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Post by hightax on Jun 17, 2008 21:54:53 GMT -5
I was there and 300 people did not speak. The NO votes numbers speak volume. The BOE did not listen to the people.
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Post by taxed2death on Jun 17, 2008 21:58:01 GMT -5
Hightax: I get it and found this revote a loose/loose situation, so I decided for the $240-$300 to suck it up and vote yes because in the end we would loose more. I was quite annoyed that the BOE did not take its cue from the first vote and bring down the budget ever so slightly to show some respect. I have expressed that on this board previously. Yes I'm very disappointed that the BOE is not representing the community when they see a community response as we had in the first vote. However, as I said earlier -- taking our BOE frustration out at the polls only bites our noses to spite our face. In the end it's the kids that pay the price with a school system that doesn't provide them with the advantages that it should, and the homeowners who also suffer because the Wantagh district had been attractive for its school district, and no longer has that strength of it school system. Let me make this clear, yes I am fed up with high taxes and yes the BOE/Admin need to start changing their thinking, I just think that the time to do that is in Sept when we can try to make productive well thought out changes, instead of slamming the kids with disappointment. I think its great that my kids and so many kids I know love to go to school and be invovled and whether right or wrong the end result is that they are the first to be impacted by austerity.
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Post by hightax on Jun 17, 2008 22:01:44 GMT -5
forestlakermomof2 - Bravo! That is the exact attitude an excellent teacher should have. I just wish more teachers were like you.
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Post by hightax on Jun 17, 2008 22:10:43 GMT -5
taxed2death - If the budget was passed the BOE would not have to listen to anything we say in Sept because they would have had their passed budget. A passed budget would have inflated the heads of some of the members of the BOE and Administration. Enfrocing their belief that they can do no wrong and the people will do as they say.
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Post by taxed2death on Jun 17, 2008 22:11:54 GMT -5
Hightax: Yes and I also agree that if the BOE doesn't listen to the people it's time to go. Unfortunately this budget vote was not about them, it was about going on austerity or not. We did not get to vote for any opponents in the past vote. If you noticed the total # of votes in the May vote vs the # of votes for the BOE, the difference I perceived as a large number of no votes which had no other option so decided not to cast a BOE vote. I hope that we can see some new candidates with strong business backgrounds step up to the plate for the next BOE vote. I hope that the No voters will get involved and help offer solutions so that we are not in this situation next year or thereafter.
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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 17, 2008 22:14:21 GMT -5
knalb,The population of people who spoke out for a revote was very limited. Not every resident was aware of the meeting- the board and admin sent the notice to PTA, SEPTA, BAC members. They admitted that they don't have a list of every resident in the community. Therefore, the majority of people at the meeting were those that the board knew would support a revote. I don't think our kids will suffer if there are fewer clerks in the district or fewer administrators. Will Dr. B give up his raise? Maybe we can do without so many dept. heads who teach only 1 or 2 classes, if at all. Let's see who is for the kids and who is for themselves.
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Post by taxed2death on Jun 17, 2008 22:19:26 GMT -5
HighTax- Since we are now in this situation, I hope you are right. Unfortunately since we are dealing with a level of arrogance (proved by the revote of the same budget) my fear is that the mentality will be to make austerity so unbearable that nobody would dare to vote no again. My hope had been, and perhaps just positive thinking that a passed budget after the failed budget has already gotten more folks involved and this would carry thru to Sept where everyone would make tough choices earlier in the process in order to avoid this last minute nightmare. Time will tell. Shorterm -- I hope we can do something quick to ensure sport, activiities, clubs that are in jeopardy, and longterm -- move mountains to change the traditional thinking of the educational bureacracy that has not changed over time.
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Post by wantagh mom on Jun 17, 2008 22:21:55 GMT -5
July 1st is the next board of ed meeting and reorganization meeting at 8pm.
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Post by taxed2death on Jun 17, 2008 22:26:14 GMT -5
What exactly does "reorganization" meeting mean? Is this the meeting where they work on the budget cuts? If so, does the public get to weigh in? I'd like to see the BAC recommendation list re-evaluated before any major cuts are determined.
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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 17, 2008 22:30:43 GMT -5
The meeting on July 1 is to determine who the president and vice-president of the board will be for next year. Regular BOE meetings are not always the best place to bring up issues. The board always adjourns the meeting before taking questions from the audience. The comments are not part of the record. This practice has been going on for many years, and I have been told it will never change. ( arrogance?)
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Post by wantagh mom on Jun 17, 2008 22:34:41 GMT -5
The next meeting after that is on August 21st at 8:00 pm
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Post by apple5 on Jun 17, 2008 22:35:04 GMT -5
dotherightthing- I agree with you 100%. We are top heavy, and compared to other "blue ribbon" schools we are not up to par. I hope things change, I do not like to think that our kids are going to suffer because of greed.
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Post by taxed2death on Jun 17, 2008 22:39:06 GMT -5
When do the budget cut decisions get made? And how does that process work?
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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 17, 2008 22:43:29 GMT -5
The BOE and Admin. will have executive committee meetings to determine what will be cut. These are usually not open to the public.
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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 17, 2008 22:48:21 GMT -5
Next year only one current BOE trustee position will be voted on. Maybe the community would want to place a referendum on the ballot to expand the number of trustees from 5 to 7.
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