LETTERS: Meaningful school votes, finance transparency and more

Meaningful votes needed for schools

Regarding Eastern Suffolk BOCES chief operating officer Gary Bixhorn's "Don't lock in our property tax burden": This year's school budget vote is reminiscent of when Saddam Hussein touted his unanimous re-election after he was the only candidate on the ballot.

Educators brag of victory when budgets pass - but they rig the vote in most school districts. For too many years, there's been a nonchoice: If you vote "no," you pay more and get much less. In the early '90s a statewide tax group tried to challenge this tactic with what was called the "meaningless vote" lawsuit, but we did not succeed. The practice is even more widespread today.

So I cannot let stand Bixhorn's statement that it was understood this year that a "no" vote would have reduced any increase to 0 percent. Most voters were certainly not aware of this. Their state legislators were not going inform them; in fact they had tried to sneak in a law to kill the cap. And some who were aware were tricked by their school boards into voting "yes'' or not voting at all, when they received brochures indicating their "no" vote would make their tax bill even higher while forcing painful cuts to student programs.

There would be no need for tax caps if the budget vote were made meaningful, and districts were no longer able to manipulate the facts and budget numbers to extort a "yes" vote from overburdened taxpayers.

Andrea Vecchio

East Islip

Editor's note: Andrea Vecchio is a founder of Long Islanders for Educational Reform.

Following the law is transparent

Joye Brown's column "Transparency is the real issue" on financial disclosure was simplistic sensationalism and irresponsible journalism.

She claims that I chose to file a state form instead of a county form, never saying that I am required by state law (as a State Pine Barrens Commission Member) to file the state form.

And she never mentioned that present at the legislature's special meeting was Mark Davies, a contributor to the original state law, who noted in his written testimony that "a comparison of the state form reveals that, on the whole, the state form is more extensive than the county form."

She provides her opinion that I was remiss by not filing the county's form. However, Brown, a nonlawyer, never cited leading legal ethics experts - including Davies - who have confirmed that state law, which supersedes county law, clearly states that the filing of the state form satisfies the filing requirements for local governments.

She ends with a call for transparency. Nothing is more transparent than following the law and answering every question posed on the comprehensive state form, as I did.

I have answered questions that no other county official or employee has, such as: Do I hold office in a political party or committee? Have I been reimbursed for travel and expenses from outside agencies? Have I engaged in less-than-fair market value transactions or do I have agreements in place for future employment?

The next time Brown is going to comment on state law or a disclosure form, perhaps it might behoove her to at least first read what she is commenting on.

Steve Levy

Hauppauge

Editor's note: The writer is Suffolk County executive.

Insurance 'deal' - or no deal?

I want to take this opportunity to thank state insurance regulators for all their help .

As if living on Long Island weren't expensive enough, now I'm likely going to have to pay even higher premiums on my home insurance. That is if I still have it next year after these changes, as I live a mile from the Great South Bay. Right now there are different deductible choices that I can choose from that I can afford, but if they have their way, no more choice.

Instead, I'll have to pay more all year long to make up for the difference, whether I use it or not. The good news? The regulators will be informed when I get canceled. What are these people smoking?

Kenneth Warns

Massapequa

Paladino's anger shared by NYers

Well, finally someone is as mad as I am living in New York .

Carl Paladino might be a little rough around the edges, but so what. New York needs a person who is tough and will be able to stand up against Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, who has been in office forever.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo is yet another career politician and the son of a former governor.

Wake up, New York. We need some fresh blood in office. We need someone mad and who owes favors to no one. If Paladino is going into Albany with bats and brooms, he can be assured that plenty of New Yorkers will be waiting there with dustpans.

Teresa Mantione

Port Jefferson Station

Ahmadinejad is a threat to peace

Perhaps it is time to stop treating the president of Iran as a valid world leader, rather than the psychopath he truly is .

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's threats to Israel and the West and building a nuclear device in the face of world criticism are serious breaches of peace. He is a threat to peace. Should he continue, peace-loving nations need to act in their own defense.

Michael Trachtenberg

Kings Park