Residents criticize legal spending and tax increases during Lacey Township public comment

Several residents used the board’s public‑comment period on May 22 to call attention to past and ongoing legal expenses, ethics complaints, and the local tax impact of years of budget decisions.

Regina Desenza, who identified herself as a Sunset Drive resident, recounted a sequence of ethics cases and appeals beginning in late 2019 and said she had compiled check‑register information showing payments to outside attorneys. "Think of all the good this money could have done for the students," she said, asserting total payments and insurance and district defenses have exceeded $210,000 and naming outside counsel who were paid sums over multiple cases.

Other speakers criticized the board’s budgeting process and recent tax increases. One resident said school property taxes had risen about 26% over three budget cycles and urged the new board majority to adopt a proactive approach to budgeting rather than repeated last‑minute cuts. That speaker also requested that salary and benefit cost data be restored to the district website for transparency.

Karen Knap, identifying herself as a Lenoka Harbor resident and a 26‑year paraprofessional, walked through the budget reduction slides and estimated savings tied to paraprofessional and health‑aide staffing changes. Using figures from the district slides, she calculated aggregate savings if specified staff move to part‑time or leave and pressed the board to preserve full‑time paraprofessional positions to avoid harming students who rely on those supports.

What the board said and did: Board members listened and then continued with committee reports and the consent agenda. The comments were recorded and will be part of the public record; the board did not respond to or debate allegations during the public‑comment period, consistent with its stated rules.