Superintendent’s Message

The 2008-2009 school year is underway. Students, faculty and staff have begun to formulate new relationships and comprehend new expectations. Everyone is dealing with change whether it relates to a new teacher, new location of classroom or new challenges. Change is often uncomfortable, but always a way of life.

Governor Patterson has warned that the recent economic disaster on Wall Street will cost the State one billion dollars in revenue over the next 6 months or so. Additionally, he indicates the next round of budget cuts will most likely effect education since twenty percent of state aid for education comes from Wall Street.

Another major concern for small rural poor school is the recent proposed property tax cap of four percent. Schools with low wealth will be hurt far worse than their wealthier counterpart. To highlight this concept you can review a seven-minute video on our Franklin Central School website (www.franklincsd.org).

New York’s property taxes are spinning out of control and everyone recognizes the need to do something to stop the mass exodus from New York State. However a tax cap, absent of a circuit breaker for high cost areas such as fuel, special education, health insurance where schools have no ability to control costs will result in reduction of programs and services. Circuit breaker programs reduce taxes that rise above a given share of income, thus targeting assistance to those whose tax liabilities are out of proportion to their ability to pay.

Please take the opportunity to review the video on our website. I believe it is helpful as you search for a fair and equitable way to provide quality education at an affordable price.

Respectfully,

Gordon Daniels

Superintendent