Two Platforms Emerge from BOE Candidates

Two tickets for three board of education seats arose Monday during the Hauppauge PTA’s “Meet the Candidates Night.” On one side, are incumbents Geri Richter, Ginger Todaro and newcomer Gary Fortmeyer. On the other, are new faces, David Barshay and Rob J. Scarito.  

During the event, the school board candidates discussed their views on the budget, unfunded mandates, common core standards, contract negotiations and more.  

When it comes to the budget, all five candidates said that they would vote for the spending plan. Richter said that she was proud that the current budget proposal does not include cuts to teachers or programs and is still within the cap. Barshay and Scarito, while in favor of the budget, said that they would not vote for the proposition to fix the windows at Whiporwil since the project would not directly affect Hauppauge students. The second proposal also includes asphalt repairs to the schools' parking lots.

Another big topic discussion was on unfunded mandates.  

Richter, Todaro and Fortmeyer focused on the continuing need for lobbying efforts in Albany to hold legislators accountable for promised relief with unfunded mandates, as well as creating new solutions to deal with fixed costs such as the pension system, which will cost Hauppauge School an additional $2.5 million next school year.  

Richter said that she has been going to Albany for the past five years in an effort to change mandates such as the Tri-Borough Amendment to the Taylor Law, which has to do with contracts of public employees; Wick’s Law, which has to do with construction projects, and others. She said that if elected, she would continue to fight for what’s best for the community.  

Fortmeyer, who has experience in lobbying for business to come to Long Island, said his background would be an asset in making a difference in Albany.

Todaro said that she believes many mandates are for the benefit of the schools, but that the cost burden on districts needs to be resolved.  

Barshay said he would also hold legislators to their word of promised relief.  

One of those mandates is the Common Core curriculum. All five candidates agreed that having all students in the state learning the same material is a positive goal. However, the testing aspect of the mandate is overwhelming for both students and teachers.  

“I love the Common Core standards. Having all children in Hauppauge learning same thing as every other student in the state is a good thing. The testing part is the problem,” Todaro said.  

One fundamental difference between the two platforms is within the school district’s spending.  

Richter, Todaro and Fortmeyer said that the board so far has done a good job of keeping up with mandates, while still providing a top educational experience within the tax cap.

Richter said that the board has cut the administrative staff by 25 percent, refinanced its debt and reorganized the special education program to be more cost-effective and beneficial to students by putting one full time teacher in the classroom that the children get to be with throughout the school day, instead of a half-day teacher and a half-day teaching assistant that would switch off on the old model.

However, Barshay and Scarito argued that Hauppauge is doing less with more in comparison to surrounding schools.  

Barshay and Scarito compared the average cost per-pupil to surrounding districts such as Three Village, Smithtown, Commack and Kings Park, stating that the other districts are spending less, but scoring higher within the state’s report card.  

“We’re paying more than the districts around us and getting less as far as results go,” Barshay said.  

When it comes to employee contracts, all five candidates have a background in negotiations either through their work, or experience on the board.  

Residents in the audience said that the event gave them a chance to better know the candidates.  

“It’s helpful to hear the different opinions. It was good to hear some realistic approaches,” Marti White, who is also an educator, said. “The public needs to know about these mandates.”  

Bernadette Black said that she had an idea of who she would vote for before the event, but that hearing the candidates speak helped solidify her decision.