Dear Editor,
Our Owego Apalachin Central School District prioritizes District unions over you and the students. The 2012 Owego Apalachin Employees Association Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA or union) contract is now posted.
In 2008 we were told the new CBA with the OAEA substantially increased contributions to their healthcare premiums. Exactly the opposite was accomplished; contributions were greatly reduced and made to decline with every passing year.
Your District did this again in the 2012 OAEA contract. Previously, we might have given District management benefit of the doubt and attributed this to gross negligence. Repeatedly we have been told that prior to execution of any CBA: 1. The Superintendent is intimately knowledgeable of the contract and has done his due diligence in negotiating for the District; 2. BOE reads the contract; 3. Consultants provide guidance in negotiations, and 4. District attorneys review it. This cannot have slipped the cracks four times in 2008 and again four times in 2012. Can we conclude other than this was done with full intent?
Fully 100 percent of our District’s exceptional compensation packages are paid out of your property taxes, not State Aid! This generosity with your money is one reason the District property tax rate per $1,000 is $20.57 and Tioga Central, Newark Valley and Candor; and Ithaca Districts are $10.21, $17.67, $15.54 and $16.12, respectively. We are not Vestal whose is $23.74.
Nichols has petitioned to get out of our District. Had our BOE exercised diligence and compliance with District Goals taxpayers would easily have saved $2 million annually or 12 points of the property tax levy.
How many children have and will be unnecessary left behind?
Sincerely,
Haig McNamee
Owego, N.Y.
