More Sanity on School Budgets

Letters to the editor of the local rag show that those who voted against many budgets weren't doing so because they were anti-education, just pro-sanity. This one makes a good point:

I am a senior citizen and Lakeland school taxpayer, no doubt like many others in the school district. The bureaucracy of the school board and the administration is outrageous. Last year the school budget was $97 million and this year, $116 million.

I have a couple of suggestions that would impact the school budget significantly. We as taxpayers support two high schools — Lakeland in Shrub Oak and Walter Panas on the border of Peekskill. How about redistricting? The state Legislature did it with no problems. The savings would be substantial — could be 50 percent or more! How about outsourcing the bus transportation system? Other schools have done it with no problems — Chappaqua, Yorktown, Peekskill and Ossining. There no doubt would be tremendous savings.

Consolidate? Outsource? Political suicide-no board would go for it. So sad! So taxpayers must foor a whopping 20% increase levied on them by a board that would last 2 weeks in the business world. Another reasonable question:

Why can't districts learn to economize?

Recently, we read that the majority of the school budget proposals were passed. The increase for Pleasantville was in excess of 10 percent. When additional funds are come by so easily, it takes away the incentive to stretch the money to get the most out of it. It seems the only ones budgeting are the taxpayers. We do not have the option of proposing how much money we want. We have to make do with what we have regardless of our increased living expenses.

Because it is political suicide for a board to even suggest that faculty have less than a Mercedes Benz health plan, that text books not be spanking new, or to ever reconcile frugality with the best interests of children. So after we give these kids a pricey education, they move to Texas, Arizona, or the Carolinas, where they can afford to live.

Comments

[gratefullyplanned]

I couldn't agree with you more about the assine ways our schools operate. I'm in a famous red state and the buracracy is bull. However, I feel you point about health insurance isn't a good place to start. Our teachers are extremely under valued in this country, which is unfortunate. I think everyone who participates on this blog can think of a teacher or two who have profoundly impacted their life.

To be realisitic, the rebuplican party owns school boards across the country. Start taking action within the party ranks to see real change. The republican party stands for fiscal responsibility, which includes our schools.

[Dee]

gratefullyplanned, I respectfully beg to differ with your assertion that "the republican party owns school boards across the country." On the contrary, from every news article I've read spanning our nation on this subject, the majority of school boards are profoundly liberal and unabashedly politically correct.

I live on the "left coast" and school boards here make the most assinine decisions when it comes to quality and standard of education (nil), birth control (as much as you like), parental notification (none), sex education (over the top), school dress (anything goes)...the list is endless.