Letters to the Editor: East Rockaway and Lynbrook

Vote ‘yes’ on Lynbrook’s school budget

To the Editor:
This year, the Lynbrook School District is proposing a school budget with an increase of 2.156 percent over last year’s budget — the lowest school budget increase in the past decade. What does this mean for the taxpayers?

The average dollar increase in taxes is anticipated to be a little more than the price of a pizza, or $16.33 per month. The budget supports the integrity of our school district yet takes into account the fiscal and governmental reality at the state level.
At the same time that the budget process was moving forward, the teacher’s union was negotiating their contract with the administration. They were able to reach an agreement which enabled the district to keep the budget under the governor’s newly-enacted tax cap for the 2012-13 school year. The subsequent years of the contract also fall in line with the demands of the tax cap with regard to both salary increases and increased employee contributions to benefits. It was a true sign of cooperation between the parties and reflects a mutual understanding of the economic climate.

There will also be several propositions presented to the voters that will enable the district to fund necessary technology and capital improvement projects around the district (For details of all the propositions see the district website at lynbrook.k12.ny.us.).

The PTAs in each school building, along with SEPTA, support the budget and all of the propositions as presented and encourage voters to do the same. Let’s keep our district moving forward. We encourage everyone to come out and vote in favor of the budget and the propositions on May 15.

The Lynbrook Council of PTAs

Vote ‘no’ onEast Rockaway school budget

To the Editor:
East Rockaway SD No. 19 is among the lowest performing school districts in Nassau County in student achievement. When compared to our neighbors, East Rockaway is at the bottom of the barrel. Yet Superintendent Dr. Roseanne Melucci and school board add insult to injury by proposing a 2.26 percent raise in school taxes.
Will an increase of school taxes reverse poor student achievement? Will an increase in school taxes increase the value of homes in our district? Could a budget have been proposed that reduced school taxes without compromising the academic program? The answers to the first two questions are a definite and incontrovertible no. The answer to the third question is without a doubt, yes. I attended two advisory budget committee meetings after concluding that the superintendent had no interest in lowering taxes. Any suggestion I tried to make met with a response that “this was not the time.” The time, it turns out, was never. The decision had already been made. Acting fiscally responsible was off the table. The question was simply how much would taxes be raised.

The failures of the superintendent and school board are so egregious that East Rockaway residents should send a strong message: vote ‘no’ on May 15 to the proposed school budget increases.

Rejecting the proposed budget should only be the first step. Replacing the superintendent and school board should be the next.

Steven S. Corbin
East Rockaway

Vote for Abbott-Cooper for school board

To the Editor:

I attended the East Rockaway school district candidates forum last night and I am writing to endorse Michaelene Abbott-Cooper for another term as school board trustee.

While I believe that both candidates have a lot to offer, by Mr. John Gianotti's own admission he hasn't attended many school board meetings, did not join the Budget Advisory Committee and didn't attend the budget hearing. I would think that someone who had already put his petition in for trustee would have attended these meetings to familiarize himself with the issues, facts and atmosphere of the school district.

It seemed that most of his answers, comments and opinions were gleaned from the Princeton Plan feasibility meetings and playground commentary.

In my last term  of the fifteen years I spent on the board, three of the five board members had a total of 45-plus years experience and were all former PTA presidents. This might sound like too much status-quo for some people, but it offered the fairly new incoming administration a good amount of perspective and history. Although no board is free of mistakes and controversy, its more likely when you have high turnover.

While admirable for Mr. Gianotti to run for trustee when his children are so young, but I would prefer a candidate who has been more directly involved with the functioning of the school district before joining the Board.

I worked with Michaelene Abbott-Cooper on the East Rockaway Education Foundation. At a time when we were gasping for breath, she came in and resuscitated us. I'm not being dramatic: her energy was contagious and the organization, which might have failed is now more viable and active than ever.

Michaelene has proven herself to be willing to listen, reach consensus, learn and work really hard to be a better board member. The learning curve is huge. I believe that her dedication, energy and spirit is exactly what this school district needs at this time.

Vicki Alspector
Lynbrook/East Rockaway

Let's pass the East Rockaway school budget plan!

To the Editor:

I grew up in a small, rural Massachusetts town that would probably be best classified as lower-middle class. Proposition two and a half was passed when I was eight and went into effect when I was ten. Art and music instruction in my elementary school (already limited prior) essentially disappeared. I did not have access to foreign language study or school athletics until I was in high school.

I went on to do rather well for myself, but often times wonder how my life would have been different had I had access to more experiences. I consider myself fortunate to currently live in a region that has highly valued quality public education for generations.

Now, I am forty years old with children of my own just entering the school system. I hope current political and economic challenges do not jeopardize this excellence. Back in May of 2008, before the 2 percent tax levy cap was passed, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities published a report titled "New York Shouldn't Look to Massachusetts as a Model for Property Tax Reform." More recently, in June of 2011, Frank Mauro from the Fiscal Policy Institute released Proposed New York property tax cap is much more restrictive than the Massachusetts cap after which it is supposedly modeled.

Public education has been taking a pounding in the national press as we hear report after report of failing students, ineffective teachers, and inadequately performing public schools. Sadly, this rhetoric drowns out our local reality. If Long Island were a state it would rank first in the nation in graduation rate. Long Island also boasts having more Intel Science semi- finalists (61) than any other state (California is second with 40).

This success has been achieved because local districts have had the power to make their own decisions for the betterment of their communities. New York’s 2 percent tax levy cap is a threat to local control. It allows for a minority (40 percent) of the voters) to vote down a school budget that is determined to be in the best interest of the schools by our locally elected school board representatives, if it exceeds the tax cap.

Adequately funded schools provide greater opportunities for our children, offer safety and stability in our neighborhoods, and help maintain property values. Supporting the school budget is a wise investment for all members of our communities.

On May 15, I encourage everyone to go out and support your local school budgets. Encourage friends, neighbors, and family members to vote. Let’s pass our budgets by more than 60 percent and send a message to Albany that they can’t take away our local control — that they can’t hinder our ability to provide the opportunities we want for our children.


Keith Gamache
East Rockaway

LaRocco was a ‘model human being’

To the Editor:
The news of Joe LaRocco’s passing is not only sad, but it amounts to a tremendous loss of a model human being (“‘One of the last Mohicans’ dies,” May 3-9).
Joe set the standard for what a decent, reliable, dependable, and loyal friend is all about.  He and his wife, Alberta, have been a treasure and an inspiration for all of us who had the pleasure to befriend them.  Joe was the inspiration behind so many good works that benefited Our Lady of Peace parish, the community of Lynbrook and its residents. He was loved, and he will be sorely missed.

Gene and Virginia Scarpato
Formerly of Lynbrook