Complaint to the Governor of New York State

John Sonedecker, Superintendent of the TVCSD

You are advised that copies of documents published by the Three Village School District, containing information designed to mislead the voting public of this district, will be sent to the Governor's office and the State's Commissioner of the Department of Education.

In addition, we will be publishing an article about our above intentions and findings. In it, we will be taking exception to what can only be classified as an example of the insulting, misleading, and contemptible behavior respectable residents of the District have come to expect from District representatives. You have with this one act, Mr. Sonedecker, managed to reinforce our every notion of mistrust.

Specific reference will be made to various issues of the "School Report," as well as the more recently provided document mandated by State law. The latter contained - in a format difficult to read - numbers and letters required by the State that were not clearly displayed. While, the reverse side of the card displayed the kind of rhetoric the State law was designed to get around. It was published in black on white, was clearly legible and read like an advertisement for a used car.

For the second time this year, you and the Board of Education have circumvented the intent of the State law by publishing a "softened" version of the State mandate, at the taxpayers expense.

The School Report, the card mentioned above and various announcements, including a letter provided to the Three Village Times and published on page 66, on June 15th, contain the misleading and virtually boldfaced lie that the TAX LEVY is to be but 4.60%. Such is ONLY the case, vis-a-vis one's assessed property valuation, for someone in Brookhaven. It is not the case when compared to the overall district increase or that burdening Smithtown residents.

The LEVY for the past year was $56,499,989. That of the proposed budget $59,655,461 for the next school year. The difference is $3,155,472. An overall increase of 5.5849%.

Clearly, you would not have used the Smithtown increase of 6.29%, as it is even less attractive than the overall rate of 5.58%. Consider, for a moment, how even more unattractive it is to the residents of Smithtown!

You and President of the Board of Education, William Connors, LIED to the people of this district when choosing to use the tax rate for Brookhaven residents only for your marketing campaign. Neither of you are worthy of the people's trust.

Perhaps, IF the budget were to pass, it could be reversed and austerity enforced because of "False and misleading information provided by the TVCSD." Perhaps the "Seniors" would take the thing to court.

The subject makes for quite a headline, doesn't it?

Editor, Waking Bear