Charter School Chief's Self-Dealing Cost PA. Taxpayers $1.5 million, says investigation

[JPZenger]

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-pa-bloom-pocono-mountain-charter-20130424,0,614100.story

Excerpt:

"The former head of an embattled Monroe County charter school broke state ethics and conflict-of-interest rules by funneling more than $1.5 million in taxpayer money to himself, his family, his businesses and his church, an investigative report made public by Commonwealth Court says. The Rev. Dennis Bloom, founder of the Pocono Mountain Charter School, engaged in a pattern of "self-dealing," according to the state Ethics Commission report, which also sheds more light on his alleged tax problems.

Unsealed Wednesday, the 220-page report says Bloom used his "alter-ego relationship" as charter school CEO and church leader to intermingle taxpayer funds. The report says Bloom set up a sweetheart lease when he opened the charter school in 2003 on the grounds of his church, Shawnee Tabernacle, in the Tobyhanna section of Coolbaugh Township. The deal netted the church $920,000 from taxpayers, the report says, and calls for the church to take over ownership of the school building when the lease expires.

According to the report, Bloom got his son and daughter jobs or contracts worth a combined $33,691. His wife became his assistant CEO, making more than $69,000. Both he and his wife got taxpayer-funded car leases. In addition, the report says Bloom had the charter school's business manager write him $146,500 in unauthorized business checks, which Bloom deposited into his personal accounts, between 2007 and 2009."

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http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2013/04/charter-school-reform-bueller-bueller-.html

Excerpt:

"The story details a scathing state Ethics Commission investigative report of Pocono Mountain Charter School and its former leader, Rev. Dennis Bloom. The report, which Commonwealth Court made public Wednesday, shows Bloom funneled $1.5 million in taxpayer funds to himself, his family, his church and his side businesses.

For anyone who has written about or followed this story, these problems have been documented since 2007 by the Pocono Mountain School Board, then the state auditor general’s office, then the IRS and U.S. Department of Education and finally by the state Ethics Commission.

Every government entity – but one -- that has investigated this charter school has found financial and managerial problems and direct ties to Bloom’s church, Shawnee Tabernacle, which caused the agencies to allege the relationship violated laws governing separation of church and state. That one entity that found nothing wrong at Bloom’s charter school was the state Charter Appeal Board, which includes Education Secretary Ron Tomalis and six political appointees.

In taking the lead in the appeal board’s 5-2 decision to overturn the school board’s revocation, Tomalis said: "Finally, the evidence does not clearly establish that the charter school funds were improperly used and certainly not that fiscal controls were ignored." Huh? That’s what Pocono Mountain School District officials have been saying since that ruling."

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Bloom was also recently charged by the Feds with large scale income tax evasion. Maybe one of these days, the state will actually file charges against him.

[hollysmom]

1. I think these crooks always justify it because

it is for the church. The other stealing is just not a high point.