While the discussions were going on at Oyster Bay-East Norwich School Board meetings, during the budget discussion, about giving a teacher’s tenure – our one thought was – this is not going to help pass the budget.
It is our opinion that because of the great diversity in the demographics of the Oyster Bay-East Norwich community, passing the budget is never easy. In these economic times it is especially difficult.
The only way the budget passes in the OB-EN District is if there is a pro-active group working for the budget. This year we think it was the no-voters who had the stronger campaign. I don’t believe there was one letter to the editor in favor of the budget but there were letters against the budget.
People always say, “If the parents come out, they can pass the budget.” Well in these economic times some of them are not willing to vote for the budget either – it appears.
We wondered if there was a chart, a spreadsheet to use to get an idea of where the vote would go – before the election?
Who will vote yes and who will vote no?
In Oyster Bay-East Norwich our residents run from those who aren’t citizens – both rich and poor – who have no vote at all; to the working citizenry; to people living on pensions and investments; to those with family money [and investments hurt by the stock market].
People are taxed on their real estate property and here we run the gamut of possibility. Especially those with more property who are paying more school taxes, as well as being hurt by the stock market, and if they are older, that is cutting into their retirement funds.
Then there are parents who send their children to private school – although they often finish their schooling at Oyster Bay High School – so they, too, may have an interest in passing the budget. But they may well be the people who don’t come out to vote, but accept the will of the majority rather than pulling the lever on themselves.
If the budget fails, even those who voted for it can give a little sigh of relief in that this way, their taxes, too, will be lower.
I guess that would be classified as a guilty pleasure.
– DFK
