The following is a board of education candidate statement from Steven Tuch. What do you think of Steven Tuch as a candidate? Please leave your comments below.
I want what all Rye citizens want – a great school system and lower taxes. We will only accomplish this with collaboration between all the parties involved: taxpayers, parents, students, teachers and administrators. However, the environment that exists today is toxic. The animosity between the board and the teachers and parents makes it nearly impossible to get this done. I believe that fiscal responsibility is key. We must control the budget and its growth. The board has to find a way to increase communication with the community and give a voice to all constituents. I feel strongly that personal agendas have to be eliminated through collaboration and transparency in policy and decision making. Lastly, I believe in a clear delineation of roles. Let the educators educate and politicians hold them accountable. I have enjoyed serving on the Board of Education's Finance/Budget Committee the last two years but feel there is so much more I can do to help the community. With three small children who will be going through the Rye School District, I want to make the school system the best it can be.
I believe Steven Tuch has the background and even-tempered personality to deal with the contentious situation that our community is currently in. He is optimistic and good-natured, smart and will listen. Good luck, Steven!
I agree with Susan. Who would have thought that all this would have happened in the past few weeks. I am very sorry to think that there are people that want to blame all of this discontent on a contract not being settled for the past two years. News flash folks, most of these contracts over the past twenty years haven’t been settled on time, EVER. The other issues are separate from the contract and it is about time people start thinking about them….good luck to Steven Tuch. It is also time that people look at the fact find report. After watching the L of Women’s voters on tv and hearing time and time again about the economy, the economy was not in that shape when the contract previously expired….check out the fact find report.
YA… GOOD LUCK TUCH! you will need it!
YOU SHOULD WIN HANDS DOWN W/ MARY JONES & VAN DOLSEN on your side!!!
Are personal attacks necessary? When someone’s opinion differs from yours you attack them?
What happened to civilized discourse?
Steven has impressed me as caring and interested. He has at least attempted to participate in some of the District’s committees over the past couple of years before running for the board (as opposed to Hendler, Hughes, and Repetto). That said, he has not been a visible voice at board meetings and has not demonstrated a real understanding of the issues faced by the district. While playing “clean” in the campaign and speaking well at the Osborn debate, Steven does not have the same experience or insight of the incumbents or Ray Schmitt. Maybe if he spent a year attending board meetings and contributing in open session, my opinion would change, but as of today, he’s just not ready.
As the incumbents have proven, no ready is necessary!
Mr. Tuch is too new to Rye. He hasn’t even been here two years.
Also I find him vague on the details of how he intends to lower taxes and improve the schools.Easier said than done.
I was told he has not really attended school board meetings at all before running for the board. Isn’t it unusual to start at third base with no at bat?
Rye Lifer: Your upper case nasty comments demonstrate that true dialogue is suffering here. Some are saying that we should lighten up and that people are being dramatic. I have lived here for 20 yrs. and have never seen contention of this sort in Rye.
Mary Jones is correct that whenever contracts are up, they are not settled quickly. However, the level of anger and disrespect is highly unusual. I have received emails that have terrible, unsubstantitated, disparaging comments about the non-incumbents. Though Mr. Tuch is new and has a bit of a steeper learning curve, at least he has tried to get involved and seems to “get it.” I only met the guy 3 wks. ago but I’m impressed with his personality and vision. I believe it’s worth taking a chance with a newcomer who is intelligent, has integrity and is anxious to help heal this community’s fissures. As I recall, there was another candidate who was accused of being inexperienced–our President.
That last post was by Susan Van Dolsen (aka speakout1) since I have decided in the last few days to use my name. I believe the discourse would improve if people had to use their real names and speak as if they were addressing this forum in person.
Van Dolsen,
20 Years… very impressive. I have been here my entire life(well above 20 yrs) and my family history here is generations long. This whole city has gone to “shit in a hand bag”!!!
If you are so hell bent ON NEW-COMERS why not vote for Mr.Schmitt? mmmmm I wonder why!
“Upper Case nasty comments”…. if that insults you – you need a life. That is exactly what I meant by lighten up…. grow a sense of humor. I suggest a stress test when this is all over.
If I remember correctly; you said many posts ago that you were done here and were no longer interested in interacting with the threads on this subject. What Happened to change your mind?
You are so right when speaking of the contention in Rye. Where do you suggest we start to bring Rye back to the level of integrity that once was???
Mr. Schmitt also seems to have the background and temperment, but the emails I have received from some of his supporters have been horrible and disparaging to the other non-incumbents. I am sure Mr. Schmitt is not responsible for that and he would probably be a good trustee.
As for RyeLifer, the first way to start bringing back the integrity that existed in Rye in the past is to be respectful. Your tone is certainly not particularly open-minded. “20 years…very impressive.” What did that comment add?
Yes, I did leave the blog, but my disgust at the tone on this blog and statements against me personally caused me to return to try and make more accurate statements. Maybe that is a waste of my time in some people’s eyes, but for whatever reason, I want to see the dialoge changed, the contract settled and improvements made so that the average “non-PTO” type person who addresses the Board feels that he/she is respected.
For example, why does the Board not respond to letters or to those who address the public at the podium on non-agenda items? Wouldn’t a simple affirmation via email be possible? That would demonstrate that the Board desires participation and listens. The hostile tone, both verbal and non-verbal, is palatable. I actually overheard Mr. Nathan says “I wish I had a stop sign” after the first debate. The stop sign was used to end each candidates’ statements or answers. He also stated in a meeting last year that a senior citizen should reimburse the district for the time wasted because this citizen addressed the Board numerous times and was frustrated with a lack of response. That kind of attitude is not going to bring about positive and dialogue. The incumbents don’t see a problem with the current dialogue. I see anger, frustration, disillusionment and lack of respect. It’s time for change!
Van Dolsen,
Let me know when the respect line starts and I will be glad to jump aboard. Respect has left the City of Rye along time ago and when I see it change I will be 1st on line.
So, you get a few emails from some of Mr.Schmitt’s supporters and he is not worthy of your vote?
If you like what you see that should be all that matters!
Hardly seems respectful or fair!
Rye Lifer-
I actually said that Mr. Schmitt is not responsible for what his supporters wrote–read my post again. I did speak to Mr. Schmitt directly and our discussion turned out to be about him defending one of the incumbents and then there wasn’t too much else to say. We agreed to disagree and had a difference of opinion. He seems to have some positive opinions on helping reach all kids and is a smart guy, as I said before, he’d probably be a good trustee. I haven’t decided whether to vote for him or not and I don’t know why I have to answer to you about that anyway. So, who are you voting for? By the way, what is your real name? I think it’s hard to talk to someone when I don’t know who they are.
Based on this discussion I think I’ll be voting for Mr. Tuch as well. Thanks Susan for staying positive. Rye Lifer – get a life. Attacks like yours in no way advance political discourse.
At least Tuch voted in one of the last three years – just last year, by the way – which puts him head and shoulders above Hendler and Repetto who don’t seem to have voted at all. But that doesn’t account for Tuch only showing interest in the Board and schools at the last minute – and still not providing any real feedback on the budget.
So there we have it. No records of Hendler or Repetto voting in @ least the last 3 years. Repetto has yet to comment and has only been a resident for 2 years.Still no excuse for the 2 years of not being involved. Hendler, now here we have a beast of a different nature. Not only has she not been voting,she actually is lame enough to tell us her reason for not voting was she was concentrating on her new home and her children. So,how long does it take out of ones daily activities to cast a vote…. a half hour??
She seems to have plenty of time on her hands now. Did she stop concentrating on her children? Evidentally yes according to the article in the paper. I concentrate on my home & children every minute of every day. Now that it is blatantly obvious Hendler’s ONLY MOTIVE FOR RUNNING, all her supporters can shut up go away. I will sleep easier now knowing this woman has absolutely no shot along w/the rest of the RTA hand picked puppets! VOTE SSN!!!
Mary Jones,
You are right,the economy was not in the state it is in now than it was when the contract first expired. You people blew it and should have signed instead of being greedy and pushing the bar higher. The fact is the economy is where it is and since the contract was not signed then you took the risk and lost. The economy is a huge factor NOW and it can’t be ignored.
Mrs. Van Dolsen,
Is it true you have sold your home and will be leaving Rye? Why are you so concerned about our school board which, even in the most far fetched scenario where the union’s unqualified ringers were elected, would not convene until after July 1?
Why are you so heated, if not to settle past scores?