As a resident of Mineola and a parent of a child in the Mineola School District, I feel it is time to stop harping on the recent campaign divisiveness and the ridiculous "Portuguese currency on the flier" incident and focus on what we have in front of us now - a school budget vote on May 18.

This year's budget vote is critical to the well-being and progress of our community. I am not referring to how it affects our property values, although we all know that a great school system does nothing but help in that area. The key issue to me is our quality of life here in Mineola. The school budget does not just fund curricular activities, but extra-curricular activities as well. Keeping our young people educated and busy with positive activities definitely impacts the quality of life here in Mineola.

Who wants our young people hanging out on corners and in parks when they could be participating in the numerous constructive activities that our school budget supports? Or, what about our incredible marching band, athletic teams and magnificent stage productions? Who doesn't feel great pride when we see our Mineola students accomplishing great things?

Don't we want these things to continue? To flourish? Or, are we satisfied to save a couple of hundred dollars a year and watch them deteriorate? The question is not whether we can afford the school budget, it is whether we can afford to stand by and do nothing while another school budget gets voted down. Vote on May 18!

Lana Illiano