Frankly, I am getting tired of the uninformed “Armchair Quarterbacks,” sitting at home on their couches watching TV, telling the Board of Education what we should and should not do.
The Board of Education has been researching the best scenario for a possible bond for the last five years. The bond has also been explained to the taxpayers at Board of Education meetings, public budget meetings and at the Civics for the last two years. If you refer to our budget fliers sent to every taxpayer from the budget of 2010 to 2011, we express in detail the possible need for a bond. The problem is not that the Board of Education didn’t communicate the information publicly; it’s that the citizens who say they are concerned are not attending these meetings.
As some uninformed try and get the public to believe that the Board of Education is asking the taxpayers to write to Albany to get more state aid (which we the taxpayers pay) that is not even close to reality. The Board of Education is trying to get back to the taxpayers the high tax aid that was cut from state aid reimbursement, while our neighboring districts get more. Next year, our high tax aid will be cut to a mere $100,000. Similar neighboring districts will get 10 times more. Without this high tax aid, (which we have received previously), our 2011-2012 budget will increase proportionately. Add to that the cost of replacing boilers in both schools if they fail without a bond the revenue side of the budget will show approximately another $1,000,000 in deficit. That’s why we are asking our taxpayers to write our senators and congressmen in Albany. My suggestion to the uninformed is come to our Board of Education meetings, our budget hearings, and to your local civic to find out what is really going on with the budget. We will listen to your comments, but we may not change our decision. If you are not happy with our decisions you can step up and run for a position on the School Board of Education. It is our fiduciary responsibility to use the taxpayers’ money wisely.
These are my views as a Floral Park community volunteer and a 16-year Board of Education member who is very concerned about our children’s education, the upkeep of our buildings, and our taxpayers’ hard-earned money.
Bob Burke
Floral Park Board of Education
