We have been agents of change within our community for several years now.  We organized civic and sports organization to demand that County Executive Tom Suozzi give up plans for an industrial complex on the site that is now the Field of Dreams. We worked with the Town of Oyster Bay to get our fair share of the recent bond issue, an amount that reflected our 28% of the Town’s population.  It was this effort that brought our attention to the ineffectiveness of the school board. 

While negotiating with the Town on the 28%, the school board was disturbingly silent.  Some board members were quietly supportive behind the scenes, but their collective, public face was neutral, and in some opinions, apathetic.  We found their silence disturbing.  Our vision of the 28% has the Town upgrading and improving Massapequa School District fields at no cost to the school.  How can there be a question of whether or not this is a good thing?  Without the School Boards support we got our fare share and now we want our fare share of the rest as well.

In a recent calendar year, Long Island sent $9.2 Billion to Albany and got back only $6.7 Billion in state aid.  Who allows such a disparity?  In the same year, we sent $24.5 Billion to Washington DC and got back only $ 17.4 Billion.  That is a total deficit of over $10 Billion Dollars.  When did Long Island become the cash cow of the State and Federal Government? 

The NY Lottery brings in income to support education within the state.  Long Island accounts for 15% of the total state population, but receives only 10% of the money.  We are short changed by over $100 Million Dollars. 

Not all of our problems are based in the siphoning of money from our communities.  Outdated laws bog our district down with bureaucracy, resulting in red tape that ends up costing more money on simple improvement projects.  Other communities have exemptions to such laws, why shouldn’t we?

Our children are falling behind to immigrants in Math and the Sciences.  It’s time for a strong initiative to improve these areas within our schools. 

Review school operations to find out where duplicate responsibilities lie and reduce wasteful spending.

Together we have a proven track record that shows our ability to build partnerships and find effective solutions to community problems.  During our conversations with you our fellow Massapequans and tax payers, it’s obvious where your concerns are.  Our tax bills are outpacing our income levels and making life in Massapequa difficult.  We believe that together, we can change this trend and bring sanity back to our school system.

We look forward to working with you all to effect meaningful change.