As a 32-year resident of Greenburgh, I’ve watched Greenburgh Central 7, a district that currently has 1,500 students fail year after year while the taxes quadrupled. Why? Why doesn’t a taxpayer know how many children of employees go to the district from pre-k through grade 12 at our expense? How much are we spending to educate them? How many? No one knows because the district is tight lipped. This district has struggled to convince me to spend more of my money on the school tax without transparency. I FOILED questions to the district clerk; all questions were not answered. I was given a run around. If the district takes our tax money, why isn’t the district transparent? Why should residents go out and vote yes on a bond for buildings that were neglected due to previous administrations and school boards? How can the taxpayers continue to support failing schools that fail to meet the NYS educational requirements for reading, writing and math? As a voter, a resident are you informed? Do you really know what you’re voting for? Do you vote based on the emotional plea of a district that has presented bonds before that were defeated because you researched and voted NO. Do you have all the facts? Where is the bond coming from? Do you base your vote on a shiny postcard that conceals what we pay to educate each child? What’s the interest rate on this bond they are pushing? I was moved by the reaction of the district to an editorial who presented facts 4 weeks ago. I’ve trusted the Scarsdale inquirer for as long as I’ve lived here. The editor who has to fact check the letters before they are printed did so. Why did the district react with more misinformation? Mrs. Palminteri’s letter made me ask questions. Why is it our own children wouldn’t or couldn’t consider buying a home in the community they grew up in? Why buy a home here if they can’t send their kids to the district? Why buy a home if the taxes are out of control? Many children including my own left the district after grade 2 due to the problems in the schools and on the buses. Problems still exist, parents still don’t send their children and spend money they don’t have for private school.
Voters before you vote yes: ask yourself, your neighbors, and friends does Greenburgh Central 7 put my tax money to the best use? If not, vote No on Tuesday, October 17. Have you realized the district has no accountability to us, just the two checks we send each year? Taxation without representation and accountability is theft! We are TAXED enough ALREADY. Contrary to the district’s response, Title I, II or III is still paid by the taxpayers, local, state, or federal we are PAYING them. Nothing is free.
- Anonymous
