Schmitt Opponent Doing More Than Schmitt After Losing

Schmitt made light of Hellers remarks about the need to lower taxes through more state aid for school districts which are over 60% of your tax bill. While Schmitt dithers in Mineola, Heller is working to make a real difference fo taxpayers.

Newsday Letters March, 25 2006
School tax story left out aid info
I was disappointed upon reading your editorial "Time for schoolwork" [March 14]. Your statement that "while state aid doubled over the past 10 years, spending tripled" by Long Island school districts leaves out an extremely important fact. During the 1990-91 fiscal year, New York State was in dire financial shape, and the school aid provided was slashed dramatically - so much so that it took about six or seven years until the same amount in total dollars was given back to the schools in state aid.
During this time, the burden of the loss of state aid was passed on to the taxpayer, so that our school taxes have skyrocketed to a point that most Long Islanders cannot afford to pay them.
No one is saying that school districts don't have some work to do on issues such as teachers' salaries and benefits. But that is an issue for a different day.
It is unfair for Long Island and Nassau County in particular to suffer with a state aid formula that indicates we are wealthy when we are not. Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi pointed out at his press conference on March 9 that Nassau County has 7.4 percent of the student population in the state and receives only 3.89 percent of the state aid. This is inequitable.
We simply ask for our fair share - and we need Newsday and our state legislators to support us on this issue and not work against us. We can succeed on this very important mission only if all Long Islanders are united.
Craig Heller
Editor's note: The writer is co-chairman of the Plainedge Tax Relief Association.
North Massapequa