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Letters to the Editor: When is enough, enough?

April 16, 2013

To the Editor:
While I support education and am personally aware that Cornwall is a quality school district, I cannot support the school budget as presented, at 4.47%, which is over the tax cap.

Once again, we the taxpayers have no idea what is in the budget. The district has to do a better job of sharing what is really there, allowing the residents to see a line-by-line budget well before they approve it. SBAC doesn’t even see the full budget yet they are supposed to “advise” the Board. The actual contents of the budget will not be made available to the public until May 3rd. If I want to see the documents at that point, I have to go to the Library. The school board asks for input, but gives us no information other than total figures. This practice has to change.

The perception by some that it is up to the school district to provide after school activities for children to keep them safe and off the streets, is somewhat confusing to me. Everything continues to go up, and while the allowable tax cap is still high, the Board of Education needed to get to that cap instead of telling me, once again, “it’s only $450 more a year…”.

When is enough, enough? The school board, while supporting education, also has to support the taxpayers and work to achieve a better balance of both.

Nancy Bryan
Cornwall

Comments:

Nothing new here.

Smoke and mirrors provided at taxpayer expense via the School Board.

How many can afford a 4.47% inflation in a <2% growth economy?

Must be nice.


posted by Doug Cooper on 04/17/13 at 12:19 PM

Only way to stop it is to get out and vote May 21. Turnout is low each year.


posted by Tony Smith on 04/18/13 at 3:01 PM

Perhaps taxes could be lowered by reducing the number of administrators earning in excess of $100,000 a year to be assistant principals. With benefits, that increases the line item to almost $150,000 per AP. Eliminate a few layers of administration and the budget might come in under the cap.


posted by Jennifer McCabe on 04/18/13 at 10:15 PM

Perhaps a few less $50.00 ties from Land's End...


posted by Jack Brennan on 04/22/13 at 1:29 PM

Seriously, is the budget a public document or not? If it is, springing it on the tax payers at the last minute is in very bad faith and the tactic of a 10 year old. The public pays the bills, and therefore should have access to the entire process. It's obvious that we need to know which items are being proposed for the budget. Finally, a good hard look at "mandates" would help, too.


posted by Jack Brennan on 04/23/13 at 3:38 PM

The public does have access to the entire process. Show up to the meeting. I saw the entire process. AND the mandates suck. However they are mandates from the STATE not the district and they not only are mandates but they are UNFUNDED by the state.


posted by Nicole Roby on 05/26/13 at 9:42 AM

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