Lindy BOE Candidates Debut, Talk Budget & Tax Cap

As Lindenhurst prepares to vote on for or against a the Board of Education approved on April 13, have been preparing a run for three seats on the school board.

All three seats will be on the school elections ballot.

The six candidates – two incumbents and four challengers – sat down with Lindenhurst Patch ahead of their debut at last week’s portion of the and by .

They include Ed Murphy, Jr., Charles Clyne, Robert Spero, Julie Bartolomeo, Valerie McKenna and Phil Renna.

All six sat down with Patch to discuss why they were running, their experience and qualifications for a board seat, what they feel is the most important issue during this year’s budget process and what they hope to accomplish if they win a seat on the board.

The series of candidate video profiles rolls out May 2 to allow those who couldn’t make the Meet the Candidates night on April 27 - which initially introduced them in an hour-long, moderated format - to learn about the candidates.

“Each candidate was introduced and asked to tell their brief bio. Index cards were available for community to write down any questions,” Laura Chapter told Lindenhurst Patch. Chapter is the president of PTA Council.

It was moderated by two members of the Suffolk Region PTA. Joanie Zangerle served as the moderator while Cathy Saliani served as the timekeeper for each question.

They were asked about their background and, among other things, whether or not they supported the budget or a tax cap that has already passed the New York state assembly. None support a tax cap, but it was more mixed regarding the 2011-12 budget.

Bartolomeo supports the budgets for the kids, while Clyne doesn’t and believes there should be better negotiations to achieve a better budget.

McKennna said while she’s supported budgets in the past, she can’t really support this one. Renna is undecided, but is concerned about the 6.89 percent tax levy and the board’s use of reserves.

Of the two current board members, Murphy said, as board president, he, of course, supports the budget, which drew chuckles from the crowd.

Current Board Member Spero supports the budget, but had a lower number in mind. He added that it was the board’s responsibility to educate the children, and believes that’s why the board did what it did.

That’s just a portion of what was discussed last week at the forum and with Lindenhurst Patch.

The video profiles of each candidate will be posted on Lindenhurst Patch in no particular order beginning May 2 to allow residents to make an informed decision about who they want representing them on the BOE – the official policy-making body of the consisting of nine residents elected by the community to serve overlapping, unpaid terms of three years.

Look for the profiles to appear one by one, but, in the meantime, here’s a brief synopsis of who each candidate is.

Spero is a current BOE member, and Bartolomeo is currently the second vice president of the Lindenhurst Council of PTAs. They’re running for seat one, said the school district.

Residents McKenna and Renna are running for the seat vacated by former BOE Member Robert Brandenberger. He resigned last September, said the district, and the BOE decided to keep it open until the May 17 elections and budget vote this year. They’re running for seat two, added the district.

Clyne, a long-time Lindenhurst resident who lost his wife in 9/11, is running against Murphy for seat three, noted the district.

All six candidates running for the board got their petitions in by the April 18 deadline, and were able to pick their position on the ballot, according to the district.