Jane Ryan is a candidate in the May 17 Massapequa School Board election.
She is a graduate of Massapequa High School who has a child in the district.
Ryan is a certified public accountant and president of JE Ryan & Associates an accounting and consulting firm based in Wantagh.
She has served on the School Board since 2008 and is seeking her second term.
We recently sat down with Ryan at the school district offices and heard some of her opinions on the issues facing voters.
On Taxes:
"I think the most important issue has to be school district taxes, keeping our budgets low, keeping tax levies low. "I'm very proud of the fact that we do have the lowest budget increase and the lowest tax levy in 12 years, the fourth lowest spending per pupil and that we have been recognized by New York State for administrative efficiency."
On why the district submitted a budget that included a 1 .72 percent spending increase rather than no increase:
"In order to do a zero budget, it would be a lot of money. We would have to go back to the drawing board and see what programs we would have to eliminate...We feel that we've brought the budget in at a reasonable increase. We've used our reserves to lower the tax levy, which both the governor and the state comptroller have recommended. We're very fortunate in Massapequa that we do have those reserves. Other districts have a four, five, eight percent tax levy because they don't have reserves and they didn't plan for a rainy day."
On salaries for school superintendents:
"A lot of superintendents do make too much if you look across the island and look at the salary of superintendents, especially considering the size of their districts...Am I for an overall cap on all superintendent salaries? No I'm not."
On the salary on Massapequa Superintendent Charles Sulc:
"Do I feel Mr. Sulc is worth the salary he makes? Yes I do. He brings to the district and our administrators bring to the district cost savings and many innovative ideas."
On whether teaching positions should be eliminated:
"Education is our future. The child's future depends upon the education they receive at an early age. Do I agree with doubling class size and eliminating teachers? No I don't. I think children especially in this environment and with all the new standards coming out need the oversight and they need the teachers."
On the possibility of eliminating administrative positions:
"That is looked at. We did an administrative reorganization this year and we saved money. That hasn't been advertised too much, but we did have a savings in that we didn't replace some staff."
