There are two incumbents and six challengers running for three available trustee positions on the Levittown Board of Education. The incumbents, John Garvey and Diane Shapiro are vying against Roseanne Gullans, Richard Gutowitz, Michael Pappas, Peter Porrazzo, Kimberly Smith and James Ward.

Trustee Kenneth E. Auer, Sr. is not seeking re-election.

The positions are for a three-year term and are at large. The budget election and trustee vote will be held on Tuesday, May 20 from noon to 9 p.m. at several polling places in Levittown. Visit www.levittownschools.com to view your polling place.

All candidates were asked a series of questions. Their answers appear in alphabetical order.

Levittowner and current Board Vice President John Garvey is the director of operations for the State Island Ferry. A United States Merchant Marine Academy graduate, Garvey also procured a bachelor of science degree in marine transportation. A married father of two, Garvey has participated in several local organizations including co-founder and director of Levittown PAL Girls Lacrosse, a firefighter and AEMT life member of the Wantagh Fire Department and a member of the Nassau County Women's Lacrosse Officials Association. Garvey has served on the board from 1987 to 1990, 1991 to 1994 and 2002 to currently.

Levittown Tribune (LT): Why are you seeking re-election to the board?

John Garvey: My involvement with the Levittown Board of Education has allowed me to assist in shaping the direction of the education of the children of Levittown while balancing the financial burden of the district's taxpayers. I believe that I have been an effective voice in providing a balance to the board's discussion on matters of education, finance and personnel. I am seeking re-election because I believe that I can continue to provide insight and commentary that will assist the Board in its quest to improve the education of the children of Levittown.

LT: What is the most important issue currently facing your school district?

Garvey: The district continues to face challenges in the business office. While certain changes have been instituted since the budget shortfall, additional steps and oversight need to be implemented in the administration by the board. The board also needs to follow through with the external auditor's report to ensure that all recommendations have been implemented. The board will also need to follow up on any recommendations or findings in the soon to be published attorney general's report.

LT: If re-elected, what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about any necessary changes to the district?

Garvey: I will continue to advocate for tighter financial controls with improved checks and balances, as well as proper staffing in the business department. I would also continue to advocate for legislative changes to the current method of funding schools budgets. To help facilitate this, I would request to be reappointed as a member of the NYSSBA State Legislative Network to provide representation for Levittown. I would also advocate for greater involvement of the building principals and directors in the building of the annual budget, as they are acutely aware of the requirements within their building or department. I will continue to work with the board to establish additional cooperatives for shared services and purchases. While I have been an advocate of full-day kindergarten, it is obvious that such an expansion of our educational programs cannot continue without funding. I would urge our legislators to provide for full funding as part of a state mandate for full-day kindergarten. I would encourage the board and the administration to improve communications to the public whether it is through mailings or utilization of local papers such as the Levittown Tribune. I will continue to strive to provide balance to the board's discussion on matters of education, finance and personnel while weighing the needs of the children versus the needs of the taxpayers.

LT: Do you have any suggestions/comments about the multi-million dollar budget gap issues the district is currently addressing?

Garvey: The gap occurred when the budget failed to include funding for a number of teachers and the corresponding lines (teacher retirement, Social Security, etc.) The board of education is examining a one-time transfer from the reserve funds to the regular budget to address the overspending of the budget. The board also directed the administration to change the method of accounting to encumber all salaries at the beginning of the year. Additionally, despite the increase in time required for such a review, the administration was also directed to provide the Board with a complete line-by-line budget inclusive of all backups for the coming school year budget. The board also directed the administration to change the upcoming calendar to allow for greater review by the board of education.

A married mother of four, Wantagh resident Roseanne Gullans is a Nassau County Police communications operator, who has an AAS degree in Medical Technology from Farmingdale State College. In addition to serving on the Levittown Board of Education from 2004 to 2007, Gullans has served on the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, District Food Service Committee, Levittown Council of PTA Budget Committee, Levittown School District Parent-Teacher Association, Lee Road Excellence & Accountability Committee, Lee Road PTA and has held several officiating positions on the Levittown Council of PTAs. Additionally she has been involved with the St. Frances de Chantal Ministry of Consolation, Kiwanis Club of Levittown as a Key Club liaison, Boy Scouts committee member, Tiger Cub coach and Den leader, as well as having served on the board of directors on the Forest City Committee Association. She is also a member of the Police Holy Name Society of Nassau County and the Vasa Order of America, Lindbergh Lodge #505.

LT: Why are you seeking election to the board?

Roseanne Gullans: I am always willing to listen to all sides of any issues that arise. I am not quick to make judgments and need time to digest information that is presented. I am fair in my decisions but I will always try to balance the needs of the students with the needs of the community.

LT: What is the most important issue currently facing your school district?

Gullans: I feel the most important issue currently facing the Levittown School District is the lack of trust from the community.

LT: If elected what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about any necessary changes to the district?

Gullans: I, as a board member, would ensure that protocols are in place and are being followed. I will not be put off with answers to questions if I feel they are inadequate or lacking in substance. Mistakes have been made and I would like to make sure that administration and the school board learn from these mistakes. I would like to see the school district move forward, putting in place layers of controls along with accountability for errors. The multiyear budget planning has enabled the school district to be in a good place financially. The community needs to feel confident that the school board will always keep the needs of the students in mind but also must consider the fiscal capabilities of the community.

A Wantagh resident and bicycle store owner, Richard Gutowitz is married with three children. He attended two years of community college. He has been a coach for Levittown Soccer, Levittown Seaford Wantagh Athletic Association and Red Devil Football and an assistant coach for PAL Basketball.

LT: Why are you seeking election to the board?

Richard Gutowitz: To help ensure a safe, appropriate learning environment for all Levittown students.

LT: What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? Appropriate spending of school tax dollars.

LT: If elected what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about any necessary changes to the district?

Gutowitz: Research of all expenditures and assessment of student needs by meeting with school administrators and lead teachers.

LT: Do you have any suggestions/comments about the multi-million dollar budget gap issues the district is currently addressing?

Gutowitz: With a budget this large, there should've been proper checks and balances in place long before a problem came about. Ultimately, the superintendent bears full responsibility for such a tremendous mistake and his resignation should have followed immediately.

Michael Pappas lives in Levittown with his wife and four children. He is a retired lieutenant of the New York City Police Department with a bachelor's degree in finance/accounting. His involvement in extracurricular activities includes current president of Levittown North Baseball, a member of the Levittown/Island Trees Youth Council, family ministry at St. Bernard's Church, Knights of Columbus, NYPD St. Paul Society, NYPD Retired Lieutenants Association, NYPD Honor Legion and former member of the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association Delegate.

LT: Why are you seeking election to the board?

Michael Pappas: As a homeowner in this district for almost 25 years, a taxpayer and a parent of four students in the district, I am unhappy with the direction the district is now heading. I want to have a more open board. I believe that closed doors should be opened. The quality of a school district greatly affects our most prized possessions - our children - and has a tremendous effect on our most valuable financial asset - our homes. Our future, and that of our children, is at stake if we chose to continue on this path.

LT: What is the most important issue currently facing your school district?

Pappas: The districts planned a layoff of teachers due to a budget shortfall. Laying off teachers increases class size no matter how you try to disguise it. All areas of the budget must be scrutinized to come up with ways to save. Cutting teachers and/or after school activities leads to the denigration of our school system, which harms our children and our home values. These are just too important to sit and watch while it happens.

LT: If elected, what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about any necessary changes to the district?

Pappas: We need to look at the vast resources that this district and community have and see if we are utilizing them to their fullest. For example, can we tweak times to utilize our transportation system in a more efficient manner? Simply put, we must change the way the district thinks about change.

LT: Do you have any suggestions/comments about the multi-million dollar budget gap issues the district is currently addressing?

Pappas: I have one word - accountability. Mistakes were made. Backup systems failed to discover these errors until the horse not only was out of the barn, but also was at the glue factory. Is hiring additional auditors the answer, or would hiring a better firm have been the answer? Duplication of services is never a good thing. Cross-accountability and vicarious liability, however, are.

Levittowner Peter Porrazzo is vice president of a financial services company and has a BBA in accounting. A certified public accountant, Porrazzo is married with three children. His involvement in extracurricular activities includes being previously active in the Levittown Little League and Levittown Property Owners Association.

LT: Why are you seeking election to the board?

Porrazzo: In 1967, my parents moved my brother, sister and I to Levittown. We were your typical working class family; my father worked for a utility company and my mother stayed home to raise the family. By today's standards we didn't have much, but somehow we managed to get by, and ultimately my parents managed to put three children through college. When it came time for my wife and me to buy a house and raise a family, I reflected back on my childhood and educational experiences in Levittown and realized this was where I wanted to raise my own family.

Levittown once stood for the American dream; affordable housing, good schools and neighbors. Unfortunately, due to spiraling school taxes, this American dream is becoming increasingly harder to attain. I am running for the school board with a promise to provide a solid education for our children while making fiscal responsibility a top priority.

LT: What is the most important issue facing your school district?

Porrazzo: Today, as a parent with three children in the Levittown School District I realize firsthand the sacrifices many families make to position their children for a better future. Unfortunately, the reality of today is that many of our young families and senior citizens are barely getting by. This presents us with the difficult task of balancing the educational needs of our children against a community that feels they are unfairly over taxed. The school board needs to understand that as a community we have finite resources to draw upon. We cannot continually be expected to provide the school district with increases that outpace the growth in our personal income.

I recognize that the classroom must be the top priority of any school board member. Maintaining small classroom sizes in kindergarten through second grade greatly increases a child's chance for success as these years lay the foundation for their education.

The district's teachers should be viewed as our greatest resource. Through their dedication we have been able to consistently meet and exceed the states academic standards. The Levittown School District continues to score well when compared to other districts on Long Island.

As a school board member I will work towards delivering a budget that balances the educational needs of our children, supports the teacher's efforts while striving to keep our school taxes affordable.

LT: If elected what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about necessary changes in the district?

Porrazzo: If elected I will see that the school board is held accountable for preparing and adhering to a responsible budget. To accomplish my priorities, I will work with other board members to provide leadership that will create an atmosphere of cooperation between the teachers, the districts administration and our community.

My priorities are to support sound fiscal policy and long term planning. Given my financial background and my 40 years in the community I feel that I am uniquely qualified to navigate through any issue that may arise.

LT: Do you have any suggestions/comments about the multi-million dollar budget gap issue the district is currently facing?

Porrazzo: I think we all have to realize that mistakes happen, however what we learn and how we deal with the outcome of a mistake is what is important. I would have preferred more disclosure early on in the process. The district seems to have implemented changes in internal control, many of which in my opinion were long overdue. Hopefully going forward with the election of qualified board members and public involvement, the events of last year will not reoccur.

Wantagh resident Diane Shapiro and current board secretary is a mother of two children. A secretary, Shapiro has a degree in dental hygiene from New York City Community College, a bachelor's degree in education from Queens College and a master's degree in liberal studies/education from SUNY Stony Brook. In addition to holding several officiating positions on the board, Shapiro also served on the Nassau Suffolk School Board Legislative Network, Citizens Budget Advisory Committee, and as a chairperson for the Dollars for Scholars Publicity, Lee Road PTA, Salk/MacArthur PTSA Legislation, Levittown 50th Anniversary Publicity, Education Committee, Nassau Region Board Member Legislation, Senior Citizen's Prom Committee, Women's American ORT Levittown Chapter and Levittown Kiwanis and a Levittown Community Council charter member.

LT: Why are you seeking re-election to the board?

Diane Shapiro: I will help to continue to ensure that the quality of education in Levittown progresses so that our students will achieve higher levels of mastery while maintaining that the residents will continue to have the lowest possible tax increases. I will ensure that the shared decision making process concerning all stakeholders (administration, teachers, parents, students and community members) will continue to have a voice in decisions. I represent every child and every resident in the community as a school board trustee should do. I will continue to be the link between the community and administration. I want to make sure that financial controls are put into place. I will continue to be a leader in legislative issues with more state aid to schools a top priority. Our current state aid is about 28 percent when in the past it has been 50 percent. I will continue to lobby to find alternate ways to fund education.

LT: What is the most important issue currently facing your school district?

Shapiro: Presenting responsible school budgets. Fiscal stability. Looking for state aid to take over paying for the majority of the cost of school budgets. Right now our students are achieving above the Nassau County level in all areas. I would like to continue to implement programs that will ensure mastery at these levels.

LT: If re-elected, what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about any necessary changes to the district?

Shapiro: Currently our students exceed Nassau County averages in achievement. I would like to make sure that programs are in place so that our students will achieve mastery at all levels. Continue to offer students a well-rounded education which will serve to foster a love of learning which will last a lifetime and ensure success.

LT: Do you have any suggestions/comments about the multi-million dollar budget gap issues the district is currently addressing?

Shapiro: Review safeguards in financial management. Reports must be prepared and distributed to the board for review on time by Assistant Superintendent of Business. Independent verification of financial reports by outside auditors must be prepared and distributed to the board in a timely fashion.

Wantagh resident Kimberly Smith holds a bachelor degree in business administration and an associate degree in accounting. A married mother of two, Smith is an accountant. She has served on the executive board of CHADD of Nassau County from 1996 to 1998, the Citizen's Advisory Committee in 2007 and has held several officiating positions in Levittown SEPTA, Levittown Council of PTAs and the Council Budget Committee.

LT: Why are you seeking election to the board?

Kimberly Smith: I believe that I can be of service to the community as a board of education member. I have been very involved with PTA for 10 years and have a good understanding of the educational challenges that our children, parents and educators face. I am also a CPA and was a controller for many years. Someone with a strong financial background and an understanding of our educational system on the board of education would be an asset to the community as we move forward.

LT: What is the most important issue currently facing your school district?

Smith: I feel the most important issue currently facing our school district is that lack of trust that the community has in the school district administration and the board of education. Community members feel as though they are being misled and not hearing the truth. When people ask questions no one seems to be able to give them a clear answer in a way that they can understand. We need to re-establish trust and belief in our school district.

LT: If elected what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about any necessary changes to the district?

Smith: We need to create a budget and budget process that everyone can understand. As we have seen with the $7 million budget shortfall, no one truly seems to be able to understand where the budget numbers are coming from. There were many sets of eyes that looked at that budget and yet no one caught the error because of the way that the budget is presented. I would like to see future budgets backed up with information about what the budget number consists of, for example: The teacher salaries number consists of "x" amount of teachers at "y" average salary. If we had had something like that all along, someone would have seen that the correct number of teachers wasn't budgeted for. As a CPA and former controller, I realize that it will not be an easy task to do but it can and should be done so that when we are asked a question about what a budget number is we can answer it completely and correctly.

We also need to ensure that the Levittown School District continues to improve our educational system. One of the ways we are doing that is through Response to Intervention. This model should ensure that those children who have difficulty learning get the help that they need much earlier. We need to make sure that this program evolves into a system that truly meets the needs of every student so that "Success for every Student" becomes an outcome not a philosophy. Implementation of full-day kindergarten would also further our children's educational opportunities.

Additionally, Levittown School District is very well known for its special education services, however one thing that could be improved is having inclusion classes brought into every elementary school in the district. Currently some children need to attend another school in the district to access special education inclusion classrooms; they should have access to this service in their home schools.

LT: Do you have any suggestions/comments about the multi-million dollar budget gap issues the district is currently addressing?

Smith: As a community of school administrators, board of education members, parents and teachers we need to work together to make the changes necessary in the budget process so that this type of error does not happen again. We need to restore the trust in our system so that we can again focus on making Levittown a wonderful place to educate and raise our children.

James Ward lives in Wantagh and is a married father of five and grandfather of five. Retired from the Internal Revenue Service where he was a revenue officer/agent/program analyst/program manager and New York State Department of Economic Development where he was an economic development officer, Ward holds a BBA from Manhattan College and MBA from NYU. A former member of the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers and U.S. Army Reserves, 77th Infantry Division, Ward has been deeply involved in the community throughout the years.

He served as secretary, vice president and president of the Levittown Board of Education from 1977 to 1983, is a parishioner and parish council member at St. Bernard's Church, a member of the Knights of Columbus St. Frances Council, Levittown Property Owners Association, Levittown Community Council and serves on the advisory board for the Green Levittown Community Council.

LT: Why are you seeking election to the board?

James Ward: I believe that local school board membership is one of the highest forms of community service and requires the election of candidates capable of building support for public education and demanding better educational opportunities for Levittown's children. Unfortunately, our current school board lacks this sense of community service and has instead seriously violated its fiduciary and ethical obligations to the children and taxpayers of the Levittown School District.

LT: What is the most important issue currently facing your school district?

Ward: Fiscal integrity and selection of a new superintendent of schools to replace Dr. Herman A. Sirois, whose final contract expires June 30, 2011. The disgraceful financial problems confronting the Levittown School District can be attributed directly to his doorstep and those of an inept school board.

LT: If elected, what ideas/suggestions do you have on how to bring about any necessary changes to the district?

Ward: As a former Levittown School Board president, I see parallels between the economic turndown which occurred during the recession of the early 1980s and what is taking place today, as an aroused electorate, consisting of parents, teachers and students, demands change. Our superintendent of schools and school board have lost any community confidence they may have possessed as was evidenced by the massive turnout of irate citizens at the April 2008 regular school board meeting.

The education of our children is of paramount importance to any school district. However, in order to provide for their education we must address its cost. In this respect, I recommend the Levittown School District explore the possibility of adopting a program budget in lieu of a line-item budget in order to identity how tax dollars are being spent and the number of employees in specific program areas. The scope of the Levittown Citizens Advisory Committee for Budget (CAC), which failed to support this budget, be expanded to include yearround oversight.

LT: Do you have any suggestions/comments about the multi-million dollar budget gap issues the district is currently addressing?

Ward: I believe that my Opinion letter, Ward Addresses School District's Finance Management, published in the Tribune on April 11, 2008 addresses this issue.

However, I would like to repeat a portion of that letter addressed to Sen. Kemp Hannon by re-stating: "...Our school board, for nearly two years, violated its fiduciary obligation to Levittown's taxpayers by failing to adhere to the commissioner's regulations pertaining to monthly approval of the district's Budget Status and Cash Reconciliation Reports. Dr. Sirois' claim that the school board constantly asked for these documents doesn't pass "the smell test" as is evidenced by a review of the minutes of monthly meetings, as far back as January 2005. Nowhere is there any indication a single board member asked for these documents. In addition, an external audit of the districts' 2006/07 financial performance, conducted by R.S. Abrams & Co. LLC, contains a ringing indictment of their gross incompetence..."

The proposed Levittown School Budget (2008/09) reflects projected state aid of $46,074,593 in meeting its $178,288,762 budgetary needs. However, the New York state legislature actually provided Levittown with state aid of $48,016,367 or an additional $1,941,774. I concur with our legislative leaders and demand that these additional funds be returned to our beleaguered residents in the form of property tax relief.