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Rob,

The truth is, according to Anthony Ferrucci the Finance Director, there is $3.3 million in the cash reserve for the health benefits (as of about April, 2016 when we spoke). They have been growing that account for over 17 years and when I asked how many time they tapped into it he said "Never!". So I said "Anthony, it will cost about a million dollars to buy the remaining students (about 30% at that time) Chromebooks. Why don't we take a million out of that reserve that CLEARLY doesn't need 3.3 million in it, leave 2.2 million as a cash reserve and go to Best-Buy and buy those Chromebooks TODAY!" What he explained to me Rob, would take an hour to type and it would resemble something like a description of ballroom dancing. He "danced" for about 20 minutes and when he was done I said "Anthony! Can I ask you just one more question? Why can't we take a million dollars out of that account and go down to Best-Buy and buy those Chromebooks TODAY!?? He laughed. He knows that he was "dancing around the question". He knows that I won't allow that once elected. He knows that once I sign a check over to the School Department for $160 million dollars there is absolutely nothing I can do to guide, advise, request or suggest how they spend "their" money. Here is what he is missing. Before that $160 million dollars becomes "theirs" it belongs to the "taxpayers", and before I turn over $160 million dollars of "taxpayers-money" to them I am going to ask for some accountability. I am going to ask a few questions like "Why do we have a $3.3 million dollar cash reserve when in the last 17 years we haven't needed any of it." Maybe we will give them an alternate of choice. One dollar amount "with accountability-to-the-taxpayer" and another one (much smaller) the way they have it now, "completely autonomous". With Avedisian, they were able to take the money and run. With me that will not happen. I have a responsibility to you and the other 80,000 taxpayers that are paying the tab.

Your new boat looks awesome. Fish safe.

Richard Corrente

Endorsed Democrat for Mayor