Three Village School Voters Guide 2010

VOTING

6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at all local elementary schools.

THE BUDGET

The district is proposing a budget of $167,112,686 for the 2010-11 school year, which is a 2.45 percent increase over the current budget of $163,117,136.

The local tax levy would rise from $119,641,350 to $123,230,590 - a 3 percent increase.

Taxes on an average home assessed at $4,200 would increase by 2.99 percent from $8,566 to $8,822.

The budget also includes a 1 percent contractual increase in teacher salaries as well as step increases, which vary.

The proposed budget calls for a reduction of 21 teaching positions and 17 other staff positions. As part of the budget, class sizes would be increased and some electives would be cut. No new programs would be started.

District website:

threevillagecsd.org

THE CANDIDATES

Incumbent Jonathan Kornreich and challengers Stuart Fourman, Michael Gallagher, Charles Massimo and Susanne A. Mendelson are running for two seats, each with a three-year term. David Micklos is not seeking re-election.

Stuart Fourman

BACKGROUND: Fourman, 52, is an ophthalmologist who has lived in the district for 20 years. Fourman received his bachelor of arts degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his medical degree from Albany Medical College. He has served as a member and president of the Three Village school board in the past. He was first elected to the board in 1998 and resigned in April 2008.

ISSUES: Fourman said, "I believe my 10 years [of] experience as a board member in this district may be of service." He is concerned with the financial health of the district and hopes to help the district use its funds efficiently. "We have an excellent district that our community has sacrificed - through taxes - to create," he said. "During this economic downturn, it is most important to maintain programs with an eye on lower costs."

Michael Gallagher

BACKGROUND: Gallagher, 38, is a chiropractor who has lived in the district for 38 years. He is a graduate of Life University School of Chiropractic. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two children who both attend district schools.

ISSUES: Gallagher said, "Due to the fiscal climate, our school district is under great restraint. We need to tighten our belt and stop frivolous spending." He said he will "make sure that the allocation of money is distributed correctly." If elected, Gallagher hopes to put some of his ideas to action. "Taxpayers are experiencing tough financial times," he said. "We need to optimize our assets and continue to prove we are one of the best school districts on Long Island."

Jonathan Kornreich

BACKGROUND: Kornreich, 40, is a property manager who has lived in the district for five years. He and his wife, Linda, have two daughters. One attends school in the district, the other is in preschool. Kornreich received a bachelor of arts degree from the University at Albany. He also serves as president of the board of trustees of the North Shore Montessori School.

ISSUES: Kornreich said, "There is an inherent flaw in the way school district wealth is calculated." He hopes to modify how state aid is distributed to the district in an effort to capture more funds. In the past, he said his primary concern was "protecting the programs that make our school district the special place that it is." He said he hopes to continue to preserve school programs. He is also focused on school nutrition and said he wants to continue to push for healthier food options in school. He hopes to prevent "highly processed meats and other unhealthy foods" from becoming part of children's meals, he said.

Charles Massimo

BACKGROUND: Massimo, 47, owns his own wealth management firm and has lived in the district for three years. He received a bachelor of arts degree from Manhattanville College. He and his wife, Stella, have three children, triplets, who all attend district schools.

ISSUES: Massimo said, "My main focus is going to be on alternative ways to raise money for the schools district so we don't have to continue to raise taxes and [can] avoid cutting programs." He said he wants to use his "experience as a successful wealth manager to help manage and allocate funds." He said he plans to aggressively petition state elected officials for school aid as well as look into creative ways to raise funding. Some of his ideas include establishing a grant proposal writing program to secure grant funds for the district. He also suggested launching a fundraising campaign that would invite business contributions through advertisements on the district's website and at schools as well as through corporate sponsorships.

Susanne A. Mendelson

BACKGROUND: Mendelson, 35, is a grants coordinator and editor who has lived in the district for 19 years. She received her bachelor of arts degree from University of Colorado. She has one son who attends school in the district. She is a member of the Three Village Educational Foundation, and community liaison for the Three Village School District and Stony Brook University Committee. She also leads an initiative where first- and second-year students from Stony Brook University's School of Medicine work with students in grades 4-7 across the district. Medical students teach the youngsters the history of medicine, current issues facing the field and the future of medicine.

ISSUES: Mendelson said she is focused on connecting with people as a means of meeting community needs and coming up with creative ideas to find alternative funding for school programs. She said she would host town hall meetings with various community members to identify community needs and problems. She also said she hopes to strengthen partnerships with organizations to expand and enrich educational programs.