2014 Budget and Board of Election vote

The annual budget vote and board election will be held on Tuesday, May 20 from 9AM to 9PM in the MED gym.

I attended the budget hearing on Tuesday (as well as a number of other budget presentations). The budget, which I support, calls for an increase in the tax levy of .66%, just a hair below the NYS tax cap for the district. If the budget is defeated, a revised budget can be proposed, or a contingency budget can be proposed. If the budget is defeated a second time, the board must adopt a contingency budget which requires the tax levy to be the same as last year, i.e., no increase in the levy at all.

A contingency budget limits certain types of spending and reduces the ability of the board to fund specified projects and programs while requiring the funding of others.

The board election has 8 candidates running for 4 open seats. I attended the candidates’ forum Thursday night in which each candidate was asked to respond to each of 8 questions in the League of Women Voters format. Here are my recommendations:

Jim Marks and Gail Day (both incumbents running for re-election). I have dealt with them over the past few years and while I don’t always agree with their positions, they are dedicated and hard-working board members.

 Ed Knight (incumbent running for re-election). He was appointed to fill an unexpired term. He has been relatively quiet at board meetings (as a new board member still feeling his way) but he handled himself well at the forum.

 Ted Miner. I think the board needs some diversity and Ted will bring that. He has some unusual and occasionally out-of-the-box ideas (along with a somewhat unique style of delivery) that I hope will stimulate the type of debate and consideration  that I have rarely seen at board meetings, and whose lack is and has been, in my opinion, a weakness of the board.

 

In summary:

 Budget: vote YES

Board election: Marks, Day, Knight, Miner