viper3431
join:2003-04-21
STL, MO
| Auditing
While I'm not going to say that there isn't waste involved, the e-rate program does help a great deal of schools throughout the country. I'm personally familiar with the process and have file the paperwork and jumped through the hoops for almost 5 years now. What Karl didn't mention here is that for the first time ever, the USAC has budgeted more money for auditing than any other individual operating cost. This may help to reduce some of the wasteful spending. Link: »www.e-ratecentral.com/archive/Ne···0413.asp |
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major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA
clubs:
| said by viper3431  :[...] the USAC has budgeted more money for auditing than any other individual operating cost. This may help to reduce some of the wasteful spending. Highly doubtful. The USF is a universal slush fund. Money goes into the fund and walks out in executive management's pockets. Period. It will never be tracked/audited in any meaningful way because this particular gravy train has been rolling along for over a decade with zero oversight and only the GAO to point out what needs to be done.
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The Toll
Tracking Lord Stanley
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viper3431
join:2003-04-21
STL, MO
1 edit | Did you look at the link I posted? The numbers were clearly printed in black and white. There is also money that goes into that fund that gets sent back to schools for telecom services. If you think I'm being silly, call all of the school districts around you and ask them what their e-rate funding level is and total annual amounts on their recent FCDLs (funding committment decision letters).
Now there is most certainly abuse of the program by providers and applicants but that is what the auditing is for. I'm also familiar with that process....in case you were wondering. |
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major marco
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA
clubs:
| said by viper3431 :Did you look at the link I posted? The numbers were clearly printed in black and white. So you don't think there is any waste/fraud whatsoever going on at the schools allegedly receiving those funds, and, even if there is, that's A-OK with you because even if the entire USF program is a scam/joke, the very few schools that may be the recipients of the USF outweigh any oversight. Sorry, I'm not with you on that count. The entire fund needs to go away or else have some serious auditing and accountability processes implemented.
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The Toll
Tracking Lord Stanley
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viper3431
join:2003-04-21
STL, MO
| I never said I didn't think there was some amount of fraud/abuse (as with any federal program). You're obviously not reading my posts or you would have seen that I already agreed to some level of abuse. However, there are a lot more schools than you think that take advantage of funding from this program. In Missouri that number is close to 85% with funds showing up out of almost every wave of funding (I think there have been 45 already from last year). Unless you have personally been through the e-rate process, an audit, or a PIA review I don't expect you to understand the specifics or do any real homework before you start challenging me on the numbers. I also said that auditing was increasing and I provided proof, but it seems that nobody really cares about the actual facts. |
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Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
| reply to viper3431
said by viper3431 :What Karl didn't mention here is that for the first time ever, the USAC has budgeted more money for auditing than any other individual operating cost. Doesn't matter because the programs funded by the USF were built on top of a fundamentally flawed foundation. The GAO needs to "bite the bullet" and tell the members of Congress in no uncertain terms that the USAC needs to be torn down or imploded. Perhaps then what ever is worth saving of the programs can be moved to more accountable administration within an existing government department. |
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