So Maybe They Really BELIEVE The Lies They Are Telling

At tonight’s Candidate Debate at Memorial (the rented) School the board of education incumbents seemed to have a hard time answering a number of the questions raised from the audience. Mrs. Becker seemed to have the most difficulty separating fact from fiction but she certainly was adamant in projecting the fiction she would have us believe: Mrs. Becker: “The board simply can’t transfer funds from one account to another or take surplus from one year to another. If we did we’d all be in jail.” The Truth: The 2007-2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report that was approved by the board (including Mrs. Becker) and filed with the state of NJ includes the following passages: “The School Business Administrator, Superintendent of Schools, and Board of Education, must approve transfers from one program to another. Transfers were required due to: staffing changes based on student needs; accounting changes in maintenance and operations, such as transfers to Capital Projects; and changes in appropriations to prevent budget overruns, as well as to effect account coding corrections.” In fact, Mrs. Becker voted to approve the transfer of $448,230 from the General Fund to cover the shortfall in Child Nutrition and ETTC. “Transfers of appropriations may be made by School Board resolution at any time during the fiscal year subject to the limitations of N.J.A.C. 6A:23A-2.3 (et.seq.).” Mrs. Becker also voted to approve the transfer of $3,435,000 from the General Fund account to the Capital Reserve account. As for Mrs. Becker’s statement that the Board just can’t ‘take surplus from one year to another’, the very same 07-08 CAFR Report filed with the state (and approved by Mrs. Becker) includes the transfer of: “Excess Surplus – Designated for Subsequent Year’s Expenditures = $4,590,734.” Maybe Mrs. Becker doesn’t actually READ the resolutions that she’s voting for???