The 2000/01 budget for Plainedge states: cost of educating 2998 students is $7,048 per year. They arrive at this figure by dividing students into teacher salaries. This would be accurate if the classes were held in the school yard. Divide the $41 million budget and get the true cost per student, which is $13,689.

In 1990/91, I worked on an Ad Hoc Committee for Plainedge schools. That year they anticipated some 30 more students. We did a 10-year projection and found room for 300 more students. When Cuomo's budget arrived with no extra money, our year's work was all scrapped. A new Ad Hoc came later.

A year or so later, I tried diligently to raise the consciousness of the local districts to the fact that the children were not being channeled to scholarships which would help parents to send children to college. It took a year for me to find out that Plainedge was under a quarter million dollars, and they advise me each year of their increased successes. Plainedge's improvement to 2 millionplus, compared to a private school gleaning upwards of 10 million and it costs $4,600 in tuition per student. How does Plainedge compare? You be the judge.

Plan a device, a stratagem and the people will pay! Small example, the high school track was to be renovated for some $9,000, but in actuality, it was rebuilt for $30,000. Secretely spending $98,000 on items benefitting only the Board, including Internet service for all Board members and one administrator, and $15,314 for services and flight reimbursements for two facilitators at Plainedge board workshop.

How would your home look if never maintained? Small example, in June, asking to have the crumbling Packard steps repaired before September, adult education students used these steps in poorly lit conditions. It took the district a year to accomplish repair work. Packard windows leak? That's because no one ever caulked them?

Now Plainedge wants $50 million to renovate and make room for some 3000 plus students. They even contemplated tearing down Packard, when all it needs is a two story addition in the northwest corner of the school, to add six to eight classrooms, enough for 300 students. Or, if the high school is still half empty, move the middle school there. Two main sources of revenues (hospitals) are going non-profit. Therefore, the taxpayer must make up the difference! We have the sixth highest tax rate in Nassau County. Are we getting our money's worth?

Vote May 16 for Rosemary Styne.

Rosemary Styne