The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Friday May 16, 2003 ®L.ake-Lehman School Board candidates’ responses to questions The Dallas Post asked three questions of each candidate for seats on the Lake-Lehman School Board. Their responses follow. Harold Cornell Jr., a candidate in Region 2 and Robert Peron, who is running in Region 3, did not respond to requests for in- terviews. Do you feel the district does an adequate job managing its budget? Mark Kornoski/Region 1: “Because I have not been on the board and haven't been privy to that information, I can only say that I think that they've done pretty well although more : oney should be spent toward @ Chuck Boytin/Region 2: “Yes, we do our best to balance what is coming in, and what we can afford to do for students, without burdening taxpayers anymore.” Joseph Kapitula/Region 3: “We try to, the more money that comes in, the more they spend though. They never want to cut the fat ... and there is a lot of trimming to do.” Edwin Kern/Region 2: cellent job” Michelle Maher-Coombs/Re- gion 1: “Yes, I think we do. Be- cause of the process, Mrs. Williams keeps a tight rein, which is good.” James Welby/Region 2: “There is always room for im- provement.” Jeffrey Pauley/ Region 1: “Yeah, but we have a hard bud- ‘get to manage ... the general re- serve is down to almost nothing, which puts us in a tight spot.” Lois Kopcha/Region 1; There isn't anywhere to cut down as you're looking at the tentative budget, so we are doing the best we can.” N “Ex- Do you feel extra-curricular activities outside of sports re- ceive sufficient funding and recognition? ' Mark Kornoski/Region 1: “Yes, definitely sufficient recog- nition: Although I'm: not sure about funding because I haven't seen the information/numbers.” Chuck Boytin/Region 2: “No they don’t. A clear example of this is three years ago a group of | A, students won Na- ional History Competition. We wanted to have their pictures taken and hung with sports photos in the lobby. To this day, I'm unsure of any attempt made to even take the picture. Another example is the band. The school doesn’t publicize and recognize these students as well as they should.” Taxes stable i Staff report LEHMAN TWP. — No millage increase is projected for the 2003-04 Lake-Lehman School District budget year. Kathleen Williams presented a very introductory budget at Tuesday night's work session. The School Board is expected to approve a tentative budget dur- ing its May 21 regular meeting. The budget as presented in- of items ludes a “wish list” a @ said. Among the items are “an awful lot” of computers. As it stands, the equipment amount — that encompasses technology requests — will in- crease 218.52 percent over last Showtimes effective Friday 5/16/03 Daily £00700 + Fiat 100 FriSat/SunWed 1:00 MOP bY ‘I AD DY Lit pe Wed) 3 i DAY GARE FrifSat/Sun/Wed 1:15Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Thu 4:15 LIVE IN CONCERT! The Pixie Chicka and the Fabulous Fifties Wed.. May 21 = 7 pm THEATER BES la 4a =1alal=1"]}4 “MORE THAN THE MOVIES” 836-1022 www.dietrichtheater.com band ... . ports ‘more... need to see the full plan Joseph Kapitula/Region 3: “No. There is more attention paid to sports then anything. Honor roll students’ pictures should be in the hallway, in- stead of sports.” Edwin Kern /Region 2: “Sports get a lot of attention, but other activities do get adequate. They're about even.” - Michelle Maher-Coombs/Re- gion 1: “Yes they do.” James Welby/Region 2: “I couldn’t say. I don’t know the al- location percentages for funding. I'd really need to see to make a fair estimate.” Jeffrey Pauley/ Region 1: “They could be more evenly bal- anced.” Lois Kopcha/Region 1: “We're discussing expanding the should pay more atten- tion to the music program... it's what's giving the school name recognition. Music teaches disci- pline.” Do you support Gov. Rendel- I’s plan to shift the school tax burden from property to in- come tax? Mark Kornoski/Region 1: “Yes.” Chuck Boytin/Region 2: “Rendell's plan hasn't been spelled out yet. We do need to balance the two. We cannot bur- den the entire tax on just prop- erty owners but it really needs to be spelled out better.” Joseph Kapitula/Region 3: “Yes, it’s the only fair way to do it ... if you're not making money, how can you pay school taxes. It's (the present system) too much of a burden on seniors and young people just starting out.” Edwin Kern/Region 2: “I've been a supporter of a plan like his for along time. It's the only fair way. Legislatures need to get on the stick — it's the only fair way.” Michelle Maher-Coombs/Re- gion 1: “Not sure yet, I don’t have a clear understanding. Rendell hasn't even given a final budget ... there have been re- that this. could cost to. know if I could support it ¢ or not ra James Welby/Region 2: “I'd like to look at other avenues, such as the Homestead Act, be- fore committing. We do need to take all the burden off home- owners and more evenly distrib- ute to all people with school children. Jeffrey Pauley/ Region 1: “I haven't seen it all yet. I'm still waiting to see the state budget, to see what Rendell's budget looks like. For example, slot ma- chines could bring in additional ona: We need to wait and Lois Kopcha/Region 1: “It depends on what he comes up with ... we need more definite answers. Homeowners carrying the weight is an outdated way to tax, in the past it was the wealthy that owned homes, it's not that way today. It puts a large burden on the young and senior citizens.” Do you feel the district has a plan to help students succeed in a changing world? Mark Kornoski/Region 1: “We need to get more into tech- nology, give the students more tools for a better education. Lehman is behind, and we need to give students more technolo- gy. purchase new computers and programs — for example, update obsolete computers in el- ementary schools.” Chuck . Boytin/Region 2: “We're doing something right, our students are dong well. It is adequate right now, but we must continue to grow. We need ‘to continue to hire the right peo- ple, and keep politics out of hir- ing.” Joseph Kapitula/Region 3: “Yes, our new principal is going to do a wonderful job, he has big plans. You are going to see big changes out there in the future.” Edwin Kern/Region 2: “Our students are not totally prepared for college, and there are some problems that need to be straightened out. I know what these problems are and how to solve them.” Michelle Maher-Coombs/Re- gion 1: “Yes, we have a plan ... we have a technology plan and Five Year Curriculum Plan. We are not there yet, but we're off to a good start. We need to keep kids one step ahead of others, while complying with all man- dates.” James Welby/Region 2: “I think we are on our way. The tools are there, they have to be fine-tuned.” Jeffrey Pauley/ Region 1: “We need to focus on the cur- riculum, to make students want to learn by high school. Tech- nologies give students education or tomorrow's world, not for to- day.” : Lois Kopcha/Region 1: “For the last eight years I've said that the school needs to incorporate technology ... not just comput- ers. Businesses say they need better technological education to bring more jobs into the area ...it’s the way that the world is changing ... we need to prepare students for the work force, so that students don’t need extra schooling, why can’t they learn enough in high school? We need to find out what kids need, they are smart enough to learn it, if we give them the opportunity. in L-L tentative budget year, bringing total to $232,520. Lake-Lehman ‘is expected to begin the upcoming budget year with a fund balance of just more than $1.6 million. Williams esti- mated revenues to total $19,129,746 and expenditures to reach $20,622,156, which would drain the district's fund balance to $108,725. Major expenditures for the dis- trict include an approximate $284,273 (3.77 percent) increase to the retirement fund and a health insurance increase of $195,405 (10.6 percent). It is not known how much the state will provide in funding. Williams said she based her the 1 figures on no tax increase be- cause the board has previously told her it would not support a millage increase as long as there was money in the district fund balance. A mill is a $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed proper- ty value. If the district does not raise its taxes, this will be the sixth con- secutive year its Luzerne County taxpayers pay 221 mills. The rate for the Wyoming County municipality of Noxen is 42 mills. Because of primary elections, Lake-Lehman will hold its regu- lar meeting at 7 p.m. May 21 in the Lehman-Jackson Elemen- tary School music room. - Robert E. Brown, O.D. ANNOUNCING THE OPENING OF Dr. Robert E. Brown us Optometrist Tan 693 W. Market Street, Kingston, PA Dr. Robert E. BROWN optometrist ©) Call 714-5665 PHARMACY 159 N. Memorial Hwy. Shavertown PA 675-1191 a The Large Chain ~ Pharmacies Taking Too Long To Fill Your Prescriptions? (20-30 Minutes, Come Back in 3 Hours) At Cook’s Pharmacy In Shavertown, We Fill Most Rx’s in 5 Minutes or Less! COUPON Up To $10 Off Any Transferred Prescription Only 1 Coupon Per Customer Per Visit No Cash Value Expires 6/30/03 Please Call 675-1191 If Any Questions CoOK’S HARMACY “Where The Doctors Get Their | Prescriptions Filled”
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