I read your headline front page of the Hicksville Illustrated and thought I would add some other perspective. My wife and I moved to Hicksville August 1972 with two young children from Ridgewood, Queens living in a six-room flat on the third floor for $69 a month. We chose to move to Long Island because we wanted our children to have a better start than we had emigrating from Europe.
We had our youngest daughter in 1978 and all three are married with children of their own. I started to track real estate taxes since 2001 and let me tell you that my school taxes alone went up by 51 percent. We are paying these taxes not having any children in the Hicksville School District for at least 18 years. My wife and I are both on Social Security and our income is low. So for the sake of those folks (parents Chris Connors, Janet O’Connell or others) that are dismayed at the class size of first grade, let them take their kids to private school.
Our community is populated with seniors and school-aged children are not abundant. Long Island is expensive and seniors are moving away for more reasonable living. Hopefully when this population, leaves and/or dies off, you can have your smaller class sizes but at a price.
Take a look at jobs. Take a look at home sales and prices. Take a look at foreclosures. We are not living in an entitlement environment in Hicksville. You want it, pay for it!
Peter G. Kraeker
Hicksville resident
