The former superintendent of the Washoe County School District’s last day on the job was Election Day. Now, Pedro Martinez is out of a job.
It ended up being an auspicious last day -- Republicans took control of both houses of the state legislature, and won all statewide offices. And Question 3, also known as the Margin Tax, which was designed to increase school funding by taxing businesses 2 percent on revenues over one million dollars, was soundly defeated.
So, what’s next for Martinez and education in Nevada? Martinez says he's confident the state legislature and Gov. Brian Sandoval will solve the funding gap faced by public schools in Nevada.
As for his future, Martinez told KNPR he wants to take another shot at being a superintendent of a school district.
Martinez, who previously served a year with the Clark County School District, was fired in July over an issue with his credentials as a certified public accountant, before the Washoe County school board then reinstated his pay the next day. In response, he filed two lawsuits.
A mediator ruled in Martinez’s favor, but he decided to step down instead of continuing to run Nevada’s second largest school district, with 63,000 students and 8,000 personnel. In the end, this entire legal drama cost the district more than $650,000.
Martinez walks away with more than $527,000 in salary and benefits. In addition, the school district will pay his attorney fees of $80,000, while the district expects to pay $85,000 in outside legal fees.
GUEST
Pedro Martinez, former superintendent, Washoe County School District.
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