Troy Hall Monitor

08/26/2026

Dearest reader… another note has found its way to Lady Budgetdown’s ledger. 🪶📜

This time, we are off to Troy.

This district is proposing cuts, teachers may be up for a reopener (I’m not sure). Either way can the district afford an increase?

Well now. You know what happens when someone asks Lady Budgetdown a question involving money.

The ledger opens. 👀

Troy finished 2024–25 with an audited General Fund balance of $33.71 million, or 17.41% of expenditures.

That is important because Troy’s own policy calls for a minimum General Fund balance of 15%.

Looking forward, however, the picture changes.

The district projects its fund balance falling to 13.59% in 2025–26 and 13.42% in 2026–27, both below its stated 15% minimum.

And while the ledger was already open, your Lady took one small peek at the ten-year staffing numbers.

Teachers: down 0.4%
Instructional aides/paras: down 32.6%
Central administrators: up 30%
School administrators: down 9.7%
Enrollment decreased from approximately 12,563 students in 2014–15 to 12,249 in 2024–25, a 2.5%, decline over the decade.

Now, dearest reader, there are receipts on both sides of this particular ledger.

Troy ended the last audited year above its own fund-balance minimum. It is also projecting deficits that would take it below that minimum over the next two years.

And budgets, as we have learned repeatedly on our little travels together, are projections. Audits tell us where the carriage actually landed.

So Lady Budgetdown shall not decide what Troy can afford.

I have merely placed the numbers upon the table, straightened the papers, and returned the quill to its inkpot.

Can Troy afford an increase?

You decide. 👑🪶

With receipts and respect,
Lady Budgetdown

08/25/2026

LADY BUDGETDOWN: TROY SCHOOL DISTRICT

A rabbit hole doesn’t always uncover something wrong. Sometimes it simply shows what happens when a school district has to make difficult financial decisions.

Troy School District entered its 2026–27 budget process looking for approximately $12 million in reductions.

A June budget-reduction document identified 37 proposals totaling approximately $11.64 million.

Among the proposals:

• $1.5 million minimum anticipated savings from an employee buyout
• 2 administrative positions — $258,050
• Elementary/high-school attendance secretary reductions — $386,326
• 5 elementary general-education teaching positions — $783,000
• Elementary math specialists — $522,000
• 10 secondary general-education teaching positions — $870,000
• Secondary math specialists — $278,400
• Secondary literacy specialists — $278,400
• 2 high-school counselor positions — $261,000
• Student Support Aides — $1.33 million

But here’s the part I found more interesting than the cuts themselves:

Troy didn’t simply make a list and call it finished.

The district evaluated proposed reductions using student-learning impact, equity, legal/compliance risk, financial savings, feasibility and stakeholder support. And as the process continued, some proposed reductions were modified or restored.

That’s what a budget-reduction process actually looks like.

It raises a question I think is worth asking whenever a district says cuts are necessary:

What was considered, what was ultimately cut, what was protected, and why?

Not every rabbit hole ends with a gotcha.

Sometimes the receipts simply provide a useful example for comparison.

08/20/2026

🚨Breaking: Ed Ross also known as Caption Chaos has a best buddy Walt Cook running for the Troy School Board.

One specializes in suing the city and online drama.

The other wants your vote so badly he pretends to be who he isn’t.

Two clowns. One mission. Create chaos for the Troy City and Schools.

Troy deserves leadership, not theatrics!

08/20/2026

Interesting..

🪶 TROY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Well, Troy. I opened the ten-year staffing ledger, and one row earned a circle. ⭕

From 2014–15 to 2024–25:

👥 Pupils
12,642 → 12,249.25
↓ 3.1%

🍎 Teachers
724.72 → 731.62 FTE
↑ 1.0%

📚 Instructional aides / paras
82.02 → 112.20 FTE
↑ 36.8%

🏫 Building administration
66.25 → 59.80 FTE
↓ 9.7%

And then there is this:

🏛️ District / central administration
17.00 → 24.00 FTE
↑ 41.2%

That doesn’t tell me those positions weren’t needed. It doesn’t tell me what responsibilities moved from the buildings to the district level. And it doesn’t tell me whether positions were added, eliminated, reorganized or simply classified differently over ten years.

But it does leave me with a question.

While enrollment declined 3.1% and building administration declined 9.7%, what changed at the district level that resulted in central administration growing 41.2%?

Maybe there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation.

That’s why I ask before I assume. 🪶

If you’re familiar with Troy and know what changed during this period, positions added, responsibilities shifted, departments reorganized, bring the receipts.

I’ll happily add them to the ledger.

With receipts & respect.

08/19/2026

A Troy school board candidate really said this??
😬😳

08/17/2026

https://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/news/oakland-county-shoots-down-school-millage

Tax initiative would have allowed unrestricted use of funds in district where per-pupil funding has risen but M-STEP scores have not

08/05/2026

A huge thanks to the city of Troy voters who use common sense and soundly voted NO on the ISD millage proposal!

08/03/2026

🗳️ Vote NO on the Oakland County Regional Enhancement Millage. School districts, such as Troy, have not provided the community with a concrete plan on how the funds will be used.

Do your homework and make sure you share this post with friends and family.

Tomorrow, August 4th, is the last day to vote in this primary election!

08/02/2026

5 Reasons to vote NO on the Oakland County Regional Enhancement Millage

✅ Accountability before new taxes. Before asking taxpayers for more, I want to see measurable results and greater transparency on how current funding is being spent.

✅ I want a clearer spending plan. Voters deserve to know exactly how additional dollars will be used and how success will be measured.

✅ Protect seniors and families on fixed incomes. Another property tax increase impacts homeowners who are already managing rising costs.

✅ Families budget, and schools should too. I believe districts should prioritize existing resources and demonstrate responsible financial stewardship before seeking additional tax revenue.

✅ The millage does not require funding to be spent on special education. While districts may choose to invest in special education, the revenue is generally available for lawful school operating purposes and is not legally earmarked exclusively for special education.

Supporting students and demanding accountability are not opposites. We can have strong schools while expecting transparency, responsible budgeting, and clear priorities. On August 4, I’m voting NO.

07/28/2026

💸 Is Troy Superintendent Rich Machesky campaigning for his next raise?

Troy School District Superintendent Rich Machesky is one of the top donors to the "Yes" campaign supporting the Oakland County Enhancement Millage on the August 4, 2026 Primary ballot.

Taxpayers should ask a simple question:
Is the superintendent supporting a tax increase that could ultimately benefit his own compensation?

Consider the numbers:
➡️ 2016-2017 Salary: $184,230

➡️ 2019 Employment Contract (The last published contract lists his salary through the 2023-2024 school year) $256,358

➡️ 2024 Total Compensation: $282,532

➡️ 2025 Total Compensation: $323,850

‼️ That's a 30.53% increase in total pay since 2021 and more than a 75% increase over the past decade while serving as Troy's superintendent.

Here's what taxpayers still don't know:
Rich Machesky's contract has been renewed every summer since 2019, yet the most recent contract publicly available only includes salary figures through the 2023-2024 school year.

So where are the updated contracts?
❓What was his contracted salary for 2024-2025?
❓What is his contracted salary for 2025-2026?
❓What is his contracted salary for 2026-2027 and beyond?

If the district is asking taxpayers to approve another tax increase, shouldn't it also be transparent about executive compensation? Transparency shouldn't stop at the ballot box. Taxpayers deserve access to current superintendent contracts and a clear understanding of how public dollars are being spent.

Before voting on the Oakland County Enhancement Millage on August 4, ask questions, review the facts and demand transparency.