LETTERS: School budgets, Obama's sidestep, house fire

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Schools spokesman is out of touch

I'm responding to Eastern Suffolk BOCES executive Gary Bixhorn's op-ed ["Don't lock in our property tax burden," Sept. 23]. Clearly, he wants the current broken-down system to remain untouched.

This is a system that pits parents of school kids against all other taxpayers; a system where a contingency budget may actually mean higher taxes than a defeated budget; a system where school districts "hide" funds in the budget in case it's voted down; a system in which the teachers' and administrators' unions work feverishly behind the scenes to support and fund union-friendly board members; a system in which parents are forced to support unrealistic budgets to save sports, transportation and after-school programs; a system where teachers' and administrators' salaries, benefits and pension costs are put first.

He suggests taking "dramatic steps to control spending" but fails to mention that more than 70 percent of all school-budget dollars are spent on personnel.

Suggesting that more tax dollars from Albany will solve the problem is a meaningless union talking point. Not only do voters want a rock-solid tax cap, we want one with no exemptions unless most voters agree to a specific waiver of the cap.

Here's one taxpayer who says a daily prayer that New Jersey's Chris Christie decides to move to New York and run for governor.

Ray Granderson

Albertson

Bypassing voters

President Barack Obama is going his own way, and around Congress, by issuing executive orders and by empowering his cabinet to legislate through regulation ["Obama's new game plan," News, Oct. 10].

We have three branches of government, and the president will be sidestepping the branch that represents us. The president is ignoring the majority of Americans that believes all efforts should target restoring the economy and jobs. Somebody is not playing by the rules.

Arnold Genovesi

Central Islip

Animal sense

Do we need a law to let fire companies know it's wrong to let a house burn ["Burning question for tea partyers," Opinion, Oct. 10] because the owner didn't pay the $75 insurance fee?

I guess the pets inside assumed the humans weren't going to act like animals.

Carol Viverito

Lindenhurst