I’m sorry to see our proposed Port Washington school budget has an increase of over $2,600,000 that comes with a tax increase.
Today many people are struggling with economic and health problems. School costs for certain activities should have been reduced in recent months. Maintenance, utility costs, overtime, teacher aides and assistants and busing costs should all be down.
Half our teachers now earn over $123,000 per year and have very generous pension and other benefits, so hopefully, a salary freeze for teachers with 20+ years could be negotiated in the new contract. With all of these facts in mind, I thought our BOE could present a frozen or even slightly lower budget.
While our budget may be approved, I’m voting no.
Frank J. Russo Jr.
Pres., Port Washington Educational Assembly
Port Washington
So many residents have been forced to sell their homes, leave the community and their life long friends because of ever increasing school taxes. It is time school taxes are lowered, not raised.