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E-Mail recently sent around by a town resident. - our comments in red:
Hello Friends,
I've done a lot of research over the past week about the Bedford Central School District Budget Vote next Tuesday May 18th. I am in agreement with the GetOutTheVote Committee so I'm planning to vote "yes" for the budget, and I'm hoping you'll allow me to tell you why.......
1. The current budget proposes a 1.70% increase in expenditures (Not True) equalling a 1.54% tax levy increase (True). By town, this translates to:
Town Actual 2009-10 Estimated 2010-11 2-Yr Avg. Change Bedford -3.26% +4.45% +0.60% Mt. Kisco -0.35% +1.82% +0.74% Pound Ridge -0.32% -2.27% -1.30% New Castle -3.12% +0.83% -1.15% North Castle +0.88% +1.90% +1.39% Most of our district costs are state controlled and out of our hands, yet we only receive 5% of our funding from the state. Not True. 70%+ of our budget is teacher union costs - we negotiate the contract - we pay the taxes, we control this issue not the state. 2. If this budget is defeated, we will most likely go straight to a contingency budget. Despite what you think, taxes will still go up 1%, so for a difference of half a percent, we lose control of our spending, cut more teachers and programs and Albany MANDATES how we spend our money in this district. Not True. We control the cuts, not Albany. Albany has a set formula for the total budget we select what gets funded. An additional $2M in cuts will be made. Our schools and children will loose academic and support positions, enrichment programs, elementary band, library services to name a few. 3. A "no" vote for the budget sends the wrong message to the Teachers Union. The School Board's proposal to the Union for the new teacher contract includes asking for a greater contribution to healthcare. It slows the direction of salary increases and offers innovative concessions on staff evaluations and performance reviews. A "no" vote for the budget says we side with the union in these negotiations, not with the Board of Ed!!! To send a message to the Teachers Union, email Adam Yuro, President of the BTA at ayuro1191@bcsdny.org and copy Dr. Hochman at jhochman2785@bcsdny.org. We can love our teachers and still ask for concessions from the union at the same time! 4. 70% of the voters in this district do not currently have kids in the public school, either their children are grown or in private schools. It is so important that every voice is heard by the school board. All adults in your household need to vote on Tuesday, May 18th!!! Complete budget information can be found on Bedford website www.bedford.k12.ny.us/district.cfm?subpage=9619 PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION FOR OUR CHILDREN, don't lose sight of that when looking at the numbers. Bedford Central School District Teachers' 2007-2008 Salary Schedule Step BA BA30 BA60 MA MA30 MA60 PHD* 1 56,297 58,170 60,042 59,369 62,237 65,104 66,076 2 58,047 59,917 61,792 61,118 63,986 66,853 67,824 3 60,749 62,620 64,490 63,817 66,685 69,554 70,525 4 62,272 64,142 66,011 65,341 68,205 71,077 72,047 5 64,263 66,133 68,005 67,333 70,200 73,066 74,040 6 66,678 68,549 70,420 69,749 72,616 75,483 76,452 7 69,750 71,620 73,491 72,819 75,686 78,555 79,527 8 73,054 74,924 76,796 76,121 78,993 81,858 82,831 9 76,788 78,661 80,531 79,860 82,725 85,596 86,566 10 80,582 82,454 84,325 83,652 86,519 89,390 90,358 11 84,334 86,207 88,076 87,405 90,271 93,132 94,105 12 87,961 89,834 91,704 91,032 93,899 96,768 97,737 13 91,658 93,528 95,401 94,727 97,595 100,461 101,435 14 95,322 96,573 99,278 98,304 102,589 107,065 108,236 15 105,809 107,400 110,247 109,139 113,407 118,023 119,206 Scarsdale Teachers Vote to reduce pay increase Our good friend Scott Johnston has started a blog with items of interest to Bedford residents. Bedford Central School District highlighted in Wall Street Journal Article NY Times article about teachers taking cuts all around NY - but not in Bedford Forbes.Com Article on Westchester -
The dirty little secret is that the budget increase when compared to prior years expenditures is approximately 5.7%. They took this year’s under spending in medical and rolled it forward into next year’s budget in order to lower the increase (see the Wall Street Journal article) – thus kicking the can down the road.
True
Not True. What gets cut is up to the board, maybe they will cut adminstration and staff and not teachers - what a novel idea!
This is childish. We are at impasse. The union has rejected all of the board's propsals. This is not an afternoon tea, this is hardball union tactics at work.
Great Idea - do it!
Let 30% of the population drive 100% of the taxes.
I agree. Quality education - at a resonable cost.
Pay Table for Teacher's in the Bedford Central School District
Work 10 months of the year, great health care and a job for life.
Example: College Degree BA, Second Grade Teacher, 10 years in district - First column row 10. BA30 is a college degree with 30 credits towards an MA.
Plus you get paid for any lunchroom duty, sports or afterschool activity.
Download a copy of the Union Contract or other important information
Record Review Endorses Mike Solomon - "He gets it"
Nassau County Executive Endorses Mike Solomon
Letters from Record Review about Mike Solomon
Letter from Finance Comm. member endorsing Mike Solomon
Last night three of our current school board members abused the power of their office.
Susan Wollin, Donna Marino and Paula Kumar should apologize for their poor behavior at the recent candidate’s night.
Sitting board members should not attack candidates in an open forum on a TV channel controlled by Board on which they sit.
Patch article about candidate night
Watch the video of the candidate's night
Kumar 25 min and 16 sec into the video
Marino: 28:14
Our President Wollin at 36:16
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We highly recommend you visit the site on a regular basis:
http://saneinbedford.blogspot.com/
"Commission For Tax Relief" for the summary report - click here
Westchester has the Highest Real Estate Taxes in the nation - Read the Governor's report here
Special Ed and Taxes from the Governor's Commission
Read about the cost to our state from mandates and other issues - written by the NYS School Boards Assoc. - Great Read
Where Americans Pay Most In Property Taxes
