Dear Editor,<\/p>\n
At the March 26 meeting of the Owego Apalachin School District, Dr. Russell presented his 2015\u201316 Budget. He asked YOUR board to approve a $43,705,160 dollar spending plan. That\u2019s $1,313,225 over this year.<\/p>\n
This 3.1 percent increase will require a 3.95 percent increase in YOUR Tax Levy, $626,447 dollars in additional taxes from YOU!<\/p>\n
Dr. Russell told YOUR Board that his budget would stop the erosion of programs and services to the students. Dr. Russell pointed out that the 7-year average tax levy increase will be held at 1.36 percent per year. Dr. Russell also focused on the number of \u201cpositions<\/i>\u201d and \u201cprograms\u201d <\/i>cut over the past six years. All of Dr. Russell\u2019s statements seemed accurate and factual.<\/p>\n
What was missing from Dr. Russell\u2019s presentation was, as Paul Harvey liked to say, \u201cThe Rest of the Story.\u201d From memory, I\u2019ll attempt to fill in for Paul Harvey and the \u201cThe Rest of the Story\u201d.<\/p>\n
Dr. Russell did not say:<\/p>\n
1) While the Tax Levies were being held to an average 1 percent, your school tax bill increased 30 percent since 2004 (i.e. your $1,000.00 tax bill in 2006 is now $1,300.00 this year). Don\u2019t take my word for it, go look! Did your family income increase 30 percent?<\/p>\n
2) Dr. Russell identified 26.5 teaching positions which were cut in the past six years. What he did not cover were the new teachers hired during that same time. I recall being at Board meetings where votes were taken to approve hiring an English teacher and two elementary teachers. How many others? I can\u2019t recall, perhaps Dr. R will fill us in.<\/p>\n
3) Dr. Russell continued with a long list of cuts in \u201cElectives Courses\u201d such as<\/p>\n
\u201cWomen in History\u201d and \u201cMarine Biology\u201d, etc. What was absent was the addition of an AP (Advanced Placement) History Course, is one I recall.<\/p>\n
4) Next came the six year cuts in \u201cExtracurricular Activities\u201d which cut out \u201cfield<\/p>\n
trips,\u201d coaches, and athletic programs. What Dr. Russell missed here was the new, highly successful, well received, Indoor Track program with its\u2019 paid coaches and trips. And also there was the new three year contract for an \u201cAthletic Trainer\u201d (may not be the correct title), to make out and track \u201cconcussion\u201d reports and interface with physicians. \u201cSO MUCH FOR \u201cNO MORE FIELD TRIPS\u201d; immediately following the meeting in the presentation called \u201cDistrict as a Whole\u201d it was announced that a group of students would be making a \u201ctrip to Lockheed.\u201c I suspect this is not a field trip but an \u201cEducational Excursion.\u201d<\/p>\n
So what\u2019s the point? I am asking that the Board and Dr. Russell give YOU, the taxpayers of OACSD, the \u201cRest of the Story\u201d BEFORE approving the budget on April 23. If that does not happen, IF YOU are not given a true accurate \u201cState of the District\u201d without \u201cspin\u201d<\/i> and with details of what support, staff and services, YOUR $16,483,989 tax dollars (an increase of $626,447 dollars) will add, then on May 19 the date for the next OACSD Budget Vote \u2013 YOU best VOTE \u00a0NO!<\/p>\n
I will continue to attend board meetings, acting as your Paul Harvey and trying to bring you \u201cThe Rest of the Story\u201d – BUT ONLY YOU CAN VOTE!<\/p>\n
Sincerely,<\/p>\n
Joe Chartrand<\/p>\n
Tioga Citizens for Affordable Education and Excellence<\/p>\n
Owego, N.Y.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear Editor, At the March 26 meeting of the Owego Apalachin School District, Dr. Russell presented his 2015\u201316 Budget. He asked YOUR board to approve…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-letters"],"yoast_head":"\n