Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Ashley Leveille Elected!
2. The Budget Passes!
3. Transportation Discrimination
4. Upcoming Community Events

1) Ashley Leveille Elected!

Thanks to all of those who came out and voted, we now have a new school board member!

Ashley has a child who is a student in the district, she is a professional educator, and she has goals and expectations for our district.

Let’s all join in congratulating her!

2) The Budget Passes!

East Ramapo has had more failed budgets than any other district in NY State, including just last year. This is a direct result of having a large voting bloc that doesn’t use public schools.

Public school parents and supporters in East Ramapo have much higher turnout and support for budgets than most other districts, but that is not usually enough to pass the budget in a district where the bloc votes 93% NO.

This year, the bloc vote stayed home for the school budget vote. This is because a deal was made to include $900,000 increase in payments to non-public transportation. A large part of this money is in direct payments to yeshivas that provide their own busing. 

3) Transportation Discrimination

It appears that the district is going to go through with the changes to the school schedules. The new schedule will mean more crowded buses and longer transit times. Some students may need to be at the bus stop by 6:15 AM. 

While the justification given for this inconvenience is financial, the bottom line has not been made public. 

The district says there will be a savings of $4.6 million. However, this is an expense that is reimbursed by the state at about 75%. Therefore, the associated state aid would be reduced by about $3.45 million, leaving only $1.15 million savings to the district. The state says the additional costs for staff will be $732,000 in 2019-20, this is scheduled to increase the next year by 25-33%. The proposed savings is thus barely more than the expected cost of extra staff in the second year. 

At the same time the district is inflicting this inconvenience on public school students, it is increasing its payments to non-public schools that provide courtesy busing for their students. The $900,000 included in this year’s budget is not eligible for state reimbursement, it comes entirely at the expense of public school programming. 

The school board continues to falsely claim it cannot address the skyrocketing costs of gender-segregated and courtesy busing for non-public schools.

As reported in Power of Ten on May 5, the school district can align busing schedules for non-public schools to save costs. 

Why has the school district chosen to create serious problems for public school children and families, and ignore skyrocketing costs associated with paying non-public schools to run their bus system?

The Greenberg report said: “Most disturbing, Board appears to favor the interests of private schools over public schools.” He said there had been “No meaningful effort made to distribute pain of deep budget cuts fairly among private and public schools.”

4) Upcoming Community Events

June 2: CUPON Spaghetti Dinner, Fundraiser, and Recognition Event
Join us for an informal, relaxing afternoon of good food and great company!
Sunday, June 2, 2019, 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
At the Hillcrest Firehouse, 374 North Main Street, Hillcrest NY
Adults:  $ 40.00      Children under 12:   $15.00
Tickets May Be Purchased online at: https://cupondinner.ezevent.com/

June 4: Finklestein Memorial Library Budget and Trustee Vote
Tuesday, June 4 from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM
24 Chestnut Street, Spring Valley
More info: www.FinkelsteinLibrary.org

June 9: MLK Center Brick Campaign Launch
Sunday, June 4 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
110 Bethune Blvd, Spring Valley
More info: https://www.mlkmpc.org/

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Vote Tuesday May 21
2. Two Candidates
3. Write-in Eric Goodwin

1) Vote Tuesday May 21

Here’s what you need to know, when you go vote on May 21:

There are three seats open, but we have only two candidates this year.

One of our candidates, Eric Goodwin, is a write-in

The resulting ballot looks like this:

2) Two Candidates

Over the years, different groups have formed to assist and coordinate the campaigns of school board candidates. Some years they are very well organized, some years less. This year there were four people who expressed interest in running through the public process. One had to decline due to a family emergency, and the remaining three met and chose which seats they would run for. This is probably the most important part of the process, because candidates must choose a seat before gathering petitions, and so they must coordinate to avoid running against each other by accident.

Right before petitions were due, the candidate who was petitioning for the seat of trustee Weissmandl was contacted by someone who offered to hand in petitions for him for the seat of trustee Germain. He was told that if he ran for that seat, he would have the support of the “Jewish community”. It appears that the caller was serious, because petitions were submitted as promised, mostly signed by men from New Square. The petitions we made for the third seat were thus not submitted, and this is why we only have two candidates this year.

3) Write-in Eric Goodwin

Another unusual problem has arisen due to lack of sufficient signatures for Eric Goodwin. Several factors contributed to this failure, probably the biggest is the late start we got this year. However, the ballots do have a provision for a write-in candidate, and so we are encouraging people to do that. Fortunately, he has an easy name!

Power of Ten Update
Power of Ten Special Edition:

Last Chance: Canvassing Opportunities

Join our candidates as we go door to door talking to voters! 

May 18 we will meet in the parking lot at the 7-11, 65 Kennedy Dr, Spring Valley, first shift at 11:00 AM and second shift at 1:00 PM.

Wear your most comfortable shoes and your warmest smile!

Our candidates are Ashley Leveille and Eric Goodwin.

Eric Goodwin is a write in candidate in the first column.

Ashley Leveille is in the first row, second column.

Here is the sample ballot:

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. The Ballot
2. Two Candidates
3. Write-in Eric Goodwin

1) The Ballot

Several readers have already gotten their absentee ballots (absentee ballot applications must be received by the District Clerk by Tuesday, May 14) and are asking how to fill them in for our candidates. Here’s what you need to know, whether you are voting by absentee or at the polls on May 21:

• • There are three seats open, but we have only two candidates this year.
  • One of our candidates, Eric Goodwin, is a write-in

The resulting ballot looks like this:

2) Two Candidates

Over the years, different groups have formed to assist and coordinate the campaigns of school board candidates. Some years they are very well organized, some years less. This year there were four people who expressed interest in running through the public process. One had to decline due to a family emergency, and the remaining three met and chose which seats they would run for. This is probably the most important part of the process, because candidates must choose a seat before gathering petitions, and so they must coordinate to avoid running against each other by accident.

Right before petitions were due, the candidate who petitioning for the seat of trustee Weissmandl was contacted by someone who offered to hand in petitions for him for the seat of trustee Germain. He was told that if he ran for that seat, he would have the support of the “Jewish community”. It appears that the caller was serious, because petitions were submitted as promised, mostly signed by men from New Square. The petitions we made for the third seat were thus not submitted, and this is why we only have two candidates this year.

3) Write-in Eric Goodwin

Another unusual problem has arisen due to lack of sufficient signatures for Eric Goodwin. Several factors contributed to this failure, probably the biggest is the late start we got this year. However, the ballots do have a provision for a write-in candidate, and so we are encouraging people to do that. Fortunately, he has an easy name!

 

Power of Ten Update
In This Issue:
1. Canvassing Opportunities
2. Candidates Forum
3. Transportation Discrimination

1) Canvassing Opportunities

Join our candidates as we go door to door talking to voters! There will be two shifts on two Saturdays.

May 11 we will meet in the parking lot at the Pascack Community Center, 87 New Clarkstown Rd, in Nanuet, first shift at 11:00 AM and second shift at 1:00 PM.

May 18 we will meet in the parking lot at the 7-11, 65 Kennedy Dr, Spring Valley, first shift at 11:00 AM and second shift at 1:00 PM.

Wear your most comfortable shoes and your warmest smile!

2) Candidates Forum May 13

The Spring Valley NAACP Civic Engagement Committee presents: “East Ramapo School Board Candidates Forum”

Monday, May 13 at 7:00 PM
Louis Kurtz Civic Center, 9 North Main Street, Spring Valley

Cosponsor: Spring Valley NAACP Young Adult Committee
We encourage you to come and find out about the candidates before voting! All are welcome as there is no cost to attend. Audience members will be allowed to ask questions during the forum. Join us at this free community event!

3) Transportation Discrimination

The board is proposing to make changes to the school schedules. They say it is in response to rising transportation costs. But the cost-cutting measures won’t be applied to busing for non-public schools.

The Journal News: East Ramapo transportation changes would affect public schools first

If the district is not addressing the skyrocketing costs of gender-segregated and courtesy busing for non-public schools, its not because they can’t. In 2016, the Suffern school district aligned busing schedules for non-public schools, to save costs. Some of those affected called it discrimination:

The Journal News: Cuts to Ramapo school busing anger parents

There are serious questions about the impact of the proposed changes. How will earlier start times affect high school students (the most recent studies recommend a later start time for high school age children)? Will a 6:15 AM bus stop time increase our already unacceptable drop-out rate? How much will the extra pay for teachers and monitors cost? 

However, the biggest question is this: Do the students in public school matter as much to the school board as those in non-public school?

The Greenberg report said: “Most disturbing, Board appears to favor the interests of private schools over public schools.” He said there had been “No meaningful effort made to distribute pain of deep budget cuts fairly among private and public schools.” 

East Ramapo has had more failed budgets than any other district in the state. The ones who vote down the budgets are insulated from consequences by the school board. All the negative consequences always fall on someone else’s children. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. Our system was designed for majority rule, because the majority were in public school. There was no provision made in state law (from which local school authorities derive their power) for districts with a majority of students in non-public school. That could be changed at the state level. We continue to urge Albany to address the issue of “Governance with the Consent of the Governed”.