As co-presidents of the Glenwood Landing School SCA, we are proud to have our children be a part of a district that is among the best in the country. Additionally, we are proud of our school board that has overseen the management of our district, both financially and educationally.

While we are aware of the uncertain economic times, one thing we refuse to compromise on is the quality of our children's educations should a contingency budget be implemented. That contingency budget is a difference of only 1 percent than the proposed school budget for 2008-2009 school year. Should the proposed budget fail, we would be handing over control of the budget process, and in turn, control of our children's educations.

Please vote yes to the North Shore School 2008-2009 Budget (Proposition1) to ensure the quality education our children have been receiving continues for their future.

Andrea Marchese

Bill Cameron

GWL SCA Co-Presidents

I have watched and listened to the ongoing soap opera City Hall. Just when you think that maybe they finally understand that the voters are upset about their irresponsibility, they manage to prove you wrong. It is beyond comprehension that the mayor's staff has just about doubled, and that the former out-of-town deputy mayor has been relegated back to being the mayor's secretary, but at the same salary now also being paid the new deputy mayor. Factor in a new PR person in addition to a "consultant" and then add up the office payroll for just that office and we have over $150,000 for administration, plus the mayor's salary. The penchant for hiring consultants to help make decisions that never seem to be made further adds to the reckless spending of our tax dollars; all this at a time when we are being told by the state to control our spending. How does the local administration ignore not only its constituency, but also the state from which it draws much of its power?

To those tired of hearing the same people complain, those who do are merely reflecting views of others in the community who are reluctant to publicly speak out ... Let's just say that those who complain are real tired of watching their tax dollars being so poorly spent. Yes, everything is more costly, but if one has a fixed salary (or two), and expenses are rising for whatever the reason, then retrenchment and cuts are in order, something this administration seems absolutely incapable of understanding or doing. It appears that unlike those of us running households or private businesses, they know they have unlimited power to raise money (your tax bill) when they are finally unable to pay the debt service on their borrowing to fund their spending. Non-residents interested enough to complain are people who may have lived here before and moved away because of the antics of this city's government, or they may be those who would love to live here except for the fiscal irresponsibility. Unbridled spending leads to an increased and uncertain tax burden for new homeowners even if they are capable of carrying a fixed mortgage. The number not fixed is the tax bill!

So be advised, our voices will continue, and when Glen Cove property owners see another double digit increase in their taxes, perhaps before the year is out, they will understand that their silence gave the okay to this administration to do it. To those of you who rent, do not for a minute believe that this does not affect you. Your landlords will be forced to increase your rents in order to pay their tax bills.

I love this city, but I believe it is in a downward spiral because no one in government has the courage and the guts to do what has to be done ... to rein in expenses, yes, possibly by cutting back some services, and to seriously begin the smart development of the waterfront and surrounding area so that we can generate the revenue and the foot traffic required to truly be that jewel on the North Shore of Long Island.

Marie Coyle