SPENDING AUDITED AT DESE

This week, State Auditor Margaret Kelly issued an audit of the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. While not exactly earthshaking news, still the audit revealed that the department failed to follow Missouri law on spending for consulting contracts and some purchases. The auditor also found that the agency used state money designated for professional training to add equipment and staff.

The latter is in the time-honored tradition of bureaucracies everywhere but is nonetheless an unnecessary and preventable waste. It is good we have a state auditor to point out such practices and call attention to them.

What auditor Kelly didn't focus on, but could have, was DESE's outrageous waste of your tax money last summer. The U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that further state payments to the Kansas City School District for staff, on top of the countless millions already expended, were unlawful. With the express approval of Gov. Mel Carnahan, Commissioner Bob Bartman authorized another payment of $5 million in direct contravention of the high court. That's one the voters shouldn't forget.