If the November, 2006 Bond Election fails; Does Red Whiddon get paid?

This question arises out of the 2006-07 Lancaster ISD budget. Lancaster Superintendent Larry Lewis deserves praise and credit for putting before the Trustees and the public perhaps the most detailed accounting of the district's expenses ever assembled. Two hundred twenty eight pages of detailed budget documents detailing everything from the $8,500 the district pays in wages to crossing guards to $381,898 paid in wages/salaries/and benefits to the Superintented himself.

But Red Whiddon's fees aren't apparent in that budget.

It may be that Mr Widdon's fees are, like the salary of "special assistant to the superintendent" Elvin Lotten, not being budgeted. Mr Lotten's salary used to be budgeted, under the superintendent's office. But this year, in a "cost cutting" move, Mr Lotten is not being paid by the district. Well, not exactly. Mr Lotten's salary is now coming out of the bond money. According to Dr Lewis, since Mr Lotten works full time on bond construction and accounting issues, it's appropriate that he be paid with bond funds.

Not that the engineer's annual salary was one of the things voters specifically approved in the 2004 election. Borrowing money for thirty years to pay for one year's salary wouldn't have been a very popular line item in that proposal ... but there's nothing illegal about it. And we need Mr Lotten's talent and expertise. And we have this 110 million dollar pot of money just lying around anyhow so why NOT pay him out of the bond funds?

Except -- well, Mr Whiddon tells us the 2004 bond money has all been spent. Not only spent, but WELL spent. $110 Million, spent, gone, under the bridge. Even the superintendent tells us the 2004 bond is over -- finished, three years ahead of schedule, he says.

A package being finished, and a package that's run out of funding, might be two slightly different things, but let's not quibble now.

The question is, if Mr Lotten is being paid his salary from an empty pocket -- a pocket of bond funds that has no funds -- is Mr Whiddon being paid from that same pocket?

Obviously if the 2006 bond election succeeds the pocket full of bond money will be bulging all over again. Then Mr Lotten can be paid, and can ever repay the pocket of teacher-salaries money or football-coach's money, or whatever other pocket has been supporting the empty bond pocket while the election has been being debated. If the election approves the bond, all is well for Mr Lotten. And presumably, even for Mr Whiddon.

But if the election fails, will Mr Whiddon find a pocket of district money to support all his time and efforts?

And if not, doesn't that sort of give him a MAJOR incentive to ensure that the bond passes?

And if he has such a huge incentive and personal financial stake in the outcome of the election -- how objective can he be?