Last week, The Westbury Times ran two letters to the editor, one from the Westbury Board of Education President Dr. Dickerson and the other from Chester McGibbon. Dr. Dickerson was celebrating the Westbury School District for its hard work in avoiding Newsday's list of substandard schools. Mr. McGibbon's noted that there were all sorts of scare tactics, including untruths, half-truths and clever innuendos in this campaign.

For many years, while chamber president, I heard the cries of fellow village residents having complained about the way the school district was being administered and the mushrooming increase in the school tax. While most of these voices were loud, no one took a stand to at least investigate and determine whether the school was being properly administered from an educational standpoint and with economic efficiency.

This year, both Rocco Lanzilotta and Stan J. Ercolano, after witnessing the happenings at many school board meetings, opted to run for the school board to make a difference. These men have shown a sense of community and civic spirit for both the children that attend village schools and the taxpayers that support it. Mr. Lanzilotta's campaign slogan is that he seeks change. This is the very same slogan that Barack Obama has been touting in his campaign for the presidency. I would welcome change in the school board. I am very much in favor of giving the students of this district a proper education but not to the point where I can no longer afford to pay the taxes on my home.

Mark G. Deifik
Past President, Westbury Chamber of Commerce