Blackmer are/were members of the RTC. Right? Who ever will break this to them that they have been in violation of some law known only by Orson?
Taxpayer/Reality Check –
Again, I don’t know whether you are confused yourselves, or attempting to obfuscate the issue. The point is as follows (try to pay attention now):
Under U.S. TAX LAW, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS – whether charities, educational institutions, hospitals, churches, etc. cannot participate in political activities. This is not known only to me – it is common knowledge among all nonprofits who must comply with rigorous IRS standards.
In this case, the Academy has just taken over a political party under the leadership of James Kaeding – this seems more than a little over the line. And yes, Jim is still a Trustee, in fact recent former Chair of the Trustees.
The rest of your statements are irrelevant to the point – please stop changing the subject. Perhaps in vain, I again ask, please address the issue.
What’s the issue Orson? If Kaeding is in violation of law as you suggest (DTC chair is not a publically elected office and nor does the position carry much weight other than administrative) than there is no debate. You can write a letter to the Villager if you think it will help….thanks for bringing this to our attention…and welcome to small town politics.
As far as relevance goes, come on, how could RC and I resist? Your too easy.
Again, the issue is as follows: If federal tax law precludes nonprofit organizations from engaging in political activities, how can Academy Trustee and former Academy Trustee Chair James Kaeding be simultaneously chairing one of the town’s two political parties?
Taxpayer has made it clear he will not address the issue, except to engage in his usual irelevant anti-government diatribe.
Taxpayer – The Chairman of the DTC is an elected position. Every two years all the registered Democrats are eligible to vote in a caucus which elects the next Town committee members, who then elect the officers of the Town Committee. As in most organizations, one of the powers of the ‘chair’ is to set the agenda. Were someone inclined to further the agenda of a local, semi-private educational facility one could realistically do so by nominating a slate of candidates, say for the local Boards of Education, Finance or Planning & Zoning. Knowing precisely what the needs this hypothetical learning institution would be/could be most easily discerned by also having a seat the governing board of that learning institution.
As far as writing a letter, I would submit it would be far more informative to write a letter to the state’s attorney general and send it to the Villager after the fact.
Of course, if this hypothetical educational non-profit entity was in violation of the non-profit tax law, it could well lose its non-profit tax status. Given that a couple of its trustees hypothetically actually are employed by the state (and this could be considered unethical behavior), it could give rise to them maybe losing their pensions if that new legislation ever becomes law. I hear they are working on it being retroactive.
Orson,
For James Kaeding, I’m pretty sure the answer is yes he can. I looked on the IRS website and they have a page of scenarios on what is and is not permissible. There is not a situation exactly like this but they made it clear that officers of non-profit organizations can participate in political advocacy on a personal basis. So Mr. Kaeding being an Academy Trustee and engaging in political activities on a personal basis is in my reading copacetic (of course I know you don’t always agree with my readings of these things).
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rr-07-41.pdf
See situation 3 – 6 in particular, not exactly the same but makes it clear that officers can act in a personal political capacity. Take it for what it’s worth.
From the IRS document:
“The political campaign intervention prohibition is not intended to restrict
free expression on political matters by leaders of organizations speaking for
themselves, as individuals. Nor are leaders prohibited from speaking about
important issues of public policy. However, for their organizations to remain tax
exempt under section 501(c)(3), leaders cannot make partisan comments in
official organization publications or at official functions of the organization.”
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BOE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BOE in any way.
Kevin –
Your excerpt does not address the complaint I made, and the issue is not as simple as your conclusion suggests.
As has been explained to you before, you cannot seize on a legal “databit” from a sea of evolved law and draw sweeping, simplistic conclusions. Much of the law is all about things that are “not exactly the same”. That’s why law books are so thick. That’s why the IRS code is so long and complex. That’s why there are hundreds of special tax counsel firms interpreting it.
Your excerpt above states that a nonprofit leader is not restricted from PERSONAL political expression – as long as he speaks for himself and not his organization. This much goes without saying – no one is suggesting otherwise.
But your excerpt goes on to state a limitation on the freedom of political expression by nonprofit leaders – they cannot express their political views on behalf of their organization, or in official publications or at official meetings of their nonprofit organizations. This would of course include Academy Trustee meetings or intra-Trustee/Administration communications in which local political issues are discussed. It would include the student newspaper and Academy television station which have have been used to publicize positions on local political issues. It may include discussion and hiring of a lobbyist to influence legislation, or organization of a local political campaign against it. These activities represent a serious legal quagmire for the Academy relative to their nonprofit status, based on the excerpt you provided above.
But even this does not address the complaint I have made. The situation I describe is much worse. A nonprofit organization has actually taken over a political party with the clear purpose of controlling financial and other public benefits (i.e., permits) through the political system. And Mr. Kaeding, a trained attorney, former chair of the Trustees and current Chair of the DTC, has led the Academy into this legal minefield.
I know you are more interested in blogging and googling and that you perceive “Wikepedia” to be a credible source for your statements. But I am content with my recollection of advice from our special tax counsel when I was doing foundation work with nonprofit advocacy groups. “Err on the side of caution” was the mantra for nonprofits when engaging the political system. The Academy has erred on the side of recklessness.
Well at least its about the reply I expected.
So there are two separate things here. There is the discrete issue of it Mr. Kaeding can be active politically and be on the DTC. I think the answer to that is very clearly yes from the IRS paper and that is the issue I addressed.
There is a separate issue if this is really a coordinated effort by the trustees to influence the politics of Woodstock. That is a seperate issue that I never even mentioned I my post. You are expanding out the scope of my comment to include conclusions and issues that I never stated or intended.
BTW, just as a logical point, your complaints since I don’t know the entire “sea of law” my conclusions are not valid hits us both. If you suggest people discount my research on those grounds, then they should do the same to yours.
As a further point, what I linked to wasn’t data, it was information specifically compiled by the IRS to make the legal issues around non profits easier to understand by lay people (that would be us).
Kevin
This post represents my personal opinions and in no way should be considered an official act of the BOE or that I am speaking on behalf of the BOE in any way.
Kevin,
Are you sitting down?
Well said.
Kevin –
First, while we are neither lawyers, I have trained and worked with these issues with frequency, including a recent day-long session with special tax counsel regarding allowable expenditures (of a different type) by nonprofits (of a different type…(see Orson and Kevin’s debate in the latest article. Admin).
You know I was really hoping that you would be able to nail it down and then I could say, “Well there you go, that’s all you had to do.” But …(see Orson and Kevin’s debate in the latest article. Admin).