Pasadena ISD Wins Top State Award for Financial Transparency

Pasadena ISD Wins Top State Award for Financial Transparency
Posted on 06/19/2014

Platinum Award
John Piscacek, associate superintendent of the Pasadena ISD Business and Financial Services Department, is recognized by the Board of Trustees for his leadership in providing citizens with a clear picture of district spending. Pasadena ISD was recently recognized as a recipient of the Texas Comptroller Leadership Circle Platinum award, the highest possible level of distinction awarded to government entities that open financial books to the public in a user-friendly format.

Once again, Pasadena ISD has earned A+ status in a state-level award.

For the fifth consecutive year, the district has received the highest possible level of distinction by the Texas Comptroller Leadership Circle for fiscal transparency.

Since 2009, the Leadership Circle has honored local governments that open their financial books to the public, provide clear and consistent pictures of spending and share information in a user-friendly format. Honorees were recognized with either a bronze, silver or gold distinction, the highest at the time. But this year, the Comptroller expanded the program to include a new “platinum” award that spotlights government entities that go above and beyond to show financial responsibility, ensure financial records are freely accessible to the public and meet an optimum level of financial transparency.

Pasadena ISD topped its four-year winning streak of earning gold level status, to being recognized this year as one of the first 12 school districts in Texas to receive the new platinum financial transparency award.

“We are so honored to be recognized for this major achievement by the Texas Comptroller,” John Piscacek, associate superintendent of the Pasadena ISD Business and Financial Services Department said. “One of our main goals is to be as transparent as possible so our taxpayers are fully aware of how their money is being spent. This award lets us know that we have been successful in meeting that goal.”

Pasadena ISD earned the new Platinum distinction for disclosing all financial records to the public and scoring 20 out of 22 possible points on the rating criteria.

The Platinum distinction spotlights entities that:

  • Post detailed financial summaries onto the website including the adopted budget, current check/expense registers for three fiscal years, the annual financial report, current tax rates;
  • Have a webpage dedicated to financial transparency and links to the Comptroller’s transparency website.
  • Pledges to disclose all debt and bond information. Local officials sign a pledge to post information online about the proposed bond package and any existing debt, and provide the Comptroller’s office with a link to this information no later than one business day after the public notice of the bond election.

The Pasadena ISD Business and Financial Services Department was recently recognized for this achievement at a Board of Trustees meeting.

To view Pasadena ISD’s financial budget information, visit the Business and Financial Services website.



Platinum Award