Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Pencilveinyah t1_j6ito0o wrote

Reply to comment by ktxhopem3276 in School Me on the Property Tax Assessment Appeal by 3RudySquared

The school board president is the same as when the district got into financial distress in the first place. The “old guard” hasn’t changed.

9

ktxhopem3276 t1_j6iwhxh wrote

I’m not an expert or a resident but I have followed the news about the district. Is Erin Vecchio this who you are referring to?

Vecchio first served on the Penn Hills school board from 1988 to 2009. She returned to the board in 2016 after the district developed a $172 million debt.

https://www.wtae.com/amp/article/erin-vecchio-running-for-state-representative-in-pennsylvania-house-32nd-district/32715216

4

Pencilveinyah t1_j6j379f wrote

She was the board president when the contracts were awarded then she conveniently stepped away while everything was physically being built and the bills were piling up. She often says that she wasn’t president during the time the deficit was created which is technically true but she was in charge of setting the wheels in motion.

From what I remember the architect was a friend of hers and had no previous experience with a project of this type. The architect was also a major reason the project went so over budget….. using imported tiles from Italy are one thing I remember, another was some type of crystal chandelier.

It’s been a few years since I really dug into it so I don’t want to misspeak on any facts but be sure, I am not one with a favorable opinion of Mrs. Vecchio.

6