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To the Editor:
Response to Dan Vera's Letter to the Editor:
As a resident of Putnam Valley since 1972 and a homeowner since 1982, I disagree with Mr. Vera's characterization that we need a school board who will "put the taxpayers as part of the equation as much as the students' education when making decisions."
I feel the primary purpose of a Board of Education should be to obtain the best possible education for the students in the community.
They must take costs into consideration to get the budget approved by the community; it seems they have been doing this in a tax-effective manner.
They should not let cost-containment govern their decisions.
Those decisions should be based on sound educational principles.
Vera mentioned the cost per pupil increase.
He must not realize that it costs more per student to educate students when there are fewer students.
This is true largely because fixed costs, such as plant operation, are the same whether we have an enrollment of 1,676 students or 1,722 students.
The small reduction in student body numbers was not enough to have a major effect on fixed costs.
My husband and I are retired and living on fixed incomes.
We do not have children or grandchildren in the Putnam Valley schools.
Even so, we strongly believe the education of our community's children is vitally important to a healthy community.
Beth Appel, Putnam Valley
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