May 29, 2007

Wouldn’t It Be Nice?

Posted at 10:04 AM by Andrea Verykoukis

Y'all have probably already seen this, but I can't resist commenting on how like corporate America government has become.  Not just because of the nearly universal use of best-practices-B school jargon, but because we're seeing some of the absolute worst features of corporate irresponsibility in the public sector.  Remember Mike Ovitz and "Chainsaw Al" Dunlap and their golden parachutes?  I thought of them when I read that Tom Shaheen, who brought you $80 million less than budgeted for education, got a raise, a bonus, and a standing ovation from his bosses, the lottery commissioners.  Must be nice.  I don't know when teachers who had 20 percent of their student fail EOGs got bonuses.  I mean, really, you'd think he was a Carolina or NCSU coach or something. 

I guess Shaheen had better enjoy it, because with the inflated projections the guv has for next year, his shortfall might be larger than 20%.  Those same taskmasters will eventually need someone to blame for the embarrassment and disappointment that is the NC Education Lottery.  Then it might get a little hot (sauce-y) in the kitchen for Tom.  To be fair, it probably isn't his fault that budget expectations haven't been, and probably won't be, met.  But the longer the commission is busy congratulating itself and its minions, the longer we have to wait for healthy education funding mechanism.  For now, it's all wine and roses.  Or Bud and carnations anyway.

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1 Comment

1 Comment Add yours »

aplum 29 May 2007 10:29 am

There are probably quite a few people looking at their pay stubs and scratching their heads after reading this article. Come on, Governor Easley only makes $130,639 and we’re pay the lottery director almost twice that much and giving him back pay and a bonus to boot!!?? North Carolininans are getting taken by the lottery in more ways than one.

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