Now that a budget is in place for the coming year, I would like to give a senior citizen’s perspective on views important to current parents.
While most of us did move here with school-age children, we came with the intent to make Manhasset our home for life. We were attracted by the beauty of place (especially in spring), the convenience to major highways as well as the LIRR and airports, the diversity of houses of worship, many private and parochial schools from which to choose, higher education options, excellent medical care, and a variety of parks, beaches and shopping all within easy reach.
It was the perfect place for all the stages of life. Yes, our homes do have a dollar value, but we think of them as our homes, not as investments.
The price the real estate might fetch will only matter when our estates have to liquidate them.
We certainly support the cost of a sound basic education in the “Three R’s” (Readin’, ‘Ritin’, and ‘Rithmetic). It is not essential that the tax levy support all of the “Four A’s.”
As Mimi Donohue put it, these options are available privately. Obviously they would cost more per student when paid for by an individual family than when paid for by the entire citizenry.
Manhasset has always had enrichments provided by community groups in cooperation with the schools. The Senior Frolic is certainly an example, as are PBC sports programs, scouting, and Adventures in Learning.
I suggest we all look at ways of expanding these community-sponsored programs and offering new ones to include a wider age range of students.
In this way, the students will have all the enriched opportunities funded by fees from the parents plus fund-raising from the community.
Virginia W. D’Antonio
Manhasset
