School enrollment drop and funding, Mayorkas impeachment, Tom Suozzi and SALT deduction

Enrollment drop brings frustration

The cover story “Enrollment drops 7.3% at LI schools over past decade” [News, Feb. 11] highlights a 26% decline in the student population of Port Jefferson, my school district. I, along with other residents, have mentioned the dramatic decline at school board meetings for quite some time, asking how the district planned to address this.

The school administration and board continue to ignore us. Instead, they have embarked on various nonessential capital projects, draining district funds, even with seven pending Child Victims Act lawsuits.

Now, suddenly faced with a state aid cut of 28.3%, the district asks residents to lobby state representatives to restore these cuts, but they have done nothing themselves to look at ways to cut costs.

If this is happening in other districts, residents need to become more knowledgeable and make their voices known when the school districts vote on May 21.

— Gail Sternberg, Port Jefferson

I have lived in the Half Hollow Hills School District for 44 years, and my two children were students in the district many years ago. I was surprised to learn that student enrollment in this district declined by 22.6% from approximately 9,600 to 7,400 over the past 10-year period. What’s troubling is that the school budget for this district, as well as many others, has grown substantially over this period of declining enrollment. This is adding to the lack of affordability of Long Island as property taxes — of which schools are the largest item — drive younger families away.

It has repeatedly made me laugh (and cry) when each year the school district asks the community to approve ever-larger budgets “for the children.” If this budget pattern continues, there will be still fewer students in the future.

Finally, it would be interesting to compare each district’s school budget per student during the same 10-year period.

— Bob Giordano, Half Hollow Hills

Plain and simple: If a school district’s enrollment drops, so do its costs. Hence, our school taxes should represent that decline in enrollment in the form of a smaller tax bill.

— Anthony Tanzi, Mastic Beach

Give minority districts more school funds

Instead of laying off 32 teachers and 15 school workers in the Amityville School District, the budget gap needs to be closed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the State Legislature and community [“Amityville district facing 47 layoffs,” Long Island, Feb. 15].

They should make the state Education Department grant large-scale additional funding to the Amityville and Roosevelt school districts and other districts in predominantly Black and brown communities that face major financial challenges.

Our children don’t need to languish educationally in underfunded and packed classrooms with few teachers. The state must develop and implement a mindset about consistent funding in these districts.

Most teachers want what’s best for students, and they must not be laid off. Instead, lay on funding for Amityville and Roosevelt teachers who push, protest, pray and prepare for pupils with educational examples of excellence.

— The Rev. Arthur L. Mackey Jr., Roosevelt

As a retired teacher, I am irked that 32 teachers and 15 others in Amityville will lose their jobs after this school year.

What about letting go some of the highly paid assistant superintendents or similar positions in the central office? What about district superintendent Gina Talbert taking a pay cut? What about overseeing and redirecting the millions of dollars wasted on unneeded expenditures?

No, none of these is as easy as letting go teachers, aides, psychologists or social workers, all of whom directly affect students’ well-being. This is an old story. Upper-level positions never seem affected. Only those who teach and directly relate to students. What a shame.

— Barbara Hansen, Smithtown

Trump's hypocritical guidance on Mayorkas

Long Island’s three Republican congressmen voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas [“House votes to impeach Mayorkas,” News, Feb. 14].

House Speaker Mike Johnson had not allowed a bipartisan bill on immigration to be submitted to the House.

Congress has failed to pass an immigration bill for decades. Johnson followed former President Donald Trump’s directive not to pass the bill, which would have given President Joe Biden a “win.”

The GOP and Trump want to use immigration as a campaign issue in 2024. Instead of trying to solve the flood of immigrants at the southern border, they voted instead for Mayorkas’ impeachment as Trump desired. This is the height of hypocrisy.

— John Boughal, Bayport

A bipartisan immigration bill was achieved after much time, effort, compromise and support by both parties.

One call by Donald Trump, and Republicans chose to follow him over country. We are in a sad state of affairs.

— Diane McGuire, Northport

Why offer immunity to a sitting president or any American citizen? If someone is suspected of a crime, that person should be tried by a jury of his peers [“High court asked to delay election trial,” News, Feb. 13].

It is so obvious that this is another stall tactic. How much more time and money does this government have to spend dealing with these tactics?

— Howard Litwak, Melville

A president with immunity from prosecution — and no accountability — is a dictator, which our Founding Fathers worked to avoid.

— Bob Ranieri, St. James

Suozzi, fellow LIers can try SALT appeal

Maybe with the election of Democrat Tom Suozzi to the House of Representatives, New Yorkers and Long Island in particular will have an advocate to help repeal the onerous state and local income tax cap deduction [“Bill to boost SALT deduction blocked by House,” Nation, Feb. 15].

If Suozzi, along with Long Island Republican Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota, should co-sponsor a bill repealing the SALT cap, it could come to a vote in the House with bipartisan support.

House Speaker Mike Johnson right now is holding only a two-vote margin in the House. If Johnson attempts to stymie the bill, one member could call for his ouster.

The taxpayers of New York need to know to whom their representatives hold their allegiance.

— Paulette Frimet, Eastport