Still unanswered

The Palm Beach Post unsurprisingly endorsed Shelley Vana(My State House Representative) in the Democratic primary next month for State House Seat 86.

Roofing contractor Jeffrey Murphy claims that State House District 85 incumbent Shelley Vana has had “1,300 first days on the job” during her four years in the Legislature. In fact, Rep. Vana has done fairly well for a Democrat, given that her party is outnumbered 85-35. Party voters should nominate her for a third term in the Sept. 5 primary.

Rep. Vana, a science curriculum coordinator for the Palm Beach County School District, got one bill passed this year that could increase health-care coverage for children. She also got passed, with just one dissenting vote in the House and Senate, a bill that would have required public officials to “respond to requests to inspect or copy records promptly in good faith.” Four times last fall, Gov. Bush’s office denied having a plan to change the school voucher program, even though it had an 11-page plan to do that. Gov. Bush then vetoed the bill.

In the district that runs from suburban West Palm Beach to Lantana and then northwest to Wellington, the biggest issue is insurance, Rep. Vana says. No surprise there. She favors the Democratic plan to have the state cover the first level of hurricane damage, with private companies offering any added coverage. Mr. Murphy says, “I don’t think the state should be in the insurance business.” Rep. Vana’s belief that the state needs a whole new approach on property insurance is another reason for Democrats to give her the chance to run against Republican Rob Siedlecki in November.

Vana works for the School board in addition to being state legislator. A year ago I posted this.

This little tidbit was in Monday's Palm Beach Post.

As the new school year approaches, teacher and state Rep. Shelley Vana, D-Lantana, is looking for a new job that's compatible with her Tallahassee obligations.

Vana, elected to the House in 2002, hasn't had a full-time classroom assignment since 1998. As president of the Classroom Teachers Association from 1998 to 2004, she was officially on leave while the union paid her salary. After her presidency, Vana spent the 2004-05 school year on sabbatical at half pay to allow time for her elected job.

Now the sabbatical is over and the district early last week was listing Vana as a science teacher at the Palm Beach School of the Arts for 2005-06. That would leave students teacherless during committee weeks, special sessions and the regular 60-day legislative session next spring. As of Friday, Vana said she was talking to district officials about finding a non-teaching job that would allow her to miss chunks of time while she's in Tallahassee.

Rep. Vana happens to be my State House Representative. Is she going to be a paid school teacher while at the same time serving in the legislature? The school district had her listed as a science teacher. Rep. Vana says its impossible for her to carry out the two jobs, and correctly so. But in my opinion the school board owes her nothing. What school board job will there be for someone who can't work at least 60 days out of every school year?

I had serious questions about Vana and how she could work for both the School Board and be a State Legislator. It was a mystery to me and smelled fishy.

Then an answer came.

State Rep. Shelley Vana, D-Lantana, is in line for a new "science programs coordinator" post approved by the school board last week. Vana was a teacher, but wanted a non-classroom job to allow her time in Tallahassee. With salary and benefits, the new job's listed as an $88,716 budget item, but Vana will make less because she won't be paid when she's on legislative business, schools spokesman Nat Harrington said.

A new job just for Rep. Vana? Smells like a sweetheart deal to me. In my prior post, Vana was listed as a schoolteacher when it was obviously incompatible with her state rep. duties. Is this someone's idea of a solution?

The school board decision happened last week but only rates a tiny comment in a weekly political comment today. Why isn't Randy Schultz and the Palm Beach Post Editorial board asking uncomfortable questions right now? I would be if I were them and I assume they read your own newspaper.

No answers have ever come. Has the local School Board given Vana a sweetheart deal or job for little or no work?

I did a google search, these positions may exist. What also exists are serious questions about how Vana can do her two jobs. Remember, she was also running to be President of the local teacher's union again. I don't know if Vana was sucessful or not. If Vana was, that's alot of hats to wear and I just have to wonder. How can she do all this work?

TFM would like to lessen Shelley's workload. We'll see if 85th district voters agree with me.

Linked to- Bright & Early, Third World County, Stuck on Stupid,