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Islanders sound off on schools' private lawyers

Compiled by staff writer Patrick Whittle

February 22, 2008

Long Islanders interviewed yesterday by Newsday expressed mostly outrage about Lawrence Reich and other private attorneys who have been listed by school districts as employees, enabling them to earn state pensions, while their law firms were also being paid fees by those districts. Some of those interviewed demanded a thorough county investigation of the matter, while others said the money paid to the lawyers should be used to fund teacher salaries and after-school programs.

"I think it's a horrible waste of taxpayer money. Teacher salaries - we don't get paid enough for the jobs that we do."

- Jennifer Moran, 40, Carle Place, teacher and mother of two

"We're paying taxes and nobody's keeping track of where it's going, obviously."

- Anthony Bonventre, 46, Melville, financial planner

"It's certainly not in the best interest of the community. It's a nefarious misuse of taxpayer money."

- Lennie Ramsaroop, 51, West Hempstead, account manager

"If they work hard they have a right to collect. But if they don't work they don't have a right."

- Thelma Fagan, 69, Uniondale, nurse's aide

"I think that practice shocks my conscience. I'm surprised to hear an attorney say it's been going on all along."

- Leonard Pugatch, 56, Roslyn, attorney

"If they are doing something beneficial for the school district, that's one thing. But if they are siphoning away taxpayers' money illegally, obviously, I have a problem with that."

- Michael Walker, 28, Mineola, attorney