"No taxation without representation" was a slogan in the period 1763-1776 that summarized a primary grievance of the American colonists in the 13 American colonies. It was first used by the Reverend Jonathan Mayhew in a sermon in Boston in 1750.

How appropriate today!

Our well-meaning, unpaid school board members either didn't, or couldn't, provide effective fiduciary oversight of the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Herman Sirois and his staff last year. This is why, by June 30, 2007, the Levittown School District had overspent its voter approved 2006/7 budget by $2,656,276 million.

Almost $2 million in state aid, ($48,016,367 state promised, less $46,074,593, board applied = $1,941,774) is now being withheld by the board from promised tax relief in the 2008/9 proposed school budget.

The school board can, if they choose to, still increase the applied revenue amount of state aid, by this same $1,941,774 in their proposed budget before the May vote. This would seem to be a very prudent and appreciated move, as it would reduce our property taxes accordingly. This works out to at least $125-150 per household, district wide, with no negative influence on programs.

This community does not want to adversely affect the education of our children. However, when parents have to make the choice between feeding their children, buying clothing, heating their homes, or paying excessive taxes, the choices are clear. We do not want to reduce the educational, athletic or social opportunities for the children of our community. We do want to be able to continue to afford to live here.

If more tax relief is not forthcoming, it is possible to find a group of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty, dressed as Narragansett Indians, at the next board meeting on Tuesday, May 13, replete with feathers, tar, and war paint, looking for casks of tea. Coincidentally, the amount of tea tossed overboard from the ships in Boston Harbor, the Dartmouth, Beaver and Eleanour in 1773 was about $1.87 million, almost the exact same amount of State aid now being withheld from us by our school board.

The television show, Jericho, was saved from cancellation last year when fans sent tons of peanuts to the television station management. Maybe if everyone dropped off a teabag or two at LMEC, the board and administration would get the message, and reduce our upcoming tax increases more before it is too late.

Gary Fisch

Former school board member and current member of the
Citizen's Advisory Committee on Budget