WPCNR NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS. January 14, 2009: The Co-Presidents of the White Plains Council of Neighborhood Associations , Candyce Corcoran and Louis Bruno,  have sent a letter to the White Plains Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Timothy Connors expressing the concern of 30 residents attending the monthly meeting of the CNA last night.  The meeting was held with the topic being the school budget and the movement to rethink County Government.

Candyce Corcoran, of Soundview Neighborhood Association, Louis Bruno of Bryant Gardens,  Co-Presidents at the Council of Neighborhood Associations Tuesday evening.

After hearing a report on present school budget trends over the last 11 years,  requested by the CNA and presented by John Bailey, The CitizeNetReporter, based on school district reports of the 2008-2009 budget, and noting  the possible effects of economic conditions and factors that might impact the budget, citizens sharply criticised the lack of information going into the School District-sponsored Community Forum, the first of a two-part District-sponsored community meetings on the budget.  The two-meeting Forum replaces the previous community budget process that employed an Annual Budget Committee, that met three to four times and always had a preliminary budget to work with to ask questions about.

The CNA letter today expresses the following concerns raised  by about 30 participants at the meeting: 

The letter expresses the concern of those in attendance of the district failure to provide a proposed budget and its potential impacts on district taxpayers before the Community Forum on the budget.

It criticises the Board of Education for allowing labor negotiations into a state-provided mediation procedure, relinquishing local leverage and exposing the taxpayers to the recommendations of "outsiders."

The letter charges  that residents attending the Tuesday meeting have reservations that the Community Forum to be held tomorrow at White Plains High School is design by intent of the School District to "co-opt" consent. Here is the CNA letter:

• the unprecedented economic conditions affecting the global economy,
  
• particularly of the impact on residents trying to get by on fixed incomes, and
• the importance of education to our future.

1. a zero-based budget, i.e. not one layered on last year's, but a fresh budget derived from needs and goals;
2. increased class size and decreased overtime, with the model of Scarsdale being mentioned, which is known for high quality and low costs;
3. asking teachers and administrators to do more with less, particularly fewer aides and assistants;
   
4. attention to details in paring support costs to a minimum, with suggestions made about cutting back on transportation, conserving energy to reduce utility costs, and minimizing maintenance expenses.