I take exception to your editorial that we cannot save money by consolidating some services in this county ("The Wrong Reason to Merge Governments," October 29). Kent Gardner maintained that consolidating police services, as an example, would actually cost more. However, he overlooked one obvious area of savings.
Consolidate all of our county school districts into one district. By eliminating at least 15 superintendents, 15 assistant superintendents, 15 business managers, and other central-office duplication, taxpayers could see at least a $10 million savings with no loss of educational service to our students.
We need to look at many Southern communities that have done this: for example, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Our city and county manager need to organize a commission to seriously study this option.
KEN HENDEL, PENFIELD
Comments for "TAXES: Merge school districts, save millions" (2)
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Rome Celli said on Nov. 12, 2008 at 6:23pm
Just a few notes on this letter: over 114,000 students enter classrooms in Monroe County every day (mostly in suburban districts - about 2/3); over 22,000 employees work in Monroe County's school districts including some 12, 500+ professional teaching staff; combined Monroe County school budgets were over 1.7 billion dollars last year. It might seem logical that a consolidation would create economies of scale but children aren't widgets and schools aren't factories. Education is primarily a people business. You might eliminate district superintendent positions per se but you won't eliminate the need for expertise necessary to operate a $1.7+ billion dollar educational system. Even if you did eliminate $10M worth of administrative positions the savings would be $10M out of $1.7B in expenses.
Charlotte, North Carolina isn't host to a city with one of the highest child poverty rates in the nation.
We can't out-source human contact. We can't fundamentally change the progress of human emotional and physiological developmental to increase productivity. Public education can't/shouldn't disregard the human beings that are expensive to educate whether due to physical or emotional or socio-economic reasons. A consolidation would not, by definition, mean better outcomes and more efficient systems. Bigger may not cheaper but, more importantly, bigger may not be better when it comes to education.
Rome Celli
president, Monroe County School Boards Association
Carmen Lonardo said on Nov. 14, 2008 at 4:02pm
"Even if you did eliminate $10M worth of administrative positions the savings would be $10M out of $1.7B in expenses" ... I don't know about you but I happen to think that S10 million is substantial and if we can achieve the savings we should. Its this kind of myopic and parochial thinking that continues to defend government (any public entity) spending at levels beyond what we can afford. Thanks for helping to bankrupt the state and our community. I happen to think, as well, by the way, that Mr. Handel is correct in his analysis and comments,
Carmen Lonardo
Taxpayer
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