Reader Feedback: Lindenhurst Talks School Budget

With the New York state in place, the is facing another tough season of leading up to the .

There aren't many cost-saving options left on the table, it seems, without having to cut into program and personnel, according to Superintendent Richard Nathan in his budget presentation back on .

Adding to the mix is residual resident resentment over the on-going BOE contract with TAL () that haven't yet produced a new agreement.

All of this prompted Daniel Street Civic Association President John Lisi to write an last week about the district's options. In it he discussed the possibility of finding savings by analyzing the amount the district pays for for its educators.

This sparked another discussion among residents and readers of Lindenhurst Patch about the school budget.

Take a look at what they had to say, and share your thoughts in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter, or e-mail barbara.loehr@patch.com with your own opinion piece about the :

Bruce: It's time the educators take a pay cut. Every year you say it's for the children. If the teachers really feel that way, then they would take a cut in pay.

LindyMom*4: "Why don't these teachers have to pay into their medical like everyone else has to....I think they forget that we know we pay their salary in our taxes. And most of the teachers don't even live in Lindenhurst; they live in other cities on Long Island."

John Lisi: "To be fair it should be clarified that the educators do currently pay 15 percent toward their health insurance. You're on the right path, however. Out there in the private sector, most of us are paying 30 percent to 50 percent of our health insurance, which is typical.

"Additionally, they only pay 15 percent of the premium for any of their family members that are covered by this same policy. It should also be noted that the Empire policy offered by our district is one of the premier policies, if the not the best one around.

"Lastly, our current contract with the educators provides that if an educator declines the district-offered policy, then they get a payment called 'declination pay,' which today is approximately $7,000 per year (arguably the highest payment on Long Island.) Collectively the total comes to approximately $900,000 per year for the district.

"Did you [also] know that even now, while our educators are working in the absence of an agreed-on contract, they're still getting some three to five-plus percent increase per year thanks to the Taylor Law and Triborough Amendment?

"A meaningful contract concession by the educators would certainly help us, but changes in the state laws are a must."

bubba: "Unfortunately, Lindenhurst finds itself in a deplorable situation: cutbacks in state aid, a tax cap and an unwillingness from the teachers' association to make desperately needed concessions.

"It's time for the Superintendent and the BOE to step up and meet the challenge, without taking more from the students, or having the taxpayers pay more. Stop going to the community to fix this mess...Lindenhurst has done its part in supporting past decisions (good or bad) to the tune of 65 percent of our tax bill! The time has come for the administration and the board to step up, be creative and find new solutions."

Karen Stephan: "If our superintendent and the BOE refuse to take a hard look at the teachers' health benefits, then maybe a special committee comprised of only taxpayers (since we alone foot the bill) should be formed to choose an appropriate health benefits package.

"If the teachers will not work with the community, then let's go back to basics and make sure we don't go one penny over the two percent [tax cap]. When they realize they're putting us into bankruptcy, the bad ones will leave and the good ones will stay. Then we start again - the right way.

"We must write to [Governor Andrew Cuomo] to get rid of the Taylor Law. This is what binds us and prevents us from any bargaining table."

Richard Burke: "First, reduce the number of district-wide administrators - for instance, eliminate the assistant to the superintendent for special education and pupil personnel services and divide his responsibilities between the two remaining assistant superintendents.

"Then eliminate assistant principals and adminstrative assistants for discipline. After that tell TAL how many teachers will be lost if long-term concessions (50 percent health insurance premium contribution and real wage freeze - no step raises) aren't made.

"Raise class sizes before eliminating programs and extra-curriculars. Really focus on the kids instead of just offering lip service to support spending more money. District voters will not support exceeding the cap, so find a way to make the district work within it."

Outside looking in: "I don't think taxpayers need to choose healthcare benefits for the teachers. Simply having them contribute more to their premiums and getting rid of the 'declination' award would, in my opinion, be of great help. Also, I don't think you want to get rid of the Taylor law. What you want to get rid of is the Triborough Amendment.

"And...I agree with you Mr. Burke, and wish you'd come to any or all of the budget workshop meetings. Unfortunately we have a superintendent who doesn't seem to realize he's running a business."

Richard Burke: "Well, he's not running a business - there's no product or service created or sold. He's running a government-owned and -operated educational system. But he now needs to operate with a severely restricted budget, and that's outside his experience and training [and] the experience and training of his employees. That's why the administration cannot figure out how to deal with this, and TAL cannot accept givebacks without anything gotten in return.

"Administration's biggest problem is existing contracts, followed by the Triborough Law, followed by civil service rules and laws. Eventually, in order to provide education to its students, the district will have to fight its work rules (contractual and past practice-created) in court. That's probably another school year away."

John Lisi: "Well put! [However], correct me if I am incorrect, but I believe that you meant [by government-owned and -operated] that even though the local property taxpayers pay for this system, due to all of the operating parameters, rules and regulations set in place by federal and state governments, we get little, or no say, in how it's run.

"Regrettably, I don't expect the district will go to court, and I, like everyone else, don't expect our legislators to step up to the plate to change the archaic laws that erode the ability of the district to function properly.

Richard Burke: "Of course, a really good question is: "Why isn't the full budget online for the community to review?'"

Lindy Mom: "Because many things would be questions that they don't want us to know."