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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 17, 2008 22:53:34 GMT -5
Another area for savings is transportation. Wantagh's guideline for getting a bus is much lower than the state maximums. Mr. Christie feels that we could save " around $2,00,000 " if we bused fewer kids. I know that some people don't want to lose anything , but if you look at some of the buses they are less than half full. Many parents drive their children to school, even if they are eligible for a bus. This won't help for the current budget , but these are the types of things that we should look at next year.
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Post by hightax on Jun 18, 2008 6:13:54 GMT -5
dotherightthing1 - I do not think you need a referendum. I think the request can be made at a meetng by a majority vote of the qualified voters present and voting to be ascertained by taking and recording the ayes and noes.
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Post by concerned on Jun 18, 2008 6:17:47 GMT -5
Perhaps, instead of thinking this as a doomed school year, start thinking of creative ways around cuts that will be made. Our kids have been very lucky in this town. A lot is given to them because it's just the norm. Now is the time to not sit back and say how horrible things will be but to think of ways to make things positive for your child. Sure it's a hassle to drive your child to school but it's not the end of the world! For the person that thinks that college applications will not have any extra curricular activities on them so their kids will not be getting the same 'chances' as kids from other schools, you're wrong. We survived the failed budget of the 1980's and our kids actually got creative in their thinking. They volunteered in the community and other communities, they joined outside teams. Many kids actually liked the fact that they realize that they can do things outside of the school and that puts them as more unique than just doing activities at the school. My kids went to top notch universities with their 'creative' efforts filling in those blanks on the applications! We also survived no transportation. There are things in life that you just have to deal with once the cards are handed out. Whether you voted yes or no, there should be no name calling (YES, I have heard plenty from BOTH sides). Everyone's circumstances are different and everyone has a right to vote accordingly. Let's move ahead.
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Post by idea2004 on Jun 18, 2008 7:10:18 GMT -5
Halo how would you like to tell your child yes you can learn after there teacher and asst superintendent told them that they CAN NOT LEARN AND COMPARED THEM TO A CHILD OF DOWN SYNDROME that happened right here in wantagh with the current staff Everyone is concerned about money and the children not getting sports and clubs what about reading and math some kids don't get help in that I asked before and I will ask again maybe someone will answer HOM MUCH MONEY IS SPENT ON LAW SUITS !!!! Lets ask Mr Christie that and see if you can find a place where money is wasted they spend more on legal services that what the services cost Find the number and post it here on the board ! THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN TWICE STOP YHE MADNESS AND THE WASTE WE WANT MORE FOR OUR DOLLAR THAN WHAT WERE ARE GETTING
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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 18, 2008 7:30:57 GMT -5
hightax, I have been told by both Mr. Wizotsky and Mr. Christie that a referendum would have to go on the ballot to be voted on by the community , for both changing the busing distance and changing the number of trustee on the BOE. If this is wrong, please find a link or other resource- the transportation issue is just one idea- let's be creative and find ways to save money without severely impacting the kids.
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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 18, 2008 7:32:56 GMT -5
concerned, Great post!
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Post by wantagh mom on Jun 18, 2008 7:33:05 GMT -5
Now that the voting is behind us everyone needs to come together as a community and try to do what ever they can to help these kids keep their after school programs. Arguing your views in no longer necessary and is a waste of energy. You proved your point to the board and now its time to stand up for what you believe in and not let the kids in the community down . That is your reasoning for voting it down.( That the board cares more about admin than our kids, lets see how much our no voters care about our kids as well) I hope our town is up for the challenge. We have a long haul ahead of us. I am ready to volunteer and help out as much as possible. Who is with me???
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Post by vetmann on Jun 18, 2008 7:35:15 GMT -5
dotherightthing1, I think you are right. I brought this up at BAC and was told it needed to be on the ballot and voted on .
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Post by dotherightthing1 on Jun 18, 2008 7:39:16 GMT -5
wantaghma, I voted no and I care about the kids. It IS the BOE responsibility to find the funds in this budget to continue the programs we want. It is premature to discuss volunteering and fund raising when the BOE has not decided where it will cut.
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Post by lilly on Jun 18, 2008 8:51:15 GMT -5
For whatever parent that said this failed budget was the most painful thing in your child's life so far, consider yourselves lucky and tell your child that. Unfortunately, my kids have experienced more pain in life than this. Yes, this failed budget stinks - no doubt about it. Finger pointing at this point is a negative waste of energy bc we *have* to all pull together. Stop it and suck it up for the kids. I hope that we do. For my kids, I'm going to go with everything in life is a learning experience and when life gives you lemons you try to make lemonade.
We need information, an inventory & assessment of where we are and a postmortem, hopefully all with some common sense attached.
In terms of information, what will the BOE tell us & when since the board meetings regarding cuts seem to be closed door executive planning sessions? Is there any chance the community can get involved with that? How do we find that out? Until we know the BOE's exact plans, we can't make some of our own. Where is sportsbooster and his shameless booster club self-promotion - we will need him.
On the plus side, we do have great teachers. What are their thoughts? Maybe we can also benefit from our community 'elders' (apologies for the choice of words if that offends) who lived through this with their kids. Although different times, what were their lessons learned and how did they get the kids through the school year?
We need someone to look at the common sense aspect of how we got to where we are.
We have a district that prides themselves on special ed offerings yet there remains dissatisfied parents and increasing lawsuits that costs $ and impacts ALL of our children? How and why?
With this failed budget, we have 9 year old computers in the secondary complex and technology is much more limited as a regular teaching tool than other districts. Textbook replacement is a joke. Until this proposed budget, we had no plans for for regular investment in these areas. With this failed budget, what does that mean? We'll get to be 15+ years behind the times? How much do things like that mean to us as a community?
Given the failed first vote, our politicians didn't make it to the Memorial Day parade? How & why? What exactly is on their minds with regard to Wantagh besides political survival? We can speculate all we want but we need to find out for sure.
Who are we as a community? Even at this increased budget, there were cuts to kids where we seemed to place value on one type of kid versus another? What do we want to stand for?
In a town of sports enthusiasts, we will have a new gym and field with no one to play on it?
I like what concerned and other parents suggested. Time to figure this out and move on. I'm willing to help. And I said this at the last failed budget, you will see my non-sports kids washing cars at the countless fundraisers that will happen. I hope the community responds in kind for the other types of kids we have. And I hope we'll make lemonade out of lemons somehow.
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Post by voteno on Jun 18, 2008 9:09:06 GMT -5
lilly, you mention 9 yr old computers and old textbooks. you are right except you are not asking the question of HOW did we get so behind when we have passed budgets for years? doesnt this tell you something about the way our money is spent? i am not mocking you..i think you make good points,but we need to understand that all these years of a "vote for your kids" has not truly been so.
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Post by parentinwantagh on Jun 18, 2008 9:14:34 GMT -5
Lilly so wonderfully stated. It is what it is; and finger pointing will not change the results. Let's use this as a lesson to teach our children that not everything in life will be handed to them; at times in life people have to fight for what they believe. "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade"
And I am sorry to hear that your children had to experience a painful life changing experience.
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Post by realist on Jun 18, 2008 9:57:33 GMT -5
lily -9 yr old computers and old textbooks! EVERYONE SHOULD READ THAT AGAIN! that is criminal considering the millions and millions of dollars in these budgets over the years! that is one of the reasons this was voted down. has anyone looked really looked at the pavement in the H.S. lot in the front of the building???i look at it and shake my head wondering where all the money is going. you may say pavement who cares about that but to me it is INDICATIVE of the misapplication of funds! and i think the MISAPPLICATION of funds over the YEARS is why the residents are so upset. that H.S. should look beautiful instead it looks dilapidated.
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Post by lulubell on Jun 18, 2008 11:56:21 GMT -5
Lily, I commend you on your positive attitude! Would you consider running for the BOE or can you join the BAC? We need more people like you....educated, well spoken, and has a positive attitude that understands both sides of the issues!!!
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Post by coacheswife on Jun 18, 2008 13:02:20 GMT -5
I personally voted for the budget but not for any members. I think that if the voting results would have been as follows they would have gotten a better message. Just because they are on the ballot does not mean you have to vote for them. Yes, they would still be in office but they would not be so confident that their way is the only way.
Pass 1566 Fail 1692 Cucci 100 (or less) Sturniolo 100 (or less)
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