Having just discovered this site, I think it a good idea, providing SOMEONE'S READING IT! After review, two things are clear, people are frustrated and they need expenses reduced. You HAVE to take a look at the bigger picture. Where are the majority of your tax dollars going? Most know that answer, the schools. 46% is devoted to school tax. The remaining 14% is divided between the Feds, state, and other local programs and agencys. These are the facts as they are today.

Ok, that having been said. Just how is that 46% spent? Most people have no idea. Nor do they seem to want to know. Most seem quite content on letting "others" undertake that task. Ask yourself this question: When was the last school budget hearing you attended? Most would answer "never". So there you have it. You have all these school districts in the state spending your tax dollars like water, and with no one looking!

So, how can this be corrected? Most would agree with some form of accountability, but have no idea of "how". Think for just a moment, how many independent school districts are there in this state? The numbers are enough to floor you! I'll give you an example, just two countys, Nassau and Suffolk on Long Island. Nassau has 60, while Suffolk has 108. That totals 168 independent school districts. Each has their own school superintendent (earning over two hundread thousand dollars per year), and each having their own school administartions (supporting staff). As you are aware, each year a school budget comes up for a vote, which includes these salaries. And each year the same old argument is used, should the budget not pass. "Your child's education will suffer". I can't believe people still fall for that crap! Some even think that the teachers somehow benefit. Teachers are contracted union employees! They have no share in whatever the budget is.

There's only one real answer to this issue: SCHOOL CONSOLODATION! Are all these independent school districts needed? NO! Other states have realized this, and are doing something about it. We MUST reduce the number of districts and eliminate all this waistful spending! Think of the state as a whole. All these school districts. Now think of New York City. Five whole boroughs, all under one. that's right, ONE administration! If each school district would simply merge with the ones on either side of it, we could reduce this waistful spending by TWO THIRDS! Would education suffer? NO, of course not.

Want immediate relief? This is simply one idea on how to get it.