Return to RCTA page

Rensselaer County Taxpayers Association

May 2001                                                                                                                                                     Volume 6, Number 3

Is the month of flowers as well as one of hope. Let us hope that our economy continues to improve steadily but surely. We also wish the best for all for their future peace and security.

We have a new candidate for the East Greenbush school board – Mrs. Susan Kugler. Mrs. Kugler is a life long resident of the district. She has one child in Columbia High School and another who recently graduated from Columbia. We feel a new face on the board will bring fresh ideas and hopefully fiscal responsibility. Hopefully she will produce a new spirit of helpful cooperation between parents, public, and administration. Mrs. Kugler feels it is very important that the public school systems should be the type of school systems parents would like to send their kids to. She is very open minded and believes in problem solving through constructive solutions.

We encourage all voters to give Mrs. Kugler fair and just consideration.

Those who are truly gifted and talented children must be educated and challenged to nurture their natural abilities. Colleges continue to serve the needs of these young people by giving them early acceptance, after the successful completion of required course work in a home study environment. As an example, 14 year old Jackson Reed of Troy, who scored 1540 on the SAT, entered prestigious Union College in Schenectady last year. Congratulations to him and Union College for caring to address his needs.

Former Prime Minister of Great Britain (now Lady Thatcher) made a speech on Feb. 19, 2001 at Hillsdale College, Michigan, that makes a lot of sense. In speaking of the socialist stranglehold on Britain before she took office, she made these comments, "a more difficult task is to get people to work once they have gotten used to controls. History has taught us that freedom cannot long survive unless it is based on moral foundations. You can get the economics right, but in addition liberty must be cultivated as a moral quality. The right to liberty is fundamental but it is what a person or a people does with it that tells their caliber and their fiber and that decides whether they will continue to be free and whether their nation will prosper. The virtues prized in free countries are honesty, self-discipline, a sense of responsibility to one’s family, a sense of loyalty to one’s employer and staff and a pride in the quality of one’s work. And these virtues only flourish in a climate of freedom." Well spoken, Lady Thatcher.

To those searching around for answers and wondering why their children and other people’s offspring go off the deep end with tragic results, it might help to listen to sage advice for a change rather than the secular mishmash pronouncements of our elite education authorities.

It has taken several years for the anointed in academia to admit that "character" is first and foremost, the basis of true education. The false remedies of self-esteem, political correctness, multiculturalism and the dialectics of socialism are the wrong path for our future citizens. The distortion of our true American History is an abomination that must be corrected. Earth Science has neither moral justification nor practical application when presented as earth day. Our students today are not stupid. Regardless of a faulty education, they are well aware of the faults and phobias of their instructors and are fully cognizant of the prime concern of academe of contracts, "state aid", salaries, pensions, benefits, free health care and dental care at public expense. Each year, all activities seem to center around the Budget. The true purpose of education is forgotten in the dust.

The problem of military recruitment in our high schools is of continuing concern not only to our recruiters but should be of particular concern to all Americans. This is one of the many areas in which the light of exposure should shine brightly in order to explore the dark recesses of mis-guidance and the forces of the left which have stifled our ability to fully offer excellent opportunities for our young people to serve honorably and proudly in our armed forces. Any service person or vet will tell you it is a time they will treasure the rest of their lives.

In an article in TU April 22, by Rick Karlin, he says, "the military is preparing to deploy big guns to gain access to more high schools where it wants to recruit students. The latest tactic getting senior military officers to write the governor when recruiters can’t get past the door. That could put Gov. Pataki in the middle of a long-simmering tug of war between armed forces recruiters and high school administrators, some of whom are resistant to such efforts. High schools are viewed as prime recruiting grounds, but military personnel haven’t had the best luck in New York State and the northeast."

It is noted that Dept of Defense records show that only Stillwater and Columbia (East Greenbush) of all local schools had no students take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test. A sad record, indeed.

The many fine service people, both past and present, from this area no doubt would like to know the true policy of our local schools regarding recruiting. Let’s have the facts on this matter.

A visitor from Holland was chatting with his American friend and was jokingly explaining about the red, white and blue of the Netherlands flag.

"Our flag symbolizes our taxes". He said. "We get red when we talk about them, white when we get our tax bill, and blue after we pay them."

"That’s the same with us", the American said, "only we see stars, too".

As motorists will attest, most school days in the Capital District begin around 7:00 AM, as evidenced by the presence of school buses on the roads. According to the lead editorial in The Virginian – Pilot, dated March 14, 2001, "In high school, early start is rarely a fast start." A cogent case, citing available research, indicates early starts for adolescents are not smart.

Available data indicates that teenagers need approximately nine (9) hours of sleep to be effective learners in the morning. Additionally, many adolescents are awake until 11 PM. Also, a recent study of 14,000 Minnesota high schoolers’ records found that tardiness went down and, most important, academic performance went up when high schools moved to a later stating time. Local schools, examining the data given, should start their high school instructions no sooner than 9:00 AM each day.

The editorial referred to volumes of research which indicated that the early start and dismissal from school before one’s parents get home is the time when most teenagers get into trouble with drugs, sex, smoking, etc. The research is so compelling, one wonders why the press has not given it visibility throughout the land.

The "system" will argue that change will be expensive, as more buses and drivers would be needed when switching schedules to accommodate new starting times for elementary, middle, and high schools. Also, a later ending day would reduce the hours available for sports teams to practice, complicate the holding of after school jobs, or to be at home to baby sit siblings, etc.

The "system" must set its priorities, producing a sound mind employing effective learning processes which is number one. Change to achieve this is long over due. Ask your school system the hard questions which bring results.

The Schodack Town Board was unable to agree on a fifth board member to replace the seat vacated by Ellen Skelly.

This is good. In a democracy, the elected governing body should always be elected, not appointed. In a simpler, truer democracy we would hold a special election now to vote on the new member. State law, however, prevents this. That’s OK, we can wait till the November elections.

Schodack does fine with just four board members. The important business gets done. Having four members, semi-grid locked, is also fine. No shenanigans get done. The four are not all from the same political party and they seem not to pre-plan and pre-discuss town business. The Schodack government is quite open now. This is also good.

Remember, your local government is the only one you have some control over. Attend your Town Board meetings. They are informative, interesting, and your presence can make a difference in how they vote.

For Shame on the Democratic Party for its work in successfully removing the voucher component in President Bush’s budget education proposal. Poor persons do not have the money to send their children to private schools. So, why does the Democratic Party act as it does? Could it be the NEA and the union vote?

Once again our state budget has failed to be presented for passage. The public is the goat who pays and pays. We have the highest taxes and are the most heavily indebted people in the country. Did you ever stop and ask yourself why? To say things are better than under the previous administration may be true but the problems that should be faced and corrected still exist.

There must be a logical reason a budget cannot be passed on time and expenses kept under control. This is what most citizens want, a sensible solution reached. It starts with the public who does the paying. If enough people are well enough informed as to the truth of the matter, meaningful change can be achieved and our government could then be run for the benefit of the citizens by those elected and not the other way around. The culprits known as lobbyists gather each winter and early spring and use undue influence on our legislators to pass certain bills to favor particular interests. Generous campaign contributions and lucrative favors have become a way of life. All those who expect generous contracts and grants, etc. from our state coffers (your tax money) attempt to out do each other to feed at the public trough. Among this group is the teacher’s union, usually the highest contributors and first in line to get their hands on as much "state aid" as our politicians feel that can be extracted.

Our state economy has been on an almost steady decline for two years. Unemployment is beginning to rise. The so-called surplus will reduce as our economic trend slows down. It is time for the taxpaying public to demand all unnecessary spending to be drastically reduced and pass a bare bones budget. It is also time for those who are dependent on public taxes and the private sector to realize you cannot kill the goose that lays the golden egg.

After noting the local drive by some parents and education aficionados for more and more playgrounds with state of the art features. Some startling statistics are revealed. A TU article, Apr. 23 by Gannett News Service says, "playground hazards send 205,000 children to emergency rooms annually for injuries ranging from lacerations to fractures and about 15 kids a year die, according to data to be released by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission."

The various education departments are not happy with the release of this information but they can’t hide everything. Elaborate playgrounds and pointless fun and games are just another means of establishing control of young people to fall in line to the liberal way of thinking so they may be fed the preprogrammed mush that inhibits their ability to think freely and determine truth and the things that have made this country great. That’s the main difference between our public schools and private, parochial schools, or home schooling.

In the opening scenes of the movie "Sound of Music", Julie Andrews has a group of young children in a large open field running around, playing tag or just being exuberant and free to enjoy the day. There were no rules, no monitors, no aides and no armed police. Neither were there all types of custom designed equipment. The audience could see the radiant happiness of these young children. They weren’t acting. They were being themselves. This is what our public schools will not allow. Children cannot enjoy themselves unless the authorities allow it.

The Schodack Town Board has proposed a law to ban, on privately owned property, the outdoor possession of two or more unregistered, abandoned, and junked motor vehicles. Violators are subject to punishment of a $250 fine and/or 15 days in jail. The owner will be assumed guilty if the car does not have plates on it.

None of the reasons given to justify the law are true. Neatly parked unregistered vehicles do not endanger anyone. Children do not get hurt more by playing around parked cars than around any other large inanimate object. Actually they benefit by learning mechanics. Stationary fuel tanks do not explode by themselves and whether they are unsightly is subjective and unregistered cars by themselves do not depreciate neighboring property values.

A law should be enacted only where new regulation is necessary to prevent one person from directly or indirectly causing damage to another. This law fails the test. Two, three, or even more unregistered vehicles on private land harm no one.

A law should be enacted only if it is fair to all parties and is enforced evenly. This law fails the test. Schodack has over 80 square miles of privately owned lots ranging in size from ¼ acre to hundreds of acres. What’s fair and enforceable on small lots is not fair and enforceable on large acreage where unregistered cars may be parked hundreds of feet from any –property line, possibly even hidden behind trees.

Laws restricting private landowner rights should be enacted only where the actions of one landowner damage, or have great potential to damage a neighboring landowner. A reasonable, fair law would recognize this. Examples of this are noise laws, firearms discharge laws, and pollution laws.

For many years Schodack has existed without such a draconian, belligerent law. The public hearing is May 24, 2001 at 7:00 PM at Maple Hill High School. All residents who value their freedom should come and speak against the law. The next freedom taken away may be one that you value highly.

Serious traffic violations noted on Columbia Turnpike. In addition to speeders, we witness people driving in the passing lane who refuse to move over and allow emergency vehicles to pass. Incredible!
Clinton Heights Resident

We note our schools honor Earth Day, which is a pagan function, but ignore Memorial Day parades and veterans remembrance activities.
Nassau Resident

Back issues of the Taxpayers News are available at:

If someone offers you a breath mint – take it.
Averill Park Resident

The new punch card system at the E. Greenbush Town Dump seems to be working out reasonably well.
Hampton Manor Resident

Taxes are our single largest cost of living expenditure.
Schodack Resident

Judge to Jury foreman: "Is that your final answer?"
No. Greenbush Resident

¶ ¶ Coming Attractions ¶ ¶

• RCTA is interested in articles about tax concerns or problems in all of the county. Please, if you choose, write a succinct article for submission to: The Editor at the above

• address.

• Members of goodwill solicited.

The undersigned hereby wishes to join the Rensselaer County Taxpayers Association (RCTA). Annual dues of $10 are due on acceptance of this application.

Name:_____________________________________

Address: ___________________________________

City: ___________________ Zip Code: __________

Telephone: _________________________________