Vaughn accused "liberals" and the School Board of taking over the County Commission and running Sumner County. This despite Vaughn's own role in failing to fund schools that led to the 2012 crisis. In fact, during Vaughn's tenure on the County Commission, he helped raid the county's reserve funds and run county finances and many county departments into the ground. Meanwhile, he blindly followed the leadership of then-Commission Chair Merrol Hyde, who worked tirelessly to stop any progress in our public schools.
Here's Vaughn's most recent rant:
People are hurting and angry about the tax increases and out of control spending that is occurring in Sumner County, but we need to take steps toward changing this trend that has been occurring for years. Please allow me to explain:
Prior to 2011 people were moving to Sumner County to take advantage of our schools and conservative government. The County Commission controlled spending in the county and held the School Board accountable. The process was that the School Board would submit their budget and the County Commission would review the budget and request adjustments, prior to voting on the budget. This is part of the checks and balances that have always been in place. Once the School Board hired Director Phillips, we suddenly had horrible schools that needed more money. He used the teachers and the students to achieve his goals!
During the budget process of 2012 the County Commission followed the same process that we had used for years. The School Board submitted their budget and when it was returned for adjustments, Dell Phillips closed the schools. The County Commission held firm and kept the School Board spending within the revenues that were available to the county.
The 2013 budget process was the easiest that we had experienced. The School Board submitted a budget that was within the revenues that we had available and there was very little debate.
This is when the liberal group known as Strong Schools was formed and took over the County Commission. After the 2014 election, the School Board took control of Sumner County. The School Board has increased spending at a phenomenal rate. Now the process is the same every year. Dell Phillips brings his power point presentation to the County Commission and the Commission is simply a rubber stamp. There is no critical review and the checks and balances is gone! The School Board determines the budget process and county spending. Since that time, we have had two tax increases of 25% and 17%.
The only way to take back our county and begin the process of controlling spending is to replace the School Board that is allowing Dell Phillips to get away with the runaway spending. Half of the School Board members are up for re-election in 2020. We need conservative people to run for School Board next year so that we can take back out county! We need to get ready for the 2020 election, NOW!
And here's a response from at least one school board member:
This is half way factual. He leaves off much about how under funded MANY county departments were until 2014. Our county was being conservative to the detriment of county services. I think if you will speak to any county employee and/or principal they will tell you that since 2014 their jobs have become much less stressful because they have been able to plan and budget better than ever before. He also leaves off the dramatic successes our school system has had since 2014.
When you are in a big hole it takes more revenue to fill it in. Funny how that narrative keeps getting left out of the equation.
I won't apologize for the investment that has been made into our schools for the past 5 years because we are getting a great return on our investment-we have the stats to prove it and parents and students have the scholarship money to back it up.
I'm up for re-election in 2020
And here are some more facts about Jim Vaughn's record as a County Commissioner:
Turns out, Vaughn's never been much of a fan of facts:
It's worth noting that this is the same Jim Vaughn who argues that shifting money from one pot to another is the same as a budget increase -- yes, he was behind the accounting gimmick that "gave" the School Board money that was already earmarked for School Board projects -- thus, defunding those projects -- and then turned around and called that a funding increase.
Jim Vaughn is taking on the facts of the budget. But, the budget is winning.
He also voted to bailout the County Insurance Trust with hospital reserve funds -- the same insurance trust he'd helped mismanage.
He does seem to like secret meetings as a means of avoiding public accountability.
Turns out, he also didn't like going to meetings where he wasn't in control:
Where's Jim? That's the question citizens in the 6th County Commission district are likely asking about County Commissioner Jim Vaughn following his recent column in the Hendersonville Standard.
In the column, Vaughn suggests the recently adopted tax rate came as a surprise to him. He further notes that he doesn't understand why the schools need more money and that it's not clear to him Sumner County faced financial disaster if something wasn't changed.
Vaughn might be surpised about the budget and tax issues because meeting minutes from the September 2nd meeting where Commissioners were sworn-in and assigned to committees reflect that Vaughn wasn't present that night.
Minutes from the September 8th meeting where the School Board's budget was voted on by the Education Committee indicate that Vaughn didn't bother showing up for that one, either. And, on September 15th, when County Commissioners voted on the budget for schools, Jim Vaughn wasn't present.
He voted AGAINST funding for a building and renovation project that took the number of portable trailers from behind our schools from 75 to 8 over four years. Additionally, he opposed purchasing the land for the new Liberty Creek schools to be built in Cottontown.
Oh, and when it came time to learn about the budget, Jim Vaughn just skipped the key meetings:
Last night, as the Sumner County Commission passed budgets for the 2015-16 fiscal year, Commissioner Jim Vaughn made a surprising revelation. He told his fellow Commissioners and those in attendance that he hadn't attended a single budget committee meeting or any other meeting related to the budget. He said he didn't know what was going on in this year's budget. He noted that the school system's budget was growing, but he couldn't say why or whether it was justified, just that it seemed like a lot of money.
Vaughn then joined County Commissioners Merrol Hyde, Moe Taylor, Mike Akins, and Steve Graves in opposing funding for all the county's budgets.
Jim Vaughn likes to rant, but his record is clear: He avoids facts and voted against funding our schools -- over and over and over again. He skipped meetings and sided with those who would stop any progress in Sumner County.
Oh, and now he's resorting to name-calling and half-truths because he didn't get his way.
This image from 2017 is a reminder of where Jim Vaughn has always stood:
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