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…….
The current budget proposes a 1.70% increase in expenditures (Not True) equaling a 1.54% tax levy increase (True). By town, this translates to:
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.
| 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% |
True
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.
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.
Not True. What gets cut is up to the board, maybe they will cut adminstration and staff and not teachers – what a novel idea!
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!!!
This is childish. We are at impasse. The union has rejected all of the board’s proposals. This is not an afternoon tea, this is hardball union tactics at work.
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!
Great Idea – do it!
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!!!Let 30% of the population drive 100% of the taxes.
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.
I agree. Quality education – at a reasonable cost.
Pay Table for Teachers 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.
| 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
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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Our good friend Scott Johnston has started a blog with items of interest to Bedford residents.
We highly recommend you visit the site on a regular basis:
http://saneinbedford.blogspot.com/
Bedford Central School District highlighted in Wall Street Journal Article:
“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
NY Times article about teachers taking cuts all around NY – but not in Bedford
Forbes.Com Article on Westchester:
Where Americans Pay Most In Property Taxes