Former Wake County school board member Chris Malone is one of two Republican state legislators who is criticizing the school system for hiring a lobbyist to oppose changes backed by county commissioners.
Malone's comments are part of this press release issued today by the North Carolina chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative advocacy group that's no fan of the current Democratic board majority.
“As a former member of the Wake County School Board, I understand the need for another elected body to offer its views on proposed or needed legislation," Malone says in the press release. "While on the Board, I often made our case to our Wake County Legislative Delegation, via telephone, email or personal visit. Legislators are more than willing to listen to various points of view.
However, I believe it is unwise and counterproductive for the current Wake School Board to argue that they are best positioned to protect taxpayer provided school construction dollars, by wasting tax dollars to hire an unneeded lobbyist. The board should either make the case themselves or rely on the already taxpayer-funded lobbyist at the North Carolina School Boards Association.”
Malone's arguments mirror those made Tuesday by school board member John Tedesco.
State Rep. Mike Stone, chair of the House Committee on State and Local Government, and Dallas Woodhouse, director of the state chapter of AFP, also take shots at the school board in the release.
