Outside of New York City, 62 percent of property taxes are school property taxes. In terms of tax rate, nine of the top 10 counties highest taxed counties in the nation are in Upstate New York. They are Wayne, Niagara, Monroe, Erie, Chautauqua, Onondaga, Cayuga, Chemung and Schenectady counties.

This is a powerful statement and it is certainly worth doing something about. This is what the local school boards, and other governing entities should be considering prior to submitting their budgets, especially those who do not depend on public approval. This has always been my focus when addressing the problems we face year after year during budget time. In my opinion, we are spending ourselves out of existence.

Soon, very soon, the state will no longer be able to offer STAR as a means to offset the local school taxes simply because it has grown to enormous proportions.

Year after year, without fail, the local boards of education increase spending, while building million-dollar empires surrounded by highly paid administrators who manipulate the system to get the highest salary and retirement package possible, while sacrificing our children's education. We currently have more administrators working for this school district than we have had in over two decades, yet, in spite of this layer of bureaucracy, our dropout rate has increased and our schools are failing.

J.D. Pabis is making more money than any superintendent in the history of our school district, yet, in spite of millions we are paying his administrators, he, his administrators, and sadly, his board, are failing us miserably. Mr. Pabis feels the public was confused when we voted against his budget, he just doesn't get it, we can no longer afford his insatiable appetite for tax increases.

Rework the budget, Mr. Pabis, do not present the same budget for voter approval. To do that is nothing less than a slap in the face to the hard-working men and women who support this district.

Jerry L. Morgan Sr.

Auburn