JH 42 More Deception or is it Confusion

The Joe Hill LTD Project is still reeling from the unbelievable math error from JH 42, but it has been corrected by the Quality Control Specialist Emily Farquart. Joe again, repeats his apology for himself and the team. But in spite of this error, the retirement contributions issue reveals that the District pays more than 300% more for retirement for Administrative Employees than they do for Union employees. This is an inescapable and unfair reality. This is why union employees end up working into their 70's at LTD. They cannot afford to retire. Name a single management employee who has worked that late into their life and robbed themselves of retirement time. None.

Joe has talked previously with you about the hidden funds in the budget that could go to retirement. The Risk Management Reserve is another pot of gold collecting dust. The Consolidated Annual Financial Report (CAFR) shows the risk management insurance policies of the District. Again the Finance Department is clueless. Note that the language from the CAFR below shows that the District self insures accidents for the first $100,000. But the policy schedule show Bus Physical Damage $50,000 and General and Tort Liability as being $10,000. This is not $100,000! So why the does the Finance department miss this fact only seven line away in their CAFR? Is it incompetence or design.


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So what if the narrative is wrong. Nobody reads these stupid reports do they? Yes, the decision makers on the Board are supposed to; but one CPA, three lawyers, two executive Directors and regular bus rider could not catch this big mistake. This is important because it reveals what is supposed to be the condition of the District.

This award winning CAFR report contains this glaring error or is it a deception? The District only pays 60% of what the Finance Department narrative claims. This seems to be a device to keep $1 million dollars tied up in reserves that rarely if ever are used. It amounts to nothing less than hiding a million dollars by the District when $500,000 would be more than enough.

All you have to do is keep reading the materials that our professional managers put out and we can see their errors and misleading ways. The public is kept in the dark. Employees are kept in the dark. Boss Hamm is probably in the dark. Trouble is I think everyone might be in the dark, or at least their hearts.

In Solidarity,
Joe Hill
JH 42