What Now Comsewogue?

The voters came out this past Tuesday and overwhelmingly passed the budget. It was really no surprise as a yes or no vote meant the same budget. But still it showed support of our school district, one that I have been a resident of since 1994, one that currently is attended by 3 of my children and one that I have the privilege of serving on its school board from 2007 - 2010. With the Administrators and the PJSTA giving back money this year along with Dr Rella’s open door policy, the public was well informed and grateful.

But what happens in 2012? As I stated at Meet the Candidate's night, you can’t ask everyone to give back to the district again. Both CSEA contracts are up in June of 2011. The PJSTA contract is up next year in June of 2012. As of July 2011, we will have 2 trustees who are employed as teachers albeit from different districts, a current Comsewogue CSEA worker who has stated that they will resign their position, a trustee whose sister in law works in the district and lastly a trustee whose daughter (CSEA), wife (CSEA) and her son (teacher) all work in the district. That makes 5 out of our 7 board members with ties to the unions or 6 if you include the PBA.

How did this happen? In 2010, the PJSTA endorsed a resident who is a teacher outside of the district. This year the PJSTA along with the Comsewogue CSEA endorsed a current CSEA employee and a Member of the Teamster Union for 27 years whose daughter (CSEA), wife (CSEA) and her son (teacher) all work in the district. When you take into account the phone calls and letters that NYSUT & CSEA member received in our district on who to vote for and add in that they all have family members too, you can see that adds up to quite an amount of votes.