Why do we need 126 school districts on Long Island? (Babylon: students, towns)

[Crookhaven]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

I remember those bluffs all too well..walking UP endless stairs after a day playing on the rocky beach!

Actually this ones right by Friendship Beach so its not too bad.

Its a little slice O' heaven Beehave.

Its not like theres less rocks at West Meadow, just higher taxes an a terrified Middle Class.


crooks

[RVCparent]

nbres be real... this is not yet a socialism society... the NY times is a liberal paper expecting the impossible. Fine me a succesfull surburban town where the taxes are $2K and you have great schools, local police, garbage pick up that actually works and a community feel. Guess what there are none unless if you want State police to protect your community, garbage pick up once per week and no sense of community then leave LI and leave us alone...you get what you pay for...go live in the south with trailer parks and se offenders... the high taxes also keep out much of the human garbage that destroyed Florida...
Do you think my $12K taxes would be dropped to $8K and someone in Hempstead is going to help and pick up any or ten dollars of the difference? Be real... Eliminating the town school districts would destroy communities and the real estate value... the system works.. what people don't realize is education is an effort by the students and PARENTS. If you make it work there will be success.

[longislandmike]

Paterson, lawmakers conflict over stimulus -- Newsday.com


Skelos presses Paterson on stimulus for Long Island
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-s...,2823659.story

Stimulus will help stabilize LI school finances
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny...,4112500.story


Stimulus money for NY: All the numbers
http://weblogs.newsday.com/news/loca...y_all_the.html

[Peter B]

It's the way it is because Long Islanders have been brainwashed and hoodwinked by greedy politicians for decades. We do not need 126 school districts. Problem is, Long Islanders think it's normal and do not know another way of life. They expect their school taxes to go up every year. Long Islanders live in a bubble and do what they are told without much fuss.

Originally Posted by nbres

Why do we need 126 school districts on Long Island?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/ny...ef=long-island

If Long Islanders are serious about lowering the cost of living here and reducing our enormous and regressive property tax burden then it is time to consolidate the 126 current school districts down to two or three districts.

I propose that there should be:

1. Nassau County School District
2. Western Suffolk County School District (the five western towns)
3. Eastern Suffolk County School District (the five eastern towns)

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Peter B

It's the way it is because Long Islanders have been brainwashed and hoodwinked by greedy politicians for decades. We do not need 126 school districts. Problem is, Long Islanders think it's normal and do not know another way of life. They expect their school taxes to go up every year. Long Islanders live in a bubble and do what they are told without much fuss.

And yet you want to move back to the bubble.....

Peter B
Senior Member
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Michigan
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I hear ya! Wife & I moved to Northern Michigan 5 yrs ago and as soon as we can sell our house, we're moving back to Long Island or Queens

[Peter B]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

And yet you want to move back to the bubble.....

We had thought about it but the wife really doesn't want to anymore. But we did entertain the thought. No matter how hard we tried, just doesn't make sense. We both have great jobs now and no stress. That wouldn't be the case on LI unless a huge windfall comes our way

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Peter B

We had thought about it but the wife really doesn't want to anymore. But we did entertain the thought. No matter how hard we tried, just doesn't make sense. We both have great jobs now and no stress. That wouldn't be the case on LI unless a huge windfall comes our way

Only you know what's best for you

[WJFM]

The issue with education does not seem about Avg Spending per Student. If you look at Long Island Schools - Test scores, school programs - Newsday.com

Wyandanch, Westbury, Herricks and Garden City are spending almost the same amount per student. ( about 18000$). But 2 of the district's test scores are considerably lower than the other 2. Wyandanch and Westbury get more state aid than affluent schools, but the spending per pupil does not seem that much different.

Affluent parents also take more interest in their kids education.. and usually affluent people are highly educated themselves.. so they can pass on this.

One way to look at it.. how many parents in Wyandanch and Westbury spend time with their kids making sure they do their homework. How many parents would read the toddlers? I am sure places like Herricks, Jericho and Garden city will come out on top.. while the bottom will lower end schools.

Originally Posted by Smash255

I don't think its fair to say that the people in Wyandanch don't prioritize education, it is more a $$$ more than issue than anything else IMHO. That is not to say that more $$ or a more even distribution of $$ will solve all of the problems, however its not exactly a coincidence that the worst performing districts on LI are the ones in the poorest areas.

[llama8]

Originally Posted by RVCparent

nbres be real... this is not yet a socialism society... the NY times is a liberal paper expecting the impossible. Fine me a succesfull surburban town where the taxes are $2K and you have great schools, local police, garbage pick up that actually works and a community feel. Guess what there are none unless if you want State police to protect your community, garbage pick up once per week and no sense of community then leave LI and leave us alone...you get what you pay for...go live in the south with trailer parks and se offenders... the high taxes also keep out much of the human garbage that destroyed Florida...
Do you think my $12K taxes would be dropped to $8K and someone in Hempstead is going to help and pick up any or ten dollars of the difference? Be real... Eliminating the town school districts would destroy communities and the real estate value... the system works.. what people don't realize is education is an effort by the students and PARENTS. If you make it work there will be success.

Very good points. Finally a voice of reason. People on this board complain about everything when they don't realize how bad their lives would be if all of the "perks" of LI went away. Lower taxes don't equal a better quality of life at all.

[thepokerdepot]

Originally Posted by llama8

I'm not so sure that is the answer. Look at the disaster that is the NYC public schools. Larger districts have more problems. Plus, it could negatively affect property values which are partly based on school district. As a teacher, I think education would suffer greatly. Alrhoug tax wise it could work, education wise it would be a disaster.

I strongly disagree:

Teachers would still get paid well and keep their Union Benifits.
Property tax reduction raises property value. (A Home is worth nothing is property taxes are 40K).
Equity in homes will increase,..( Owners would be able to afford Health Care,..Private Schools,..Mortgage)
Charter Schools would be a competitive force for Public Schools.
Retirees and young people could afford to stay on beautiful Long Island.
We would attract Big Business (Lower Tax) and increase Jobs.

It's very evident things has not been working,..Long Island is just about done the way it is.

If things don't change:
Property taxes will increase.
Mass migration like upstate,..(NYS has the biggest migration rate,..50% more than the 2nd,..Mass.) This is very important considering Population has increase in the USA.
Their will be no more money for Teachers.
Schools will fall apart.
Your home will be worth 100k instead of 400k.

Simple