Should local school districts facing budget crises seek to exceed the 2 percent tax cap or cut more spending?

" Teachers’ hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year. It’s time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do – babysit. We can get that for less than minimum wage.

That’s right. Let’s give them $3 an hour and only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school. That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan– that equals 6 1/2 hours).

Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now how many students do they teach in a day…maybe 30? So that’s $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day.

However, remember they only work 180 days a year. I am not going to pay them for any vacations.

LET’S SEE…That’s $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on. My calculator needs new batteries.)

What about those special education teachers and the ones with master’s degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to b

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sorry about the abrupt ending ...my closing was in part ..seems we always target teachers

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first wrote this letter in 2005, sad that this concept never caught on, very sad ...

As I see children suffer from school budget cuts … and growing concerns over about property tax rates, especially for the elderly, I think it is high time we change the way we oversee our schools. Other states use one administrator per county, why don’t we do that in NYS? The savings would be astronomical! Have a well compensated individual hired through the, already in place, “BOCES” system and one board make decisions county wide. How much difference is there really in our textbooks, athletic policies, hiring practices and rules of discipline?

No one need be terminated; it could be accomplished through attrition. Furthermore, are there other areas that could be consolidated; assistant superintendents, special education departments, financial personnel, transportation directors, food service administrators, savings through increased purchasing power? Seems we always “target

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Another simple solution that will never happen...add two more states to the United States...Puerto Rico and Long Island...anything south of Newburgh now becomes the new state of Long Island...leave us non NYC, mostly conservative (Republican and Democrat) folks alone!

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(To continue) The tax formula and aid process is skewed towards the large school districts and city school districts downstate. I am afraid that within the next few years, you are going to see schools in our area closing and our kids will be sent to schools that could be an hour or hour and a half away. I for one don't want to see this happen.

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Wells Central School is one of the rural schools that is being hurt by the tax formula. Wells is considered a "rich" district by the state because of the Adirondack park. The park land is not taxed like private property, but Wells is considered land rich. They are compared to schools like Lake George (which has a lot more revenue generated by the businesses there) and school districts on Long Island. Tell me how Wells and other schools in Hamilton County compare to these business and industry rich areas? Teachers at Wells did take a pay freeze as well as the Superintendent. It is possible that Wells will be tutioning its high school students out to other school districts within a couple of years. While I think that distance learning is a wonderful thing, you have to pay to have the program and the equipment to do so. Wells has been doing this for years. Colleges and universities want well rounded students and with out the extracurriculars and sports you will not have this. T

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Does anyone know how much money the local school districs have received from the NYS lottery. I thought they were supposed to distribute funds throughtout the state schools?

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I sum it up this way, it is said that the education of "our" children is a community responsibility so lets make sure that the responsibility is spread evenly across the community and not just on the backs of home owners. Home ownership doe not equate to being financially wealthy, especially in a community that has the highest poverty rate in the state.

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And now folks, we ride off into the sunset, hoping tomorrow will bring us another leader-herald brain teazer.

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I would say the poll is making a point, and a very clear one indeed...taxpayers are drained and they have had enough. Exceeding the tax cap is not an opition they can afford. Cut away.

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(insert Merry Melodies tune)This is the part where Pepe LePew bounces off into the sunset while saying "When you are a skunk, you learn how to hold your breath for a long time." thththatsssall folks

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nice poll, lol...have a good night...

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Forgot to add, READ the the poll!!!!

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It's been fun Laker88!!

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You don't have to go to a news network to see how upstate rural school districts are getting shafted by the state aid formula, while the downstate and affluent districts are benefiting. But once again, that's where all the votes are...

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Sigh...just one more time notgood...if you read my posts,the poll has nothing to do with the point I was making.

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Lets see laker, where do you get your info from? MSNBC, CNN or some liberal news paper all one sided. Really! I do listen to all even fox and none of them really tell the truth! I have learned to look at all sides.

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Look at the poll, people like you are out of contol, Thank you!

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notgood...read my post on the other article. You honestly don't realize how the state is putting the screws to upstate rural districts and taxpayers??

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Laker88 where are you? I'll bet you are apart of the 32%!!

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Good points revoltnow, I'm pi***d too and don't even live there. B-P district is a good example of a bad outcome. My kids bolted for Education and greener pastures after High School too. However, like many, they became boomerangs. (Now I keep the doors locked and make believe we're not home!!)HeeHee.

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last year my wife and I drove X country on vacation.. (while we can still afford too) not that i saw everything. but i did see the same OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING from the local level. right here in Broadalbin-perth the schools combined. said it was to modernize how we educate our kids along with cutting school taxes. and we know how that went. might be good for the few. but how many families fall apart when we gear up our kid's to pack there bag's and run right after we EDUCATE YOU. where the benefit to the community? when i actually see economic groath from the high cost of education.. i'll agree it should cost us anything at all. does anybody remember the crap they sold state sponsored gambling to us??? like it was gonna do away with school taxes all together??

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The only answer is to move as soon as retirement comes. Cuomo may mean well but the dull witted local pols have no clue, the unions own the schools, and nothing will really improve.

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Taxedtoomuch - Good questions. Where will the money come from? I work in the private sector and have not had a raise in over 3 years. No one has at my place of work. But our health insurance premiums have increased, our deductibles and co-pays have increased, we are all working harder due to lay-offs. Now plop on increased taxes, rising gas costs which will cause groceries to continue to increase, contributing to our pensions...yes, where will the money come from? All that "fluff" is wonderful to offer the students in good times, but EVERYONE is struggling now. It's time to cut ... and cut deep!

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Hey Taxedtoomuch, get with the program!! Turbo-Tax Timmy G. says you gotta pony up more for the privilege of living here. Must be true 'cause the Fed. said so. (extreme sarc.)

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