5/17/11
The Buffalo News reported a preview of the Lockport vote. Since it is on the main Lockport page I can't link to it. So it is copied here:
Preview of Lockport School Election
* Candidates (Elect three to three-year terms; elect one to a one-year term): Incumbent Thomas W. Fiegl, incumbent David M. Nemi, Roy Joseph O'Shaughnessy, Anthony P. Molinaro, Regina L. Marker, Paul R. Black and Louisa Smith. * Total budget: $79 million, up 2.6 percent. * Property tax rate per $1,000 assessed value: $24.94 per $1,000, up 4.9 percent. * Taxes on $100,000 home (market value): $1,855 with Basic STAR. * Percentage of budget from property taxes: 43.1 percent. * Percentage of budget from state aid: 49.7 percent.
* Noteworthy: City residents are in the process of undergoing a reassessment of property values, whereby taxes are expected to decrease by $1.55 per $1,000 assessed value. If all things were to remain the same as last year, however, homes with the Basic STAR exemption would see an increase of $176.37 per year.
* Proposition 2: Would allow the sale of DeWitt Clinton Elementary School for $4,500 to Niagara County Head Start, the nonprofit organization the district leased the building to for the current year at the same price. The group provides early education and day care services to children of low-income families. All proceeds from the sale would be deducted from the state building aid the district still receives for the building.
* Proposition 3: Would allow district officials to use $881,520 from its capital reserve fund to complete an infrastructure improvement project for six buildings totaling nearly $19 million. The state would contribute about $18.1 million in the form of building aid. In the event of changes to the state's building aid formula, the district would expend up to an additional $1.9 million from its capital reserve fund to ensure the project would come at no additional cost to taxpayers. Construction work at the six elementary school buildings would include repairs to roofing and concrete, enhancement of lighting systems, the repaving of sidewalks and parking lots, the addition of three new playgrounds and a new and upgraded district-wide data infrastructure.
* Proposition 4: Would allow the use of $211,232 from the capital reserve fund to undertake a capital upgrade of the district's athletic facilities totaling $5.9 million, as long as three conditions are met: voters also must adopt Proposition 3; the State Education Department must approve the capital project; and private outside donations of $750,000 must be raised by June 30, 2012. The state would contribute about $4.9 million in the form of building aid. In the event of changes to the state's building aid formula, the district would expend up to an additional $530,000 to ensure the project would come at no additional cost to taxpayers. The majority of funds would be used to build a multipurpose field complex large enough to house sectional events in sports such as lacrosse and soccer. Improvements also would be made to district tennis courts and football practice fields.
* Polls open: Noon to 9 p.m. — 1st Ward, Washington Hunt Elementary, 50 Rogers Ave.; 2nd Ward, Board of Education, 130 Beattie Ave.; 3rd Ward, Anna Merritt Elementary, 389 Green St.; 4th Ward, Charles Upson Elementary, 28 Harding Ave.; 5th Ward, Roy B. Kelley Elementary, 610 E. High St.; all towns, Lockport High School, 250 Lincoln Ave.
Voters will be asked to approve a $79 million spending plan, which stands to raise the tax levy by a true rate of more than 4.5 percent, despite $3.9 million in expenditure cuts.The spending plan cuts the equivalent of 36.5 full-time positions. Roughly $1 million in savings was found with a plan to reorganize the district and convert the two middle school buildings into one that houses fifth and sixth grades and another that houses seventh and eighth. If the plan is not approved, the district will be forced into a contingency budget for the second year in a row and would have to find roughly $566,000 in additional cuts, Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone said. The district has lost more than $8 million in state aid over the past two years. Last year, officials closed two elementary schools and cut 38 positions.
The seven candidates running for three, three-year terms on the nine-member board are:
* Noteworthy: City residents are in the process of undergoing a reassessment of property values, whereby taxes are expected to decrease by $1.55 per $1,000 assessed value. If all things were to remain the same as last year, however, homes with the Basic STAR exemption would see an increase of $176.37 per year.
* Proposition 2: Would allow the sale of DeWitt Clinton Elementary School for $4,500 to Niagara County Head Start, the nonprofit organization the district leased the building to for the current year at the same price. The group provides early education and day care services to children of low-income families. All proceeds from the sale would be deducted from the state building aid the district still receives for the building.
* Proposition 3: Would allow district officials to use $881,520 from its capital reserve fund to complete an infrastructure improvement project for six buildings totaling nearly $19 million. The state would contribute about $18.1 million in the form of building aid. In the event of changes to the state's building aid formula, the district would expend up to an additional $1.9 million from its capital reserve fund to ensure the project would come at no additional cost to taxpayers. Construction work at the six elementary school buildings would include repairs to roofing and concrete, enhancement of lighting systems, the repaving of sidewalks and parking lots, the addition of three new playgrounds and a new and upgraded district-wide data infrastructure.
* Proposition 4: Would allow the use of $211,232 from the capital reserve fund to undertake a capital upgrade of the district's athletic facilities totaling $5.9 million, as long as three conditions are met: voters also must adopt Proposition 3; the State Education Department must approve the capital project; and private outside donations of $750,000 must be raised by June 30, 2012. The state would contribute about $4.9 million in the form of building aid. In the event of changes to the state's building aid formula, the district would expend up to an additional $530,000 to ensure the project would come at no additional cost to taxpayers. The majority of funds would be used to build a multipurpose field complex large enough to house sectional events in sports such as lacrosse and soccer. Improvements also would be made to district tennis courts and football practice fields.
* Polls open: Noon to 9 p.m. — 1st Ward, Washington Hunt Elementary, 50 Rogers Ave.; 2nd Ward, Board of Education, 130 Beattie Ave.; 3rd Ward, Anna Merritt Elementary, 389 Green St.; 4th Ward, Charles Upson Elementary, 28 Harding Ave.; 5th Ward, Roy B. Kelley Elementary, 610 E. High St.; all towns, Lockport High School, 250 Lincoln Ave.
Voters will be asked to approve a $79 million spending plan, which stands to raise the tax levy by a true rate of more than 4.5 percent, despite $3.9 million in expenditure cuts.The spending plan cuts the equivalent of 36.5 full-time positions. Roughly $1 million in savings was found with a plan to reorganize the district and convert the two middle school buildings into one that houses fifth and sixth grades and another that houses seventh and eighth. If the plan is not approved, the district will be forced into a contingency budget for the second year in a row and would have to find roughly $566,000 in additional cuts, Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone said. The district has lost more than $8 million in state aid over the past two years. Last year, officials closed two elementary schools and cut 38 positions.
The seven candidates running for three, three-year terms on the nine-member board are:
* Incumbent Thomas W. Fiegl, 68, a retired police captain of 25 years who worked for the Lockport City Police Department for 35 years. If elected, Fiegl will serve his third term.
* Incumbent David M. Nemi, 53, a college business professor at Niagara County Community College for 25 years. If elected, Nemi will serve his third term.
* Roy Joseph O'Shaughnessy, 61, owner of Oak Run Golf Club. If elected, O'Shaughnessy will serve his first term.
* Anthony P. Molinaro, 38, a building trades instructor for Orleans-Niagara BOCES at Niagara West Center for four years. If elected, Molinaro will serve his first term.
* Regina L. Marker, 35, a stay-at-home mom with 11 years teaching experience in the Lyndonville school district. If elected, Marker will serve her first term.
* Paul R. Black, 59, a technical field support worker at Syracuse Supply for 30 years. If elected, Black will serve his first term.
* Luisa Smith, a stay-at-home mom who served as president of the John E. Pound Elementary School Parent Teacher Association for two years.
The fourth highest vote-getter is elected to finish the unexpired term previously held by Allan Jack, who resigned two years ago. Incumbent Marietta Schrader was appointed to Jack's seat for one year at the time, but she is not seeking re-election. Incumbent Margaret Lupo also is not seeking re-election.
5/16/11The fourth highest vote-getter is elected to finish the unexpired term previously held by Allan Jack, who resigned two years ago. Incumbent Marietta Schrader was appointed to Jack's seat for one year at the time, but she is not seeking re-election. Incumbent Margaret Lupo also is not seeking re-election.
LUSJ reported on our loaded ballot.
Voting locations are:
1st Ward: Washington Hunt
2nd Ward: Board of Education Building
3rd Ward: Anna Merritt
4th Ward: Charles Upson
5th Ward: Roy B Kelly
Towns: Lockport High School
Voting is from 12pm to 9pm.
5/13/11
LUSJ reported on the canidate session sponsered by The Lockport Council Parents Teachers Association
I'd quote some of it, but nothing jumps out as relevent to making an informed choice. ;)
5/10/11
The Buffalo News reported on the upcoming LSD vote. In addition to the $79M budget and 3 propositions they discussed the school board representative candidates:
...Four of the candidates advertise themselves as of the same mind, and they haven’t been shy about accusing the current board of being complacent and submissive to the wishes of Superintendent Terry Ann Carbone, who they say has been overseeing the district for five years without accomplishing much of anything.
“I sit and listen to [board members] just pass motion after motion after motion, and there’s no questions being asked,” said Regina L. Marker, a stay-at-home mom with 11 years’ teaching experience in the Lyndonville School District. “I feel like the public meetings are a dog-and-pony show.”
Newcomers Paul R. Black, Luisa Smith and Joe O’Shaughnessy agree with Marker and insist they can bring the needed change to the School Board. But incumbents Thomas W. Fiegl and David M. Nemi strongly reject the notion.
Maybe if more of the discussions were open to the public, they would have an idea what's going on with the board?
“They’re obviously not involved and have no idea what’s going on with the board,” said Nemi, 53, who is running for a third term. “We challenge [them] on everything....”
Feel free to discuss the candidates here. And as always, keep it respectful (pro or con) or risk deletion or the comment in its entirety.
