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Bennett announces candidacy for school board; holds public forum on MSD issues
"It would be great to have a like-minded person on board with me, personalities aside," said Taylor, a father of six who said that Bennett had stepped down from running for election last year, which allowed Taylor to win. "We both believe that there's a financial problem in the district and we have to findways to keep taxes down so that people can affordto live here." School Board President Richard Krebs, who is running for reelection this year, says that Bennett has it wrong and that the district is already fiscally responsible. "The numbers need to be looked at as a whole, because only part of the picture is being shown," said Krebs. "We are one of the best and lowest districts in Nassau County." Krebs is running for another term, as is school board member Christine Perrino. Even so, the majority of those at the meeting clapped for Bennett when he said that both taxes and school district administrator's salaries are too high. "It's all about the children so why don't the children come first?" aske Bennett, a real estate business owner and former employee with the SuffolkCounty Sheriff's Department. "It seems like high salaries come first in Massapequa, where between 75 to 80 percent of the budget goes for salaries and benefits,and the other 20 to 25 percent goes to every other expense in the district." Bennett outlined statistics showing that 2007/2008 school year the district paid up to $22-million in salaries, not including benefits,and in some cases salary increases rose as much as 22.6 percent in one year. In addition, the district had one acting superintendent, one suspended superintendent and three assistant superintendents on the payroll, each making about a salary of at least $200,000 a year. "We have too many administrators and we pay them too much," noted Bennett waving a graph of salaries and adding that one administrator received a 22.6 percent raise, from $144,000 to $238,000 in fiveyears. "Where did all these superintendents come from and how do we get rid of them?" asked one resident. "I remember when we had only one superintendent." But finance committee member Vito Mundo said that Bennett is showing the expense, without outlining the need. "Before we had them (the administrative staff),every school had a different curriculum," he said. "Now they curriculum is uniform and we have many other improvements that have made our school district one of the best in the state." Krebs, who was not at the meeting, agreed. "Historically we've had more administrators but the ones we have now all serve a purpose and are worth the money," he said. "If you look at central administration-at costs per student-we are one of the lowest in Nassau. People must understand that many of these numbers are mandated by the State." Bennett also took issue with a former district facility director named who earned $114,000 a year, saying his replacement, a Massapequa resident, was hired at a much higher salary. "You don't start with a high salary, that's not the way business works," said Bennett, adding that the district also hired that director an assistant. "These raises didn't happen without the school board knowing," added Bennett. "It's our money and we have right to question where it's going." One resident, agreed. "It's the school board's job to be our watch dog and they aren't doing very well," he said. "Not just here but all over Long Island." Bennett is a proponent of a state measure that would cap school budget increases at 4 percent a year and require that the state provide funding for new mandates but not everyone at the meeting was convinced that he was telling the truth. "You're misleading people," said Mundo. "It's not the board's fault, its the state's fault. You're lying!" Mundo said that Bennett is using scare tactics to get elected to the board. "I'm not saying the district is perfect, but to go out and lie by skewing numbers to get elected irks me," said the 11-year finance committee member who said he seen the district get better and better. "Bennett flipflops on issues. He says one thing at a finance board meeting than says another thing to residents." Bennett, who has run unsuccessfully three other times for the board, explained why he thinks its not the state's fault. "With these embellished salaries, we cannot ask for more money from the State," he said. "We all want more money from the State but until that happens there are little things we can do in our own district like cutting salaries." Another budget and finance committee member endorsed Bennett. "I have been involved for ten years and there is no member of the board of education as enthusiastic and concerned as Bennett," he said. "Gary is trying to do what's best for our students and not for raises." "It all comes down to whether or not a 10-million-dollar increase is palatable to you. If it's not, vote for me," said the candidate. "I don't have all the answers but I would love to work with the board and figure it out." "We aren't giving away the store with benefits like Bennett makes it seem," said Krebs who acknowledged the district would be more transparent. "This year we've decided to be more transparent by giv- ing out the actual budget numbers at out budget meetings to give people the actual spending picture." According to Krebs, that information was not given out in the past because they were afraid that someone would skew the numbers.
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