The fact is that taxpayers all across the state are paying more taxes because of the proliferation of taxing entities ---  over 600 school districts  --  then add up all the towns, villages, cities, water districts, sewer districts, fire districts and on and on and on.

A number of states have 1 school district per county -- that is the school district is contiguous with the county boundaries.    It makes great sense --  much money is  saved by eliminating the need for duplication.

Why pay 6 district superintendents in Schenectady County when we could manage with 1?    
Why have 6 business managers when we could have 1 ?

You can go down the line and see where consolidation would literally taxpayers a whole lot of money.

Not to mention that by having 1 consolidated school system,  we could afford to provide some services and programs that might not be feasible because we have 6 smaller districts.  

Cannot be done.

Quoted from 612

Cannot be done.

It can be done.   It would take an act of the state legislature.   And I know that this is one of the ideas
that Governor Cuomo is considering --- consolidating the school districts in the state from over 600 to
1 per county  (thus 62).

The state legislature and governor can do the same for all of the villages, towns, cities, counties, etc --- since
each of these government entities was created by an act of the state legislature.

The precedent for doing it --  when the City of Brooklyn and other separate municipalities were consolidated into New York City in the 1890's.    The state legislature did it - even though Brooklyn was opposed to it.

WEll if you combine Mohon and Schalmont that would be just one crappy school district for Rotterdam.  But even they are better than the City.  And then what would you do with Nisky?  Not possible.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The fact is that taxpayers all across the state are paying more taxes because of the proliferation of taxing entities ---  over 600 school districts  --  then add up all the towns, villages, cities, water districts, sewer districts, fire districts and on and on and on.

A number of states have 1 school district per county -- that is the school district is contiguous with the county boundaries.    It makes great sense --  much money is  saved by eliminating the need for duplication.

Why pay 6 district superintendents in Schenectady County when we could manage with 1?    
Why have 6 business managers when we could have 1 ?

You can go down the line and see where consolidation would literally taxpayers a whole lot of money.

Not to mention that by having 1 consolidated school system,  we could afford to provide some services and programs that might not be feasible because we have 6 smaller districts.  

The fact is that taxpayers in the city especially and in the county are paying more taxes because of the proliferation of handouts by the Savage-Gillen-Stratton team -- handouts for NON ESSENTIALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Hate to bust your argument DV, but education is not only essential, it is THE LAW.    

All the stuff YOUR LOL Dem failure team in Schenectady are spending money on...the gin mills, bakeries, theaters, hair-do salons, etc, etc. are NOT ESSENTIAL.  NOT on the taxpyaer dollar.  If YOU want to go to the theater, pay for it OUT OF YOUR OWN POCKET.  

A fire dept that will not only fight the fires but also look for bodies is what is essential spending of tax money.   A police dept that, when told of a missing person who lived in a burned out building when his car is still parked there, actually calls the fire dept rather than totally ignoring the complainant is essential.    NEIGHBORHOODS that are safe for children to walk to school without being killed is what is essential.   A city without vacant houses is what is essential.  A city with lower crime rates is what is essential.  

And DV, the GREAT HYPOCRITE.

Says no taxpayer money for private schools (deny parents any choice in sending children to a better school), but give handouts galore to private theaters, private bakeries, private gin mills, private hair-do salons, private hotels, etc etc etc, even though there is no law anywhere in the world that mandates people go to gin mills, bakeries, hair-do salons, burrito bars, etc. etc. etc.


DV, it is far better to spend tax dollar on charter schools than to give tax dollars to multimillion dollar for profit businesses (business who have thrived for decades without the almight tax dollar)

When the property tax cap is passed and signed into law -- that is just the first step.  It will force EVERY
government entity to consider consolidation.  

CONSOLIDATION WILL HAPPEN.

Call the Governor and your State Legislators ....  ask them to pass laws that will recreate municipal government..get rid of the old forms of government  ---- no need for villages anymore --- no need for multiple municipalities within one county.       CONSOLIDATE   CONSOLIDATE  CONSOLIDATE

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

When the property tax cap is passed and signed into law -- that is just the first step.  It will force EVERY
government entity to consider consolidation.  

CONSOLIDATION WILL HAPPEN.

Call the Governor and your State Legislators ....  ask them to pass laws that will recreate municipal government..get rid of the old forms of government  ---- no need for villages anymore --- no need for multiple municipalities within one county.       CONSOLIDATE   CONSOLIDATE  CONSOLIDATE

Come hypocrite....

Tell us why you oppose tax money spent on private education but you do favor giving tax dollars to millionaires for NON ESSENTIAL bakeries, theaters, gin mills, hair-do salons, etc.

Tell us, DV, the great socialist

When draper merged with mohon, it was suppose to lower taxes.......NOT!

When Mt.Pleasant and Linton merged, it was suppose to lower taxes..........

Can't happen. Won't happen. Rotterdamians won't let it happen! This isn't the city dvr. Most rotterdamian parents are very involved in their kids education and like the 'smallness' of it! Won't fly!

The teacher's union is the MAJOR issue here.

Bring in the charter schools and it will be a win win for everyone. Obama and cuomo both support charter schools. That will fly first!

Quoted from bumblethru

When draper merged with mohon, it was suppose to lower taxes.......NOT!

When Mt.Pleasant and Linton merged, it was suppose to lower taxes..........

Can't happen. Won't happen. Rotterdamians won't let it happen! This isn't the city dvr. Most rotterdamian parents are very involved in their kids education and like the 'smallness' of it! Won't fly!

The teacher's union is the MAJOR issue here.

Bring in the charter schools and it will be a win win for everyone. Obama and cuomo both support charter schools. That will fly first!

Mont Pleasant and Linton were both part of the same school district  --- so that is not the same as two districts merging -- which was the case with Draper and Mohonasen.

Charter schools are NOT the answer -- they are part of the problem -- taking tax dollars AWAY from public schools.      I don't care if Obama and Cuomo support charter schools --- my beef with Charter Schools is that they take taxpayer dollars and are NOT accountable to the taxpayers.   If they were self-funded .. then I would have absolutely no problem with them.

Rotterdamians would not be the one's deciding about consolidation -- if the State Legislature and the Governor pass legislation to consolidate the school districts.  It is a simple LEGAL and HISTORICAL fact --- school districts were created by an act or acts of the State Legislature ... all it would take is an act of the State Legislature to dissolve the existing school districts and establish 62 consolidated school districts -- 1 for each county in the state.     And the day is coming when it will happen --   either voluntarily (we decide) or involuntary  (the state decides).

I say --- let's get ahead of the curve and move to merge ALL 6 school districts in Schenectady County.

NO I would never get behind that idea.  It's lunacy.  It is just a crazy as merging the Department of Health with the Office of Aging.  The idea may look good on paper but it is NOT good for people.  District supers have all they can do to manage their district.  The districts in Schdy county as well as other counties are too diverse.  Do you know what a problem Albany High is?  It runs like two different schools within a school.  Many kids fallthrough the cracks.  Merging districts would lead to disaster for our kids.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Charter schools are NOT the answer -- they are part of the problem -- taking tax dollars AWAY from public schools.    

Uh, DV, how about YOUR DEMS taking tax dollars away from the city neighborhoods......giving it to the millioniare FOR PROFIT businesses??????????

Come on DV, answer that one.  Come on.   You complain about tax dollars spent on non-government schools, but you don't complain about tax dollars being spent on for profit businesses to make millionaires richer while the poor get poorer?????????????


Com on DV, answer this and DON'T AVOID ANWERING DIRECTLY THE COMMENT.

My hope is that enough residents show up at the next Schalmont School Board meeting to voice their opposition to closing both schools.  

Quoted from 612

NO I would never get behind that idea.  It's lunacy.  It is just a crazy as merging the Department of Health with the Office of Aging.  The idea may look good on paper but it is NOT good for people.  District supers have all they can do to manage their district.  The districts in Schdy county as well as other counties are too diverse.  Do you know what a problem Albany High is?  It runs like two different schools within a school.  Many kids fallthrough the cracks.  Merging districts would lead to disaster for our kids.

I agree. And actually I give Schalmont credit for making the tough decisions during tough times. It's called 'tightening our belt'. The kids will survive. It's also a lesson to these kids when times get better, on how to survive during hard times.

And I will support obama and cuomo as they plunge ahead with charter schools.

Quoted from bumblethru

I agree. And actually I give Schalmont credit for making the tough decisions during tough times. It's called 'tightening our belt'. The kids will survive. It's also a lesson to these kids when times get better, on how to survive during hard times.

And I will support obama and cuomo as they plunge ahead with charter schools.

So you think it is OK that Schalmont is closing 2 school buildings -- one not much more than 10 to 15 years old... while Mohonasen wants to spend several million dollars building more buildings ??????

if you are OK with that -- then you are saying that the taxpayers will survive ...   It will be a lesson to the taxpayers how to survive during hard times ... times when people you would rather waste taxpayer dollars rather than adapt and accept the REAL change that is necessary ---- CONSOLIDATION.