Valley Stream residents, school officials share their concerns

The Valley Stream Council of PTAs hosted its 15th annual legislative breakfast on March 12 at Memorial Junior High School. Several dozen attendees enjoyed a continental breakfast prepared by the Central High School District Culinary Institute and featured entertainment by the North High School Breakfast Club. Legislators, school officials and community members addressed a number of issues facing schools.

“We are living in a time on Long Island where there are serious threats to life that are becoming real,” said Marijo Sensale, the council’s first vice president. “We recognize that taxes need to be reduced and we are so thankful and proud of our county schools that are great…we educate our children and quite often the cost is high.”

Sensale added that state aid is a necessary source of revenue and that cuts jeopardize programs. She urged legislators to continue looking at state aid and mandate relief. “We are counting on you to help us and we want you to know how much we appreciate you,” she said.

Each legislator — Assemblyman Brian Curran, Sen. Dean Skelos, Nassau County legislators John Ciotti and Francis Becker, town Councilman James Darcy and village representative Ken Heino — gave three-minute introductory statements. Darcy said that he is ready to fight in this “tough battle for Long Island to get their fair share.”

Curran discussed what the tough economic times and the $10 billion state budget deficit means for local communities. “Now, we have to figure out how to provide the best education to our kids that we can,” he said. “We are here today to work together on a variety of issues, the property tax cap, getting the best mandate relief and tax reform to come up with a solution.”

Skelos explained that the budget process needs balance, noting that people do not want higher taxes, but more job security. The senate will have to work with Gov. Andrew Cuomo to finalize a budget by April 1, he said.

Ciotti said that his top priority is to ensure there are quality youth programs. He noted that the legislature has put more police on the streets to protect communities.