Letter: Smithtown School District’s $1,363.20 Secret

Homeowners living in the Smithtown School District will be paying an extra $1,363.20 over the next few years because of some kind of error the school district made over construction with the last bond issue.

NY State conducted a forensic investigation into the spending from the construction and denied $3.1 million in aid because some type of error was committed by the District. The State also fined the district about $10,500,000. So the total is close to $14,000,000 which the district lost. For a home in the district assessed at $6,000 the amount we have to pay is $681.60. But realistically we will pay double this amount.

We the taxpayers must pay the $681.20 and we must pay it again as the district must make up for the loss of this money.

It’s simple; we pay the $681.20 as this is loss of State aid combined with a fine from the State. Then we get to the future District budgets and we will have to pay the $681.20 again to make up the short fall the loss created in the budget.

First, we pay the state $681.20 for the fine and lost aid. The State gets this money

Then we pay the District an addition $681.60 due to the budget shortfall they created by losing the State aid and getting fined. The District gets this money.

We are out $1363.20 each.

What really hurts is that the district still is not informing us what type of mistake was made or by whom. We all have to pay $1363.20. That is a serious amount of money. And we cannot get the who, why, how, what and when of how this happened. Recently a community member requested the info under the FOIL laws. At a recent Board of Ed meeting it was revealed that the District’s decision to release this info under the FOIL was delayed. The decision was to delay the decision to release the information. The District still has not decided to release the information requested. Its only decision was a decision to delay its decision to grant or deny access to the information.

And I find it very strange that the Board of Ed meetings start off with a Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. That is very proper and reflects our American values.  It also should represent our democratic ways.

But, sadly I believe the Board goes downhill right after the pledge and I find it truly troubling. As a very young man my father enlisted in the U. S. Navy during WWII.  He fought for our democracy. And he taught me about our American values.  I find a lack of democracy from our Board of Ed. How can they delay a decision to decide if they will release the request information? Especially since we will all be paying $1363.20. If my father was still alive he would tell the Board how wrong they are. This behavior should not be allowed or accepted by the community.

If we start a meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance we should continue it by following the values contained in the pledge.

We are not helpless. We should unite and call on the district to release the full details of this matter. And we should continually contact our NY State elected officials and ask their help to get the State aid back and to get the State to rescind the fine. And let them know that you will vote in the next election with this matter as a great concern.

One last item. Our courts have ruled that justice delayed is justice denied. This is a standard and important American value which has stood test after test in our courts. I find it truly troubling that our District does not comply with this American value. I wonder what we are teaching our students.

Where is the justice?

– Bob Urbancik