Tornillo ISD Superintendent Explains Credit Card Use As District Finances Come Under Scrutiny

The finances of Tornillo Independent School District’s superintendent are under review by the Texas Education Agency. Superintendent Paul Vranish told ABC-7 he welcomed the probe because he was sure the agency would find no wrong-doing.

The TEA is focusing on Vranish’s use of credit cards while purchasing district supplies and trips. Vranish said it is no secret he uses his personal credit cards when buying district items instead of the district’s cards. Vranish gets reimbursed by TISD for his purchases.

Just days after Vranish was contacted by the TEA about the complaint, he addressed the issue head on during a meeting with parents.

“Does everybody understand that I use my personal credit card when I buy things?” said Vranish in a video recording of the August 23rd meeting. “Does anyone here feel upset about that?” he asked.

Vranish said he has nothing to hide. “I’m dealing with taxpayers’ money and I certainly should be checked on.” He said he must always turn in receipts from district purchases before he gets reimbursed by the district and said records are posted online.

So why doesn’t he just use the district’s cards? “Our school cards tend to choke when we’re trying to use them, sometimes it’s because the credit limits are smaller than my personal ones,” he explained.

Vranish said he receives airline miles for his personal use whenever he uses his own card on district purchases. He said he does not receive cash back incentives, however. “On the card I use I do get the airline miles, yeah. Someone wants to be upset about that of course they can be upset about that. Under state law it is legal. Pilfering this place has never been my priority,” said Vranish.

Vranish could not say exactly how many miles he has racked up while using his personal card for district business. He said the TEA is reviewing three years’ worth of receipts and is confident the agency will find no wrong-doing in the end.