It is with enthusiasm and gratitude that I am pledging my support and endorsing John O'Kelly for a seat on the East Williston School District Board of Education.

After the failed budget of 2004, I first met John at a community meeting of the school district. I remember that when John was asked by the moderator what he thought was important for our children and school system, his reply was education and ethics. Since then our relationship has grown. The growth in our bond has come easy as we both have similar values and John O'Kelly's integrity is unimpeachable.

John was of great assistance and a member of the Independent Budget Committee I formed. During board deliberations of both budgets that failed in 2004 there were cries from district management of a "razor-tight budget." This erroneous information caused the downfall of the two budget votes, leaving our district to suffer unnecessary consequences and divisiveness. This cry of a razor-tight budget and the subsequent retribution towards our children's programs did not sit right with our committee, and John helped us uncover a much different story. As documented in our committee report, we literally found millions of dollars were available. The findings noted in that report has also laid the foundation for pro-education budgets and have helped minimize tax increases for the last two years.

John has remained involved and continues to research important issues as they relate to our district, children and taxpayers. His budgetary knowledge will be a strong asset. I need John to help ensure and enhance the continuation of management accountability and fiscal restraint, thereby enabling us to increase the educational opportunities for our children, without an adverse effect on the budget. I have been striving to accomplish this since being elected to the board two years ago. John's election to the board will ensure this endeavor will succeed.

Last year, John's opponent was the third "yes" vote which granted our current superintendent "lifetime health benefits," which will cost our district thousands of dollars for years to come. That 3-2 vote in favor of the golden parachute giveaway could have been prevented if John were on the board. (Ellen Ritz and I were the two board members who voted against - Joann Kaplan was not on the board at the time.) Those type of giveaways bode ill for our district and ultimately hurt our children and taxpayers. This is the philosophy John wants to change. Ultimately that change will enable us to provide an even better education for our children, with less burden for the taxpayers - both our younger residents and our seniors.

We cannot undo the past but must protect the future. Our district is a special place, with many opportunities for our children. Yet we cannot escape the fact that the EWSD no longer holds the place as the top district in Nassau County. John pointed to a national poll, which not long ago had Wheatley number one in the entire United States. Now, we are not even in the top 150 in the same poll. We can give a million reasons why that poll is "flawed" and why we should not pay attention to it. Yet the parents and potential homeowners in school districts such as Jericho, Syosset, Great Neck, Cold Spring Harbor, Half Hollow Hills and Rockville Centre do pay attention to it. They all ranked higher than us - many close to the top. Knocking the data process, and not addressing the message it sends, will only lead us to further decline and not enable us to meet the challenges we face. John will not use his energy to make excuses; instead he will use his energy constructively to bring our district back to the stature we once enjoyed.

Support me in supporting John. Working together, we can all make a difference. Together, let's take our schools back to the top again where we once were and where we belong. Let us not rely on, but rather build on, what we have. Let us look forward to an even brighter future for our children.

Let us work together to make that change for the better and vote for John on May 15 - the change needed to bring us back to the top. Your vote for John is a vote for our children and community.

Sigi Huhn,

Trustee of the East Williston School Board