ABC7 $10 million spent by Taylor without BOE approval

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's something like 20,000 employees at MCPS. Presumably supervisors oversee what their employees are spending funds on.

My takeaway was that the BOE is supposed to approve of anything over $25k, and there were 7 vendors who received more than that amount, but it doesn't say what vendors. In my head, instead of thinking the worst, am thinking 136 ESs each ordered $250 worth of educational and classroom supplies from Lakeshore Learning or something.

And of course there a quote from the Parent Coalition who always like to stir the pot and draw attention to themselves.

MCPS says they've already put new systems in place so it doesn't happen again. It is a new administration, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt

I truly do not understand why people give MCPS/Taylor this much grace given the system's track record and Taylor's own propensity for mismanagement (see the failure to respond timely to background checks issue and his spat with the OIG about it).

It's either naivete or blind loyalty to the system.

I can't wait for Taylor to be gone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's something like 20,000 employees at MCPS. Presumably supervisors oversee what their employees are spending funds on.

My takeaway was that the BOE is supposed to approve of anything over $25k, and there were 7 vendors who received more than that amount, but it doesn't say what vendors. In my head, instead of thinking the worst, am thinking 136 ESs each ordered $250 worth of educational and classroom supplies from Lakeshore Learning or something.

And of course there a quote from the Parent Coalition who always like to stir the pot and draw attention to themselves.

MCPS says they've already put new systems in place so it doesn't happen again. It is a new administration, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt

I truly do not understand why people give MCPS/Taylor this much grace given the system's track record and Taylor's own propensity for mismanagement (see the failure to respond timely to background checks issue and his spat with the OIG about it).

It's either naivete or blind loyalty to the system.

I can't wait for Taylor to be gone.

he's way better than mcknight and that dude who was before mcknight. the devil we know.

plus he does awesome snow day videos.

#team taylor!

he brings the diversity to compliment the less than diverse board of education.

and was it $10M or a mere $1M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's something like 20,000 employees at MCPS. Presumably supervisors oversee what their employees are spending funds on.

My takeaway was that the BOE is supposed to approve of anything over $25k, and there were 7 vendors who received more than that amount, but it doesn't say what vendors. In my head, instead of thinking the worst, am thinking 136 ESs each ordered $250 worth of educational and classroom supplies from Lakeshore Learning or something.

And of course there a quote from the Parent Coalition who always like to stir the pot and draw attention to themselves.

MCPS says they've already put new systems in place so it doesn't happen again. It is a new administration, so I will give them the benefit of the doubt

I truly do not understand why people give MCPS/Taylor this much grace given the system's track record and Taylor's own propensity for mismanagement (see the failure to respond timely to background checks issue and his spat with the OIG about it).

It's either naivete or blind loyalty to the system.

I can't wait for Taylor to be gone.

People said the same thing about Felder, McKnight, Smith, Starr, Weast. And the same thing will be said when Taylor is gone and his replacement is named.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

That isn’t how payments are made. The ABC7 news report showed MCPS paying over $10 million dollars to JP Morgan Chase Bank. That’s one vendor. Watch the report. Read.

[Anonymous]

When people thought no more news on mcps, another one comes out? What the heck is going on over there in that county?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

That isn’t how payments are made. The ABC7 news report showed MCPS paying over $10 million dollars to JP Morgan Chase Bank. That’s one vendor. Watch the report. Read.

JP Morgan Chase is their credit card company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

That isn’t how payments are made. The ABC7 news report showed MCPS paying over $10 million dollars to JP Morgan Chase Bank. That’s one vendor. Watch the report. Read.

That's not how it works. JP Morgan is the credit card company so they are being paid to pay the credit card bills. If someone with a P-card pays ABC, LLC $1,000 for a service, ABC, LLC is not getting paid directly by MCPS, JP Morgan is getting the payment.

Which actually uncovers a separate issue I wonder if the OIG looked into, what companies are being paid through P-Cards that are receiving over $25K without board approval.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

That isn’t how payments are made. The ABC7 news report showed MCPS paying over $10 million dollars to JP Morgan Chase Bank. That’s one vendor. Watch the report. Read.

That's not how it works. JP Morgan is the credit card company so they are being paid to pay the credit card bills. If someone with a P-card pays ABC, LLC $1,000 for a service, ABC, LLC is not getting paid directly by MCPS, JP Morgan is getting the payment.

Which actually uncovers a separate issue I wonder if the OIG looked into, what companies are being paid through P-Cards that are receiving over $25K without board approval.

The JP Morgan $10M payments and the $25K to 7 vendors are totally separate things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

That isn’t how payments are made. The ABC7 news report showed MCPS paying over $10 million dollars to JP Morgan Chase Bank. That’s one vendor. Watch the report. Read.

That's not how it works. JP Morgan is the credit card company so they are being paid to pay the credit card bills. If someone with a P-card pays ABC, LLC $1,000 for a service, ABC, LLC is not getting paid directly by MCPS, JP Morgan is getting the payment.

Which actually uncovers a separate issue I wonder if the OIG looked into, what companies are being paid through P-Cards that are receiving over $25K without board approval.

The JP Morgan $10M payments and the $25K to 7 vendors are totally separate things.

Not at all. JP Morgan is a vendor just like the ones in the IG Report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

That isn’t how payments are made. The ABC7 news report showed MCPS paying over $10 million dollars to JP Morgan Chase Bank. That’s one vendor. Watch the report. Read.

That's not how it works. JP Morgan is the credit card company so they are being paid to pay the credit card bills. If someone with a P-card pays ABC, LLC $1,000 for a service, ABC, LLC is not getting paid directly by MCPS, JP Morgan is getting the payment.

Which actually uncovers a separate issue I wonder if the OIG looked into, what companies are being paid through P-Cards that are receiving over $25K without board approval.

The JP Morgan $10M payments and the $25K to 7 vendors are totally separate things.

Not at all. JP Morgan is a vendor just like the ones in the IG Report.

The point is who says any vendor is being paid over $25K on the P-Cards in any given year. It’s just the total of the transactions to JP Morgan. And frankly what amount should the board approve? Up to $5M is fine but then come back so we can review all the individual transactions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this is a report of something from the past. There was previously an P-card issue, which McKnight and now Taylor have taken steps to address by limiting who had access to P-cards and putting more caps and approvals. Additionally, the finding of 25K wasn't that the board just didn't approve a $25K procurement it was that the vendor had awards totally $25K over the course of a year, so multiple smaller payments. And MCPS seems to agree that going forward flags should be raised for those vendors so it can be brought to the board.

Also we don't know that for sure that $10M was spent without board approval, just that ABC news didn't find it on the BoE site. It could be merely misclassification and something not be published on the BoE.

Its not loyalty, its that not all of us get out pitch forks ever time a news report is written about MCPS.

We know for sure that the Board of Education has not approved this spending. MCPS responded to the reporters inquiry. Read the article. The reporter gave MCPS the opportunity to respond and they didn’t produce Board of Education approval.

🙄 The board approved the use of the credit cards in 2014. Individual employees have limits on their purchases. The $10M is the total of all credit card purchases.

How does that change Maryland law that requires any annual expenditure of over $25K to a vendor to be approved by the Board of Education?

And Taylor’s credit card bill for FY2025 was $3 million more than McKnight’s.

For credit card transactions, wouldn't the vendor be the merchant rather than the credit card company?

That isn’t how payments are made. The ABC7 news report showed MCPS paying over $10 million dollars to JP Morgan Chase Bank. That’s one vendor. Watch the report. Read.

That's not how it works. JP Morgan is the credit card company so they are being paid to pay the credit card bills. If someone with a P-card pays ABC, LLC $1,000 for a service, ABC, LLC is not getting paid directly by MCPS, JP Morgan is getting the payment.

Which actually uncovers a separate issue I wonder if the OIG looked into, what companies are being paid through P-Cards that are receiving over $25K without board approval.

The JP Morgan $10M payments and the $25K to 7 vendors are totally separate things.

Not at all. JP Morgan is a vendor just like the ones in the IG Report.

The point is who says any vendor is being paid over $25K on the P-Cards in any given year. It’s just the total of the transactions to JP Morgan. And frankly what amount should the board approve? Up to $5M is fine but then come back so we can review all the individual transactions?

JP Morgan Chase is a vendor and if they are going to be paid over $25,000 in any one year that needs the approval of the Board of Education.
No approval was obtained.
Taylor kept using his credit card.