Open letter to State Sen. Metzger: 'You must put an end to using the property taxes to fund schools'

Dear State Sen. Metzger,

Few weeks ago I received the bill for Warwick school taxes .... astronomical!

I am 74 years old on a fixed income. I cannot simply afford to pay this amount of money for our public school.

Out of any school budget, most goes to the teachers and school administrators' salaries, pension and benefits for a nine months of work.

Teacher salaries here in Warwick are amongst the highest in Orange county if not in New York State.

This can not continue like it is. You must put an end to using the property taxes to fund schools and instead using increased state aid and more progressive and broad base sources of funding.

It's about time, otherwise there will be exodus of people leaving the New York State.

Please let me know what your plans are of changing the funding of the schools since you and James Seward are on the Senate Education Committee.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

John Ihnachak

Warwick