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SCHOOLS
THE BEDFORD CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT' VOTE -- WEDNESDAY MAY 3, 1995 OVERVIEW
Almost 60% of our property taxes go to the Bedford Central School District. About 80% of the budget is spent on employee compensation, the median salary for teachers is $71,505 plus benefits. The union contracts drive the budget and will be up for renegotiation during the terms of the school board candidates elected on May 3, 1995. In addition to the three board seats, there is a vote on next year's school budget and a proposition on seeking special legislation to limit those eligible to run for school board. Your vote is very important!
The 1995-1996 School Budget
At $51 million the school budget is a lot of money, especially considering that the budget was only $34 million for the 1989-89 school year. The budget vote has become largely symbolic because of the laws on so-called austerity budgets when a school budget is defeated.
If the board unilaterally adopts an austerity budget, which it can do after a budget defeat, spending for equipment would be barred. Extra curricular activities and full bus service will continue because of a recent change is state law. The proposed budget allocates $600,000, 1.2% of the budget, for equipment. If an austerity budget is adopted by the board, it is likely that $211,000 would be moved from equipment to contingent teaching positions. That would mean that the budget vote, in reality, is on $400,000.
Proposition No. 2
The board is putting up a proposition that would direct the board to seek special legislation enacting the so-called "gentleman's agreement", which was illegal, for just our school district. That special legislation would make it more difficult for potential challengers to run for the school board by creating restrictive requirements as to who is eligible to run and when they could do so. If this system were in place today one of the board seats would have been uncontested.
The Candidates
Three board seats are up for a vote, and there are three challengers running against three incumbents. Two of the incumbents potentially have divided interests. The wife of one recently became a unionized teacher in a neighboring school district. The wife of the second incumbent is employed by our school district and is a member of the civil service union, this board member does not vote on matters related to the civil service union, and thus is unable to represent residents on important union matters. The third incumbent favored the very controversial district-wide busing plan that so far was rejected.
The challengers, Joe Giardina, Bob Frisch and Phil Christe, have each made a commitment to fiscal restraint and rigorous academics. They seek to change the way our school district operates. The incumbents all think that they have done an excellent job in controlling costs and will see to it that our school district continues to be run the way it has been.
REMEMBER TO VOTE ON MAY 3, 1995 AT YOU LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL