The budget vote failed in 19 districts on Long Island and now we are hearing the recriminations as to the reasons for its failures. Rather than pointing fingers at the taxpayers, the ones who ultimately pay the freight, we should be looking at some of the real causes for the failures.

At the present time, the Legislature is instituting procedures to reassess all of the properties in Nassau County because of an antiquated system that has overtaxed homeowners since 1938. We have landlords that violate building codes by violating occupancy regulations, thereby putting an extra burden on our school systems. Ninety percent of the school budgets are mandated, therefore taxpayers must vote on the 10 percent they control. Taxpayers have no other choice but to reject the budget completely when they feel overtaxed. Many taxpayers are retired and living on fixed incomes. They cannot afford to pay exorbitant tax increases. Taxpayers are required to pay many other taxes such as Federal, State, General, Village, etc. These taxes must be paid. If they are not, taxpayers can be jailed or lose their homes.

What happened to the monies created by state lotteries? I have been told that they are used to bolster a general fund. These monies were supposed to be used for our educational systems. Why is it that we must always turn to the taxpayers? Taxpayers should not be charged with the failure to support our educational system. There are many other factors and the taxpayers represent only one of these factors.

Wilfred McBarnette

Westbury