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Considering all their money they could certainly do better when it comes to their library. Westbury Schools may be much less wealthy but we certainly have a better library. Ditto for towns like Riverhead too.
Westbury School District?? Where my parents (20years in retirement)pay over 20k for property Taxes!
You know something,..most of the home-owners in the Westbury school district send their kids to private schools (St, Doms,.Chaminade,.)or move to Carle Place. You know why?? Because Westbury,..no matter if the budget was a trillion dollars,..will never be a competitive school. No parental support of school system,..Westbury School sytem is just a big babysitter.
Another thing about Westbury,..Maint. crew is the biggest waste of money and should be sued IMO.
Why do I have to pay to feed your kid?? You can't make them a lunchbox?
Why do I have to pay for a translator?? My parents came from Europe legally btw,..I never had a translator or special class.
Why do I have to pay for your crayons?? My parents bought mine.
When I was in Westbury School System(70-80's),..it cost the average Westburian 1/15 their average income,..now it cost 1/3. WHY?
If you can answer me this,...I'd really appreciate it.
Why?
Last edited by thepokerdepot; 05-25-2009 at 03:35 PM..
All I can say is I dont think the residents of Smithtown are in that dire of a situation. They're still driving around in huge SUV's, I see plenty of them, usually of the GMC Yukon variety. I also still see plenty of landscapers around too. Those are not considered neccesities. Before they say they cant afford a higher library tax they should look at tightening their own belt. Ditch the SUV and drive something smaller and maybe mow your own lawn (gasp!).
If I was looking at a defeated library or school budget in say...William Floyd I wouldn't be saying this, but none of the areas in Smithtown strike me as Blue Collar. Kings Park may have used to be, but it's gotten more upscale in recent years.
Considering all their money they could certainly do better when it comes to their library. Westbury Schools may be much less wealthy but we certainly have a better library. Ditto for towns like Riverhead too.
Sorry John, but I don't think the average person living in Smithtown drives a Yukon and pays for landscaping every week. These are the things that stick out to you. For every family making 200K with the Yukon and landscaper, there is another making 60-100K that is barely getting by, clipping coupons, driving used cars, and dreading the tax bill. Keep in mind that my wife is a teacher. 10K in taxes every year is enough to drive everyone except the upper middle class out of an area.
All I can say is I dont think the residents of Smithtown are in that dire of a situation. They're still driving around in huge SUV's, I see plenty of them, usually of the GMC Yukon variety. I also still see plenty of landscapers around too. Those are not considered neccesities. Before they say they cant afford a higher library tax they should look at tightening their own belt. Ditch the SUV and drive something smaller and maybe mow your own lawn (gasp!).
If I was looking at a defeated library or school budget in say...William Floyd I wouldn't be saying this, but none of the areas in Smithtown strike me as Blue Collar. Kings Park may have used to be, but it's gotten more upscale in recent years.
Considering all their money they could certainly do better when it comes to their library. Westbury Schools may be much less wealthy but we certainly have a better library. Ditto for towns like Riverhead too.
Maybe the opinion of somebody who actually works (at all), and pays taxes in the Township would carry more credibility. I drive a hybrid and live in Smithtown. Hmmm, maybe I am the norm?? As an actual citizen of the Township I can tell you quite clearly that the town is a very even mix of upper middle and blue collar. For every multi-acre homestead in Head of the Harbor there are dozens of very simple, small-lot capes in St. James. The Yukons you see are very often for the owner of a blue collar company doing his/her work. My assessment is based on the brownie troops, local youth soccer games, PTA events I attend on a regular basis, and my actual neighbors...and I can safely state, at least in my portion of the school district, that I am in minority as a white collar worker with a Masters degree. This is not a judgement at all, I am very happy with my neighbors and the town...but your handful of visits to the town library are probably a better overall assessment...
And on the library front, you fail to mention the recent armory bond vote that passed where the town will be eventually building out an entirely new Nesconset extension that will be state of the art. The biggest blockade to all of these (in some cases federally mandated) libary improvements has been Vecchio, who was very vocal that he would never vote in support of the bond. And regarding the landscapers, you can always cancel your landscaper, you can't cancel new taxes. Smithtown already has one of the highest tax rates on the island.
"Johninwestbury--I also still see plenty of landscapers around too. Those are not considered neccesities. Before they say they cant afford a higher library tax they should look at tightening their own belt."
Johninwestbury, I am not going to go on and on with you, but one thing you said really got me. Don't always judge people when you don't know their circumstances. My father, God rest his sole, lived in Uniondale, right near the Uniondale Mini-Cinema, which was posted all about on another thread. Not a great neighborhood at all whatsoever. They lived there in their little cape from the late 1940's till my mom died in 2006. They paid $7,000 for the whole house. To them it was a mansion and they loved everything about it. My dad and mom slaved over their landscaping all those years many times on their hands and knees at 8:00 p.m. at night when my father would return from working his second job at Gertz Dept. Store in Jamaica, New York. That was until my dad became ill and my mom came down with Altz. and neither one was physically able to do it. My one sister lives in Maryland and the other in North Carolina. I live an hour and a half away and came in whenever possible. Neither one was able to cut the lawn and weed the borders anymore. They paid out of my father's measly pension from AT&T of which he made $14,000 a year when he retired in the early 70's a Spanish landscaper, who was so nice, and would come and cut their lawn and weed for half of what he charged everyone else. They slaved and cut corners wherever they could to provide a good quality of life for me and my family. Yes, in the end, they did succumb to having a landscaper out of their measly social security payments AND with the STAR program, they paid $7,000 in yearly property tax at the time of my mom's death in '06, NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED ONE, but BECAUSE THEY HAD TO! My mom never bought clothes or jewelery or went on fancy trips. She tried to make due with what she had. Don't always judge everyone by what they have or what they do, sometimes it is out of necessity and those people you pass in other towns, maybe because they work two or possibly three jobs, are paying to have some things done so they can spend some time with their families when all is said and done. One other thing, is that cars nowadays are either of the SUV type or the little sedan. If you have any more children than 2, they can't fit in the backseat of a normal small car. The mother and father ride up front, and if they have any friends or whatever, you can't even help with carpooling to events. Every single decade had their "family cars", take for instance the stationwagon during the 50's which was followed up by the VW bus in the 60's and the minivans of the 80's. The SUV has simply provided the family with a car that fits more than two children in it. Are we now supposed to stop having families and pets so our car can be small?
If you have any more children than 2, they can't fit in the backseat of a normal small car.
As much as I despise luxury and oversize SUVs, I have to agree. Where have all the station wagons gone? We have a Camry, and it is a very tight squeeze to get our family in there (three adults, one teen, and one 4 year-old in a largish booster). If one kid wants to bring a friend, then someone gets left home or we take two cars.
Mini-vans are an option...an ugly option with less than stellar crash test ratings. But if Honda came up with a hybrid Odyssey, I'd so be there.
As much as I despise luxury and oversize SUVs, I have to agree. Where have all the station wagons gone? We have a Camry, and it is a very tight squeeze to get our family in there (three adults, one teen, and one 4 year-old in a largish booster). If one kid wants to bring a friend, then someone gets left home or we take two cars.
Mini-vans are an option...an ugly option with less than stellar crash test ratings. But if Honda came up with a hybrid Odyssey, I'd so be there.
Station wagons were replaced by SUV's and minivans. I remember a friend had a Corolla wagon a few years back..the thing had more than enough space for a family of four if you count all the cargo room. You can't get anything like that now, except for Subaru. All the hatchbacks have as little room as the sedan versions of the same car.
As much as I despise luxury and oversize SUVs, I have to agree. Where have all the station wagons gone? We have a Camry, and it is a very tight squeeze to get our family in there (three adults, one teen, and one 4 year-old in a largish booster). If one kid wants to bring a friend, then someone gets left home or we take two cars.
Mini-vans are an option...an ugly option with less than stellar crash test ratings. But if Honda came up with a hybrid Odyssey, I'd so be there.
I miss station wagons also. I do agree minivans are ugly, but I thought alot of them had 5 star safety ratings?
"Johninwestbury--I also still see plenty of landscapers around too. Those are not considered neccesities. Before they say they cant afford a higher library tax they should look at tightening their own belt."
Johninwestbury, I am not going to go on and on with you, but one thing you said really got me. Don't always judge people when you don't know their circumstances. My father, God rest his sole, lived in Uniondale, right near the Uniondale Mini-Cinema, which was posted all about on another thread. Not a great neighborhood at all whatsoever. They lived there in their little cape from the late 1940's till my mom died in 2006. They paid $7,000 for the whole house. To them it was a mansion and they loved everything about it. My dad and mom slaved over their landscaping all those years many times on their hands and knees at 8:00 p.m. at night when my father would return from working his second job at Gertz Dept. Store in Jamaica, New York. That was until my dad became ill and my mom came down with Altz. and neither one was physically able to do it. My one sister lives in Maryland and the other in North Carolina. I live an hour and a half away and came in whenever possible. Neither one was able to cut the lawn and weed the borders anymore. They paid out of my father's measly pension from AT&T of which he made $14,000 a year when he retired in the early 70's a Spanish landscaper, who was so nice, and would come and cut their lawn and weed for half of what he charged everyone else. They slaved and cut corners wherever they could to provide a good quality of life for me and my family. Yes, in the end, they did succumb to having a landscaper out of their measly social security payments AND with the STAR program, they paid $7,000 in yearly property tax at the time of my mom's death in '06, NOT BECAUSE THEY WANTED ONE, but BECAUSE THEY HAD TO! My mom never bought clothes or jewelery or went on fancy trips. She tried to make due with what she had. Don't always judge everyone by what they have or what they do, sometimes it is out of necessity and those people you pass in other towns, maybe because they work two or possibly three jobs, are paying to have some things done so they can spend some time with their families when all is said and done. One other thing, is that cars nowadays are either of the SUV type or the little sedan. If you have any more children than 2, they can't fit in the backseat of a normal small car. The mother and father ride up front, and if they have any friends or whatever, you can't even help with carpooling to events. Every single decade had their "family cars", take for instance the stationwagon during the 50's which was followed up by the VW bus in the 60's and the minivans of the 80's. The SUV has simply provided the family with a car that fits more than two children in it. Are we now supposed to stop having families and pets so our car can be small?
Well certainly some folks are unable to do their lawns and need landscapers. I doubt these are the majority of people that use them though, as most folks are fairly able-bodied and have kids, though kids these days are being treated like adults way too quickly, instead of doing the things that kids do (doing chores,etc).
As far as the SUVs go, minivans are often a better option. They may not look as "cool" but they actually have more room than SUV's and are supposed to be very safe. It is too bad the station wagon has been phased out, though I still think Volvo and Audi make some pretty nice ones.
Maybe the opinion of somebody who actually works (at all), and pays taxes in the Township would carry more credibility. I drive a hybrid and live in Smithtown. Hmmm, maybe I am the norm?? As an actual citizen of the Township I can tell you quite clearly that the town is a very even mix of upper middle and blue collar. For every multi-acre homestead in Head of the Harbor there are dozens of very simple, small-lot capes in St. James. The Yukons you see are very often for the owner of a blue collar company doing his/her work. My assessment is based on the brownie troops, local youth soccer games, PTA events I attend on a regular basis, and my actual neighbors...and I can safely state, at least in my portion of the school district, that I am in minority as a white collar worker with a Masters degree. This is not a judgement at all, I am very happy with my neighbors and the town...but your handful of visits to the town library are probably a better overall assessment...
And on the library front, you fail to mention the recent armory bond vote that passed where the town will be eventually building out an entirely new Nesconset extension that will be state of the art. The biggest blockade to all of these (in some cases federally mandated) libary improvements has been Vecchio, who was very vocal that he would never vote in support of the bond. And regarding the landscapers, you can always cancel your landscaper, you can't cancel new taxes. Smithtown already has one of the highest tax rates on the island.
Well from what I see of Smithtown as a whole it is fairly well to do, especially compared to Brookhaven. Sure there are pockets of working class neighborhoods, but the majority of it appears to be upscale. The problem with school and library taxes is the way they are set up. A fairer solution would be to raise taxes the most on the rich.
As far as Vecchio goes, I cant stand him. He's in bed with the rich developers, and has been King of Smithtown for too long. Come to think of it, Smithtown is one of the few LI Townships that doesn't have any ghetto areas in it. Even Huntington cant brag that.
I'm sure Walter can look up some income and home value data
I miss station wagons also. I do agree minivans are ugly, but I thought alot of them had 5 star safety ratings?
When I was looking a few years back, the passengers did well in crash tests but the drivers didn't fare as well. Perhaps they have improved the design since then?
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