Where’s the Money Going?
Brockton families are doing their part. Every day, parents work long hours, juggle bills, and make sacrifices to give their kids a shot at a better future. But while families stretch every dollar, the Brockton School Department is running another deficit—and city leaders are once again preparing to raise your taxes by inflating home values to cover their own mistakes.
Let’s be blunt: that’s not fiscal responsibility. That’s betrayal.
For years, taxpayers have been told the same story: “We just need a little more money and everything will improve.” But the truth is, we’re already paying more—and getting less. Our classrooms still don’t have enough resources, our teachers still lack support, and our students are still falling behind. Where is the money going? Why are the people footing the bill the last to know?
The answer is clear: accountability has been missing. Too often, the system protects bureaucrats and insiders while ignoring the very people it is supposed to serve—students, parents, and taxpayers. Budgets are passed without scrutiny, reports are buried in jargon, and spending priorities benefit administration, not children.
Every wasted dollar is a child shortchanged. And in Brockton, families are tired of it. It’s time for fiscal accountability, honest communication, and leadership that treats taxpayer money with the respect it deserves.
1. Families Sacrifice, Bureaucrats Waste
Walk the streets of Ward 1 and you’ll hear the same story at kitchen tables, playgrounds, and local diners: “My family stretches every dollar. Why can’t the school department do the same?” Parents skip takeout, work overtime, and pinch every penny—yet watch as their tax dollars vanish in deficits, bureaucracy, and hidden line items.
This year, Brockton’s school department is in the red again. Instead of trimming waste, cutting fluff, or sharing real budgets, city leaders want to hike your taxes—by inflating home values—to patch the hole incompetence made. That’s not fiscal leadership. It’s a moral failure.
2. How Brockton Got Here
Budget Shortfalls, Again
We’re not talking about a one-time glitch. Year after year, deficits roll in. But the response isn’t accountability; it’s bureaucracy. New programs, more committees, stacked admin—not answers.
No Transparency, No Trust
Families are fed dense budget reports, last-minute push-throughs, and rubber-stamp approvals with no public input or scrutiny. In fact, nearly half of voters nationwide say they’ve lost trust in how schools spend money. Without transparency, trust crumbles.
cleargov.com
Bureaucrats Win, Students Lose
While classrooms lack basic supplies, administrators secure massive salaries, and pet programs live on. Leadership is protecting itself—but it’s our kids who pay the price.
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3. The Cost of Secrecy
Real Impacts on Students
Research is clear: wasted dollars equal fewer teachers, outdated textbooks, and underfunded student programs.
Financial Transparency Drives Results
Districts that open their books and involve the public manage budgets much more effectively. One study found that transparency and leadership competence accounted for two-thirds of success in budget execution.
Taylor & Francis OnlineCicero Institute
ESSA’s Per-Pupil Spending Data Matters
Under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states must publish per-pupil spending by school. That empowers parents, exposes inequities, and pressures districts to align dollars with results.
Cato Institute+15U.S. Department of Education+15Edunomics Lab+15
Financial Silence Undermines Trust
When school boards won’t communicate finances clearly, it breeds suspicion and conflict—especially during labor disputes or budget crises.
Frontline Education+1
Audits Expose Everywhere That Transparency Lacked Them
Consider Bridgeport, CT—a forensic audit uncovered misclassified expenditures, opaque transfers, and total lack of oversight. And no, it wasn’t fraud—it was systemic mismanagement.
ctpost.com+1
4. What Other Districts Did Right
Bridgeport’s Wake-Up Call
Bridgeport’s audit didn’t just reveal failures—it forced change. Recommendations include clear budgeting, staff training, and interdepartmental collaboration. This is how accountability rebuilds trust.
ctpost.com
New Haven’s Budget Breakdown Woes
In New Haven, staff transfers and school closures happened with no real budget transparency. Teachers protested—saying they were blindsided and powerless.
U.S. Department of Education+5nhregister.com+5Frontline Education+5
These examples aren’t outliers. They’re warnings—and guides. Transparency doesn’t just prevent waste. It saves schools and restores confidence.
5. My Plan: Honest Budgets, Honest Results
As your Ward 1 School Committee member, I will lead with accountability and clarity:
- Zero-Based Budgeting
Every dollar must be justified—every year. No automatic renewals. No hidden line items. - Plain-Language Budget Reports
Clear, accessible spending reports posted online—so parents and taxpayers can see where every dollar goes. - Quarterly Oversight from Residents
Town halls and summary reports won’t cut it. I’ll require public, quarterly spreadsheets with updates before any new spending. - Transparency Dashboards
Real-time visuals showing spending trends, deficits, and outcomes, like ESSA dashboards—so no one gets lost behind jargon. - Consequences for Hidden Budgets
No raises or contract renewals for anyone who fails to share the truth. Leadership must earn transparency. - Citizen Budget Panels
Empower parents and local taxpayers with real say in big spending choices—including maintenance, special programs, and classroom support.
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Read my full plan for fiscal reform in Brockton
It’s Time to Take Back Control
Brockton families are tired of being treated like an endless ATM for a broken system. Year after year, we’re asked to pay more while getting less. Deficits pile up, taxes go up, and our kids are left behind. That’s not just bad management—it’s failed leadership.
Fiscal accountability isn’t about numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s about trust. It’s about respect for every family in this city who works hard, pays their taxes, and expects schools to put children first. And it’s about refusing to let bureaucrats and politicians hide behind closed doors while parents and taxpayers are left in the dark.
I’m running for Ward 1 School Committee because Brockton deserves better. Our kids deserve classrooms that are fully supported. Our teachers deserve resources, not excuses. And our families deserve to know that every tax dollar is working for them—not wasted in bureaucracy.
On Election Day, let’s send a clear message: No more rubber stamps. No more backroom budgets. No more blank checks for failure. Together, we can restore trust, demand transparency, and make sure that every dollar we invest in our schools builds a stronger future for our kids.
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