Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Share your thoughts on the outcome of Tuesday's vote.
The Garden City 2012-13 school budget passed Tuesday as residents approved the proposed $104,215,528 spending plan. Garden City school district voters also re-elected Trustee Tom Pinou, this time to the At-Large seat on the Board of Education, and voted in newcomer Robert Martin, in the two uncontested school board races. Are you happy with the results of Tuesday's votes? Take the poll and tell us in the comments below.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Garden City PTA Pres. Gail Madigan urges residents to vote on Tuesday and get more involved going forward.
Dear Parents and Members of the Community, As the Board of Education puts down its pencils on the 2012-2013 School Budget, we are marking the end of the first year under the constraints of tax cap legislation. This year also marked other firsts like the introduction of budget focus groups and a more open dialogue with the community. At this time, I feel the need to express to our members and our community the role of the PTA during this process. The Garden City PTA is an important advocacy group in our community and represents over 3,000 members. The beliefs of the PTA are that every child deserves to have his/her basic needs met, and an education designed to meet those needs; public education should be the appropriate forum to prepare …
One Garden City resident explains why he is supporting the 2012-13 proposed budget.
Here are my "Top 5" reasons why I am voting in favor of Garden City's school budget for the 2012-13 academic year: Respectfully, Leo Stimmler, Garden City Resident Get the results of the Garden City school budget vote delivered right to your inbox or smartphone by signing up for our breaking news alerts sign-up here.
One Garden City explains why he is not supporting the 2012-13 budget on Tuesday.
To the Editor, The Educrats control the process. Our BOE, the Administration, the Unions and PTA cheerleaders run the show. They certainly have not earned the trust of the taxpayers. In all the years I have been observing, have there been any permanent wage freezes or reductions as experienced in the private sector? NEVER. Have the benefit packages been restructured to bring them in line with the private sector? NEVER. Has the BOE gotten any serious concessions from the Unions? NEVER. Have there been any serious sacrifices made by the Public Sector members? NEVER. Have the taxpayers had to deal with a continually increasing school tax burden? ALWAYS! Do the Scholar, Athlete and Special Needs Parents fight each other for …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Are you for or against this year's budget? Vote in our anonymous poll.
In exactly one week, Garden City school district residents will be voting on the proposed 2012-2013 budget. The $104,215,528 budget that the Board of Education unanimously adopted last month carries a projected tax levy increase of 3.54 percent, which does stay under tax cap limit imposed by New York State law. The board reduced its spending on debt services by $61,419 and classroom furniture by $10,000. It also eliminated strength and conditioning programs in athletics, for a savings of $9,804. Through contract negotiations with the Garden City Teachers’ Association (GCTA), the district is also saving money in salaries - $569,296 for general education teachers and $110,704 for special education teachers. Will you support this year's …
A letter to the editor from the President of the Long Island Federation of Labor.
The following is from John R. Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor: It is the bedrock of American democracy that every citizen's vote carries equal importance. Whether or not one's vote truly finds expression in the final count is largely impacted by redistricting, a process we go through every 10 years. While the subject typically fails to garner much public attention, insiders know there's a lot at stake. The way that voters are segregated into districts has an enormous influence on who our representatives are, and can ultimately shape public policies for the next decade. Historically, the task of redrawing district lines has been left to the hands of the very politicians whose political futures will be impacted. Too …
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Be safe when grilling on your barbecue by following these tips.
Spring is here, and that means so are the outdoor activities, gatherings, and barbecues. As the warm weather approaches, many tend to begin moving their evening dinner preparation from the kitchen to their outdoor barbecue's. But before you do, make sure to understand some basic tips for being safe this summer when it comes to your outdoor cooking plans. Typical barbecue grills use three main sources of fuel: Charcoal, Propane, and Natural Gas. Despite Natural Gas becoming more common each year, Propane Gas fuels the majority of barbecue grills. There are some notable differences between Propane and Natural Gas. Propane burns at a higher temperature than natural gas and is stored as a liquid and utilized as a vapor. Propane is heavier than…
Friday, May 4, 2012
Mayor talks about water conservation law, shopping local and more announcements.
WATER CONSERVATION - LOCAL LAW 3-1987 We all want to keep the environment clean and green. However, I would like to remind the Village residents that although we want to have beautiful lawns and flowers, we must keep in mind the Village's law with regard to water conservation (Local Law 3-1987) is now in effect. The restrictions are: Lawn sprinkling and garden irrigation only from April 16 to November 30 of each year and only during the hours of 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The days a person may water are: Automatic sprinkler systems: Miscellaneous Please cooperate by observing these restrictions. The Police Department has been requested to issue appearance tickets to those persons found to be in violation of this law. SHOP …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
President makes surprise visit to Afghanistan on anniversary of bin Laden's death to deliver message.
President Barack Obama marked the 1-year anniversary of the death of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden Tuesday by making a surprise visit to war-torn Afghanistan to make a big announcement. Obama shared his timeline for U.S. troops withdrawal, and signed a pact with Afghan President Hamid Karzai that spells out the United States' relationship with Afghanistan after American troops leave in 2014. Afghanistan will retain its sovereignty and the United States will be able to end its combat mission in the country but promises not to abandon it going forward, reports The Boston Globe. Shortly after Obama's televised speech though, the Taliban sent its own message to the president by launching an attack nearby that killed eight people, including …
Monday, April 30, 2012
A resident gives his take on the adopted 2012-13 budget and its impact on the future.
It’s that time of year again when we residents are treated to the re-run of the same, tired old movie otherwise known as "The School Budget." This year had a few new wrinkles (tax cap, surprise contract), but the script is the same; Dr. Fiersen threatens with the imminent and total collapse of our schools, the PTA complains, Colleen Foley and the BOE make superficial cuts, the budget passes ,and the pom-pom girls cheer. By the way, in 2000, this movie cost $55 million; It now costs $105 million. This year opened with Fiersen and Foley telling us how devastating the new 2 percent property tax cap would be. Fiersen called it a ‘game changer’, Foley said it would amount to a ‘stripping of the educational system’. Neither one of them are big …
Arnie
9:19 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
I just cannot understand why our percent increase was the third highest in the county. If our schools are so good to begin with, what needs so much more improving? more ›