Stunning Announcements

To The Editor:

The school administration made two stunning announcements in recent weeks: the district 'erred' in failing to collect some $146,000 health insurance premiums from retired teachers since 1995 and will sue to collect amounts not barred by statute, and the district proposes a $34.25-million principal amount of bonds for capital improvements.

Union members love to read contracts; they analyze every word to squeeze out the last penny of benefit, and are especially attentive to givebacks such as an obligation to pay a share of health insurance premiums in retirement years, which was a significant change in the collective bargaining agreement. The economic and reputation costs of litigation need to be measured against the amount that realistically can be recovered, since the district's counsel have advised that overpayments beyond six years are not collectable. Moreover, it cannot be gainsaid that collection efforts will be vigorously contested, and discovery might reveal reasons for not collecting retired teachers' share of health insurance premiums in each of the last 12 years. Whether error or design doesn't matter; what matters is responsibility. To avoid the divisiveness of litigation, better to bank on retired teachers' honesty and willingness to acknowledge and pay their agreed share and write off the uncollected balance - - but end the subsidy for lifetime health coverage for future retirees. All private industry retirees who have free lifetime health coverage please raise your hands. (Query: if a retiree doesn't pay, shouldn't the district terminate coverage for that individual?) Significantly, however, the experience with this simple contract administration matter doesn't inspire confidence to entrust the planning, negotiation and management of another multi-million dollar bond issue to the district unsupervised.

In the nineties I recall the district proposed $50-million+ bonds for long (and imprudently) deferred maintenance and repairs that should have been paid for in prior years from annual tax receipts. Talented residents intervened and, after review, the issue was scaled down roughly a quarter, still enough to build a state-of-the-art school from scratch at then current labor/materials costs. There has been no public disclosure, among other things, how those funds were used, what work remains, whether there are outstanding bonds, what funds remain on hand, and whether there are viable claims against contractors for unsatisfactory performance.

This is a tipping point; challenging unnecessary spending can have big effects. In the last ten years, school taxes have increased 88%, the CPI 32%. This idea could not have come at a less propitious time: the senior/retired population is large and growing rapidly; the dollar is falling and the economy is slowing and leaning toward recession; layoffs have begun; house values are declining because of high taxes and credit limits; state and local taxes are the highest in the nation, nevertheless the current state and next national administrations are determined to increase taxes. Unfortunately, our children are leaving the area because of the lack of affordable housing and high taxes. Is there any good news? No bond should be considered until a disinterested team of knowledgeable residents has examined and approved all aspects of the need for the proposed expenditures and alternatives, including working on areas that don't require bonding, such as improving education to better prepare children for the challenges of college life and the rigors of the real world thereafter, possibly raising the district's standing in the process.

J. J. Dolan

Great Hockey Program

To the Editor:

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the G.C. Recreation Department Hockey Staff, especially Andrew Karen who heads the roller hockey program. All four of my sons participated in the program again this fall and were all coached by James Crafa. They all had an excellent experience. After my youngest son broke his collarbone playing soccer James let him be his "assistant" coach for the rest of the season. For those of you who were not aware of the hockey program available to our kids I suggest you look for it in the Spring or just stop by to watch some very exciting hockey at our Community Park. Thanks again to Andrew Karen, James Crafa, Dan Hickcox, Tom Hickcox, Brian Johnson and the rest of the Hockey Staff.

Steve Ilardi