Wake County school board member John Tedesco is confirming that foreclosure proceedings have begun on his Garner home.
Tedesco said he's in the process of renegotiating the terms of his mortgage to get lower monthly payments. He said he's been living off his life savings, school board stipend and income tax return since he resigned in April from his job as a vice president of Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Triangle.
"It goes to show what I've been saying all along that I'm not taking money from anybody," Tedesco said.
Some of his critics have questioned how he's been able to pay his bills, speculating that's been receiving money under the table.
UPDATE
Click here for a Progressive Pulse story about Tedesco's situation.
Comments
No Dog In This Fight
Fri, 01/21/2011 - 02:01 — InspectorPittI don't have a dog in this fight since I'm not in Wake.
But, I've watched this scenario develop from Day 1. The N&O and others have tried to ruin John Tedesco because he honestly believes there is a better way to educate EVERY child, not just the upper crust.
You've done all of this in an effort to not only stymie change but to break the will of Tedesco and others in the majority.
If I had a child with children moving into your area, I would recommend any school system over Wake's, just for the shere reason that the debate has been more about personality than substance.
And, there are those who accuse conservatives of hate speech?
I wish you well, Mr. Tedesco!
I support John
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 17:10 — concerned2The bottom line is that John lost his job and has had a hard time finding another one due to the personal attacks by the out-of-touch left. This newspaper, the ridiculous Willie Barber, and the litany of you rabid, opportunistic leftists have attacked John personally because you can't find the rationale to defend keeping a broken system that doesn't work. Many are perfectly willing to help ruin someone's life just because they disagree with them. Some of the comments here show just what kind of people there are out there.
Shame, shame, shame.
The ideas John and the School Board has put forth have the support of a majority of Wake County residents. This fall, the out-of-touch defenders of a broken system will suffer yet another defeat when we elect more common-sense folks to the School Board.
Stop the hyperbole and ad hominem attacks and let's focus on what's best for our children.
The bottom line is the liberals get a guy fired.
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 20:16 — Platowasrightwant to upset the liberals, send Tedesco a birthday present.
I did.
If I knew I had that much pull
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 19:30 — John_BurnsI would have gotten my many under or unemployed friends jobs before I created another unemployed person.
Wow. If I only knew. I had no idea I was so powerful.
You?
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 20:26 — FSandYOUYou're not, so relax. Pressure's off.
What a low blow
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 16:04 — kttechwriterWhy did you stoop so low to print this?
This is a legitimate
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 20:06 — CDOThis is a legitimate story. I would want to know if the person who controls my child's future cannot even control his own life.
He's just a follower
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 17:09 — FSandYOUdon't blame him.
Great Move....
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 14:55 — youthinksoGreat move John. Next file bankruptcy and then work off the books for Pope and Luddy! ..... or was that the plan from the start.
Relevant
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 10:19 — MiraMilAlthough one may feel badly for JT potentially losing his home, the question really is whether JT's mismanagement of his own finances tells us anything about his ability to deal with the finances of wcpss. If he were a director of a public company and had been in bankruptcy during the preceding five years, this would be required public disclosure. Why? Because this is relevant information to shareholders when they elect board members--it's an indication of a director's ability to prudently handle company finances.
So, though I'm sorry JT may lose his home, I am worried that if he is unable to keep his personal finances in order, how can he do one of the fundamental jobs of a board member which is to deal with the budget? Already, he has said both that we'll need to spend more on the high poverty schools he wants to create but that he does not want to request additional funding from the commissioners in light of looming massive budget cuts. Spend more money with fewer dollars. It doesn't add up. His personal financial situation just highlights his inability to deal with real dollars and cents.
How do you deal with your inability
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 17:09 — FSandYOUto deal with the hate you see every time you look in the mirror? Good thing for everyone that your worries aren't on the school board's priority list.
The Truth on Tedesco's Foreclosure
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 16:11 — kttechwriterThe reason John Tedesco is losing his home is this:
When he was elected, he was running Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Liberal govt officials threatened to cut off funding for Big Brothers/Big Sisters if John wasn't fired. So he did the right thing for the group he loved so much: he resigned.
Now, left with no income, he started to miss mortgage payments. We all know it isn't easy to find work in the economy! Plus, he's had a gf of over three years that he cannot marry b/c he cannot support her. This stuff should not have to be explained in a public forum but since the News and Observer chose to share only a portion of the story, then JT deserves to share the truth.
The News and Observer should be very ashamed of what it has done. It has, in its history, been one of the most racist papers in the state's history. It helped bring down a democratically-elected, black-majority, Republican City council in Wilmington in 1898. Yes, this paper and its founders over threw a black majority government. The paper officially apologized a few years ago. Yet they are still printing only a certain side of the story and they deserve to be whipped.
I cancelled my subscription long ago.
prove it
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 19:34 — John_Burns"Liberal govt officials threatened to cut off funding for Big Brothers/Big Sisters if John wasn't fired."
Prove it. First, establish how much money BB/BS gets from government. Then, establish which government threatened to pull that funding. Finally sho which official made such a threat.
If you have such information, by all means publish it. It would be important to know.
However, I think youre more likely to find that private donors expressed their opinions about stances he takes and, like any person who puts themselves in the public eye, he got cautioned by his employer: "you can keep talking, or you can work here. BUt you can't o both." He had the integrity to keep talking.
But you have an obligation to back up accusations like in your post.
you have an obligation
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 20:26 — FSandYOUto back up ... and why is that? I don't believe he or she does. I believe they are right on the money. So there, it's backed up.
Actually, it ain't.
Fri, 01/21/2011 - 09:57 — raleighlocalI don't believe he or she does. I believe they are right on the money. So there, it's backed up.
FSandYou---affirming your agreement with unsubstantied accusations still doesn't make them true. This point is this: floating unsourced opinions about Tedesco's financial ruin as fact is not only irresponsible, but could be skirting libel. Just make sure you don't accuse an actual person or organization of hurting Tedesco when you're entertaining these conspiracy theories.
For me, Tedesco's struggles are more indicative of his hypocrisy than his financial incompetence. While I am loathe to victim-blame anyone---right-wing or not---who faces foreclosure on their home, it's hard for me to muster sympathy for someone as uninformed and insensitive as Tedesco. This is a guy who has consistently denied the reality of income and racial inequality in Wake County, and how this inequality impacts the public school system. As a school board member, he has made decisions that will cause tremendous hardship for all Wake students (like hiring the completely unqualified Tata as superintendent, for starters), but especially for poor and minority students.
Basically, a guy who has been dismissive of poor parents and schoolchildren is now facing financial hardship himself. I am hoping that Tedesco will be able to keep his home and get himself back on track. At the same time, I hope that he gains some insight into how inequality impacts all of society, even people like himself.
back when the Republicans
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 16:37 — JonesSausageback when the Republicans used to be the good guys...
to paraphrase a famous pastor, nothing is more dangerous than sincere ignorance
I am worried that if he is
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 11:15 — user12345I am worried that if he is unable to keep his personal finances in order, how can he do one of the fundamental jobs of a board member which is to deal with the budget?
Ditto .. I am going to have a harder time believing him now if he puts forward a financial argument .... e.g. "neighborhood schools save money"
Good luck
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:58 — hannibalI don't like Mr. Tedesco or what he says at all, but I wish him luck in sorting out the financial situation. Losing one's home is a terrible thing.
Open Season
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:37 — AgentPierceAnyone dedicated / crazy enough to enter public service either elected or appointed must realize they are declaring open season on themselves and their families by doing so. If their specific area is a very controversial one as is WCPSS the "out to get him/her" will be intensified.
It would be "nice" if our local media covered all participants in these controversial areas with the same intensity but thats never going to happen.
.
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:23 — Voice_of_Reason_.
Ideology matters...
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:08 — bpuli9999I feel sorry for JT (and would for anyone else in the same financial situation). S**t happens in life and you have to deal with it. But what I don't understand is why the folks on this forum are being so acrimonious to people who criticize JT. Talk about personal attacks.
Then, you have to step back and think about the ideology he and his supporters on this forum spout. Personal responsibility. Fiscal conservatism. How does all that fit in?
If there wasn't the back
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 12:20 — jenmanIf there wasn't the back story behind this, I would agree with you. There was a concerted effort on the part of some to go after John from the very beginning. For things that had nothing to do with the BOE. And now to see some posters making such glib comments about his current situation is just a little too much. Perhaps they don't know the back story, but GSIW leaders do so it's frustrating to see their members and supporters making these comments.
If John just up and quit his job because he felt like it I'd say go for it. But that isn't the case. Certain people were gunning for him from the very beginning, they made it personal and they should be ashamed of themselves.
He shouldn't entered
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 19:34 — CDOHe shouldn't entered politics if he wasn't prepared. And if you think the right doesn't play nasty politics, let me refresh your memory.....John Kerry and the Swift Boat liars.
Has that ever been proven false?
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 22:18 — Voice_of_Reason_I think if that were true (I believe it was very credible), that information should have been out. I would do it myself if I knew something like that on a person running for Commander in Chief. It wasn't the Republican party that put them up to doing it either, they banded together. None of the accussers we found not to be fakes, Correct me if I am wrong. Unlike several fake props Dems use to push an agenda and been caught as a lie.
You can deny something, it doesn't make it false. (i..e. Bill Clinton, John Edwards,etc)
I'm a Democrat, so yeah I
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 19:56 — jenmanI'm a Democrat, so yeah I know the right plays nasty politics too.
Good grief, we are talking about the Wake County School Board, not Congress or even the State Legislature.
Your perspective
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:58 — Voice_of_Reason_I understand what you are saying. BUT, lets look at facts. John studied went to college and dedicated his life to helping the under-privledged. He contributed to society at great personal sacrifice. He was not a capitalist. He decided to take a different route. This is not an anti-conservative view; he is still a contributing member to society. Then you take the fact that he left his job because he was afraid that the opposition he was getting would adversely effect the organization he was passionate about. I am sure he didn't do that lightly. Some say he made a poor choice, maybe some see it that way. I see he did a selfless act. If he didn't, wouldn't the same critics say he was selfish saying he was hurting BB/BS? I guess your perspective is that he should not have run for office and won.; not have the right to his point of view which he ran on; and quit as soon as the heat got turned up. In some circles "Service above Self" is a noble value.
And for anyone wondering, his property taxes are paid.
You seem to make a lot of
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 19:40 — CDOYou seem to make a lot of assumptions. Perhaps the job at BB/BS was the only job he could get. Perhaps he is a capitalist but just not very good at it. Your assumptions are no more valid than mine.
No Assumptions
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 20:13 — Voice_of_Reason_- First off you have no idea what a capitalist is. He is not a business owner or a big investor.
- Second if you bothered to do a google search you would find he had a track record of work with the poor.
John Tedesco was the Chief Development Officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle. In addition, John served on the National Development Committee for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Through these roles John has led youth organizations across the state in partnership with numerous state agencies to establish the NC Mentoring Children of Prisoner Initiative serving thousands of at-risk youth. Previously, John spent 10 years in the NYC/NJ area where he worked for Pace University and NYU, before an appointment as Town Manager for Highlands, NJ. Following those roles he spent 4 years as Director of Development for Harbor House, a regional non-profit working with over 8,000 homeless, abused and or at-risk youth annually. John earned his Bachelors Degree in Public Administration from Thiel College in Greenville, PA., just north of where he grew up in the Pittsburgh area.
House
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 08:12 — HereWeGoTedesco said he's in the process of renegotiating the terms of his mortgage to get lower monthly payments.
Is he trying to use an Obama "Government" mortgsgr program? What will the Tea Party think of him if he uses an Obama program?
I wish him luck
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:25 — Voice_of_Reason_That mortgage reduction program requires you still have enough income to pay the reduced mortgage. I doubt the approx $16K/yr he gets for BOE and any public assistance will be enough unless his spouse works. Very few people qualify without jobs, mainly for the under-employed or single earner households. The money comes from Bush's TARP. It had bi-partison support. And as far as the Tea Party, since opinions vary in the grassroots very unorganized movement, I am sure you have a wide range of views.
I hope he, his spouse, and his three young children can figure out a solution.
Where do you get your
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 12:03 — virginiadareWhere do you get your information? JT is not married and has no children. You also implied in another post that you thought Chaboard was a Black female. I was under the impression he was a White male. I know that sometimes it is hard to tell about posters from their blog posts, especially if they prefer to remain anonymous, but John's marital status and lack of children has been a frequent topic here.
I stand corrected on JT maritial status
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 21:38 — Voice_of_Reason_I googled his name in a hurry, it was the wrong JT. Sorry, I realized my mistake earlier today. I am not 100% sure on Chaboard, I am just making an educated guess based on several posts I have read. I know user1234 is a white male from a friend that met him in the past, I also know a lot more about him from posts dating back over a year. For the record I know now he is divorced with no kids and has a girlfriend. I should of gotten more than one source. There are people on this blog that even know the man behind this mask.
Ideology is for spouting...
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:09 — bpuli9999It is not for personal use.
FAIR GAME
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 06:33 — ClearThinkerThis has nothing to do with anyone liking John Tedesco. He is a duly elected official. While we should not know or discuss all aspects of his personal business, any clear and significant indications that his financial status is changing is fair game.
Losing a home, or at least not being able to pay for the home you have, is significant. That status makes him vulnerable, and could definitely influence his ability to fully serve his constituents.
Tedesco is not one of my favorite people, but I wish him well as he works to straighten this mess out.
Why isn't this fair game?
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 22:36 — ralweaverTedesco has always made quitting his job to serve Wake County part of his public persona. This is the consequence of that decision. It's consistent with his behavior in office to take drastic action and consider costs and consequences later. He had a legal responsibility to his lender when he quit and walked away. Is this the behavior of someone we want managing a billion-dollar school system?
And for the sake of adhering to his own belief system, I hope that if he qualifies for free and reduced lunch he automatically reassigns himself to SE Raleigh.
I like John, but do not
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 01:08 — WhalerCaneI like John, but do not agree with him on much. It's fine for the public to know, but so what. Shame on any who try to take advantage of it. I'm sure many here happy to confirm I do not support most of John's acts, but this is off base. Good Luck John.
If you truly care
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 09:40 — FSandYOUloan him some of the money left over from Lois' campaign.
lol, that is funny. I
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 11:25 — WhalerCanelol, that is funny. I doubt there is any, but if so, I do not control it.
I don't find any of this funny
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 17:04 — FSandYOUNor did I find your attempt to jab him a little more this afternoon on PTF funny. Too bad Bill had to cut you off. Nah, that was the good part.
Outrageous
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 23:47 — cmalone1I can't reveal all that I know because I dont have permission, but the man isn't a quitter and doesn't deserve to be treated as an object of inquiry over personal matters that were in large part beyond his control. He is clearly doing what he can to manage his life and deserves more respect than this. Want to discuss policy. No problem, but this is obscene.
What was not in his control
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 00:13 — sachivalayWhat was not in his control - Buying house, quitting job after buying house, defaulting on house, creating assignment plan, voting like he has voted..... Then who has the control....
The Man is not quitter!!! He quit his job, he quit explaining people his assignment plan.. He quit paying for house...He quit his fiduciary duty to students by not objecting idea to drop accreditation. What more is there to quit?
Stop making him martyr. He is not. No corporation will allow a board member to display such lack of responsibility.
He was elected with his mandate
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 23:05 — Voice_of_Reason_He never planned to quit or go throught the hell a few in Wake County and elsewhere have put him through, Your attitude is what is wrong in politics today. What you just said goes beyond the pale of human decency. I hope you sleep well tonight. I wouldn't wish on my worse enemy what he is going through.
Just like....
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 23:43 — supportwcpssI wouldn't wish what Patti Head went through....but oh wait a minute, she deserved it right?
how deep is it over there.
So that justifies your
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 00:11 — CaryCurmudgeonSo that justifies your snotty remarks? What happened to "just because the old board did things that way it doesn't make it right for the new board too?"
I know that gregishere and chaboard have no love for John's policies, but they are concerned for him as a person. You flippantly suggest John go flip burgers.
A good way to judge character is to see who kicks a man when he's down. You obviously have none.
It is off base. Good Luck
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 01:10 — WhalerCaneIt is off base. Good Luck John. We should pay BoE members better.
If it has to be explained
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 22:44 — woodstockIf it has to be explained to you why it should not be fair game, no amount of explanation will suffice.
It is heartening to see
Thu, 01/20/2011 - 08:59 — DrActualFactualIt is heartening to see WhalerCane, Mudge, Woodstock and others provide moral support for JT--how often do these posters find agreement.
Way to go Hui
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 22:28 — FSandYOUEven you have stooped to a new low this time. This has NOTHING to do with anything other than your personal feelings and bias with this guy. You are pathetic. Don't bother responding to me or my tone will be much worse next time. Even if I get booted from this BS blog! Way to keep pumping the garbage you trash collector!
Did you say the same thing
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 22:33 — KeungHui (author)Did you say the same thing about the television stations who are also covering this? This post also serves to allow Tedesco to respond to those who've questioned how he could have made a living all these months.
Of course you had to cover
Wed, 01/19/2011 - 22:56 — zandeOf course you had to cover this story. Every news media outlet will see the need to do that. But there will always be those who feel like this Board members personal financial judgments offer no indication regarding his decision making skills as they might effect our school system. (Of course, there will also be some who will try to blame this on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.!)