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jenrose66, You are so right on!
Failed Proposed 2011/12 Lackawanna School Budget $45,130,000
Passed Contingency Budget $44,052,242
Current Passed 2010/2011 Budget $44,000,000
You can do the math......
FYI, more to the story....I know there is yearly cost of living expenses BUT there is also MEGA surplus money hidden in their budget that they kept hush about.
08/09' $6.3 million surplus
09/10' $6.6 million surplus
10/11' estimated $5.3 million
**Un-needed Tax certiorari $1.2 million reserve (left-over) from the Bethlehem Steel/Mittal case.
How dare them use OUR children's' education as a hostage! They are pros at using this gut-wrenching ploy as a political wedge between the parents/voters in order to get their needs met with the passing of their "family and friends club" payback budget!
Makeyenko vehemently attacked like a pit bull the Board members that had the taxpayers AND children's best interest at heart last year when they did the Budget. This year he was silent about his mega-million dollar budget. WHY? ( He has been on the BOA since 1995 with only two or so years lapse due to term limits.) Another FYI, did you know there was a time that we were not even allowed to vote on OUR School Budget?
If and when they hold a special election Budget re-vote it will cost taxpayers appr. another $15,000. that could be used toward keeping full-day Kindergarten! Makeyenko and the lawyers' recent trip to San Francisco on the school money could have been kept in the till too!
Parents should be out-raged! Go to McKinley School and get a copy of the Budget and you will see the facts yourself.
I do not post on here to cause anyone anything, I am hurt because OUR children rank at the bottom of other/most WNY schools and the drop-out rate is unacceptable. We all pretty much know the issues--it is time to get organized just as strong as the "Lackawanna Family and Friends Club" is in order to prevent the greed from further spoiling OUR City/School!
Why don't all the employees in the school who make over $100,000/year voluntarily give a 10% donation to the school in order to keep Pre-K and Kindergarten? Many, many people live ok on a lot less, work much longer hours, and with the same education. Benevolence Lackawanna, start a trend!