Recent events at the Davidson school division shed light on potential problems that may crop up as we move toward school board amalgamation. These events show why we need to be vigilant to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly, and that our elected school board trustees remain accountable to local taxpayers.

Davidson school board trustees are embroiled in an intense political scandal after they granted a $120,000 "retirement gratuity" to 32-year bureaucrat Jeff Alexander. Putting aside the fact that a $120,000 payout is unconscionable given that the district doesn't have sufficient resources to renovate dungeon-like bathrooms at its high school, Mr. Alexander didn't retire, nor was he laid off.

Mr. Alexander resigned on his own accord, and, according to his 2001 employment contract, that means he wasn't eligible for the payout. But that fact didn't dissuade the board from paying it out anyway. To make matters worse, the board re-hired Alexander the very next day on a professional services contract with the exact same annual salary of $80,000. The coup de grace, the ne plus ultra is that Alexander is now collecting his pension, despite not officially retiring.

Out with the rusted and busted "double dipping," and in with new-style "triple dipping." Davidson trustees are taking government waste to a whole new level.

Mr. Alexander is telling the media that Davidson taxpayers are actually getting a deal, since they no longer pay his benefits. Thanks Mr. Alexander, thank you very much.

The reason this all came to pass is the upcoming school board amalgamation, which is why we ought to be concerned. The board decided to negotiate a reduction in the payout and settle with Alexander in the event that his services are no longer required by the new division. Learning Minister Thomson agreed the board was jumping the gun.

On paper, school board amalgamation makes sense. As it stands, there are school boards without students and boards who fund their operations entirely from their property tax base. Mill rates across the province vary dramatically, and even our provincial government finally admits that school taxes on farm land are big problem.

With bigger districts and buying power, boards may be able to save money on goods and services. Amalgamation could bring opportunities for more large-scale co-operation between districts, and between the public system and the separate school system. Duplication can be reduced so that boards function with fewer staff. For these reasons we should keep an open mind about amalgamation.

Why then do parents and ratepayers have little confidence they will see benefits from amalgamation The province is doggedly pursuing this policy without any projections of how much money - if any - can be saved or what service improvements will be realized.

Our path to amalgamation is fraught with taxpayer hazards. School board amalgamation in Manitoba led to higher school taxes, more duplication and bigger government. Ditto for health district amalgamation in British Columbia, and municipal amalgamations across Canada. As a general rule, prices and therefore tax rates rise to the highest common denominator, while Davidson-style bailout packages could become rampant.

We must be on guard to preserve the current virtues of school boards - namely local accountability and the role of learning in our communities. There may well be some benefit - but let's have plan in place so that progress can be measured and savings passed on to local ratepayers. Otherwise, what's the point of this exercise