Dear Editor,
I think it is time for some frank conversation. Those of us who are the “Yes” vote people on the Tioga School Budget have seen our school take some pretty nasty shots from some of those on the other side. A lot of comments have been made that simply aren’t true.
Some of those have been addressed, but in ways that have softened the facts and muddied the waters, so to speak, therefore let me speak clearly. The Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 issue of the Morning Times reported, “Tioga CSD cracked the top 100 of the 423 upstate N.Y. schools at #94. That’s up nine places over last year. Only Owego ranked higher at #71, down eight spots from last year.
Meanwhile, Waverly ranked lowest among Tioga County schools at #395, down 30 spots from last year. Candor, the next lowest, came in at #363, while Spencer-Van Etten was ranked at #340 and Newark Valley at #204. Both Candor and Newark Valley made gains from last year, while Spencer-Van Etten slid back 14 spots.
All five of these other schools have tax rates higher than Tioga’s proposed tax rate of $12.09. It was nine dollars and change last year, that’s where the 30 percent increase comes from. Last year’s tax rates for the other five schools are $13.67, $18.23, $19.40, $20.54 and $21.49. I don’t know what tax rate belongs to which school, or what the new tax rates are.
Solid support for our school from town officials, district employees and the rest of us would send a strong, positive message that what is “good for the kids” should outweigh “self interest.”
Albany politicians have long struggled with similar choices that have led to “getting priorities mixed up,” “conflict of interest” issues, and eventually arrests on “corruption charges,” job loss and jail time. They are the poster child for starting out well and ending badly.
We would do well to remember “Life can be a slippery slope” and “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Good words to live by.
Over 100 votes, cast on May 19, were thrown out due to failure to properly mark the boxes with an “x” or a check mark. About 1,300 votes were cast, 621 yes to 529 no. We needed 60 percent of the total vote.
Now what? 1. Tioga ranks in the top 100 of upstate schools for academics. 2. Our tax rate is the lowest in the county. 3. We educate our kids for less per student than anyone else around. 4. Our teachers excel and yet, salary wise, rank in the bottom 20 percent of the state.
So what’s up? What’s the objective, no taxes? You expect something for nothing? If your “no” vote forces a merger with another district what will you do? What about us? We like our school, we like our community. We don’t want you to force us to pay higher taxes or force our children to attend a lower performing school. Other people feel similarly.
Do you ever think about us, or what we may feel? I don’t think so. You brag in the paper about depriving school children with your “no” vote and say, “That’s the American way.”
I disagree. I believe real Americans help children. They always have and always will. So why so much opposition? Good question! I have no idea, other than maybe our board should not have tried so hard to “hold the line” on the budget in the past.
Maybe the wording, “30 percent tax rate increase,” should have also specified the dollar amount and compared this year’s proposed tax rate with last year’s tax rates of the other five schools, and actually named them instead of using district #1, district #2, etc.
I can understand the reasoning to refrain from negative comparisons with your counter parts. They are doing their best to educate their kids just like us. It is usually better to take the “high road”, and people of character and with high principles tend to do this; but in this case, too many voters just “didn’t get it.” Maybe we can get it right the next time around. I sure hope so.
Sincerely,
Doug Graves
Tioga Center, N.Y.
