On Tuesday, June 19th, residents of the Cherry Valley-Springfield School district have another opportunity to vote on their school budget. I hope they find the revised budget and operational plan for the school worthy of their support.

The budget being presented to the voters on June 19th, along with the changes to the school’s administrative structure approved by the Board of Education last week, reflects the views and concerns raised by many community members during the past few weeks _ including residents, parents, students, teachers and staff members.

The revised budget reduces the proposed tax levy increase by more than one-third, to 1.90 percent. This is well below the corresponding increases in the cost of living and the consumer price index.

Recent letters to the Editor published in this paper have it exactly backwards. Per-student expenditures in the Cherry Valley-Springfield school district are comparable to those in similar districts around the state. Meanwhile, the level of academic achievement is improving at rates faster than in similar districts around the state.

While our school is far from perfect, the community can be confident that its collective voice has been heard and will continue to be heard. I want to take this opportunity to thank all of those who contributed to our discussions, and ask all members of our community to continue to speak by voting in support of the budget on June 19th.

Steve Schneider

Cherry Valley

Schneider is Vice President of the CV-S Board of Education.

Do homework

on budget

The turning down of the budget by CV-S School district voters reflects a dissatisfaction with the current operation and finance of the school system.

To help you better understand the fiscal irresponsibility of the Public Education System, one must understand that the system is a government-run-monopoly financed by an inequitable system of property equalization rates of townships comprising the school district. What makes this government-run-monopoly even more dangerous is that it is dominated by a unionized system, which is rigidly controlled by that union.

If the School Boards want you to believe they are underfunded, FACT: 2004 Public Education spent $536 Billion vs. $454 Billion for the US Military (that includes the war in Iraq).

The Public Education is a bloated bureaucracy, which begs for more each year, using a "fear factor" to protect its own vested interests.

The voters can learn more by doing some homework of their own.

Maybe a life lesson unlearned and untaught, is things can’t always go your way, rather that the wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth as exhibited by the School Board along with union cronies.

Rich Pokorny

Roseboom

Time for fiscal responsibility

Congratulations to the local taxpayers who looked straight in the eye of the CV-S school district and said, "No more runaway budgets, we encourage the BOE to focus on affordable, quality education _ FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY!"

Kudos to the educators who did their homework in assimilating the facts of the 2007/08 School Budget for there is and hasn’t been a clear connection to quality education within the proposed spending of the CV-S Budgets and the escalating costs are becoming unbearable to us all.

The next vote is June 19th and again I hope that the local taxpayers will look the CV-S Board of Education in the eye and state, "No more runaway budgets!"

Perhaps then the BOE will look us in the eye and say, "we value your input as much as we value your hard earned money."

Gwen Dowsey

Middlefield

Vote no

on budget

CV-S is a story of mis-management. I am a senior citizen and have been following the debacle with the county and its tax fiasco as well as the CV-S school budget rejection.

In reflection, as a Middlefield resident I recall the initial argument of building the school on its present site (the boggy windswept ground), the need for a second wing (now used for storage), the ill constructed bus garage, leaking roof, etc., etc., etc...

The recent budget notice uses terms as assumptions, hypothetical home values, and if you noticed your STAR savings are becoming less according to the notice.

A yes vote on the budget is giving a continuity of the fox watching the henhouse. Let the voter decide if the never ending access to your wallet is to be their constant reality regarding the school budget.

Richard J Pokorny, Sr.

Middlefield

War is based

on a lie

It appears to me that our newly elected Representative, Kirsten Gillibrand, is attempting to build a political career over the bodies of dead American soldiers and Iraqi citizens.

Ms. Gillibrand has distinguished herself by being the only Democrat from New York’s Congressional delegation to vote in favor of continuing the funding for the War in Iraq. She also distinguishes herself as being the only Representative I can recall who has managed, in six short months, to break each and every campaign promise, pledge, and covenant she made to the voters and her supporters.

She also demeans the office of Representative by staging not one but three campaign fundraising events in Europe. Who does she represent in Paris and London?

All of these moves, I’m sure, were determined by some political calculation that becomes more unbelievable every day she is in office.

Ms. Gillibrand is accountable, evermore, for the continued deaths and suffering that she voted to pay for with last week’s vote. These are real people with real families, American and Iraqi.

Kirsten Gillibrand is asking our troops to sacrifice their lives for a Lie. We all know by now that the War in Iraq was based on a Lie. Our troops should not have to die for a Lie and Ms. Gillibrand shouldn’t ask them to do so.

I am so ashamed of you Kirsten. I cannot believe what you have done.

Morris N. Guller

Lexington, N.Y.