(PHOTO: Rye school boss Eric Byrne explains the numbers behind the Rye schools bond.)
The bond vote for the Rye City Schools is Tuesday, March 12, 2019 from 7am to 9pm. MyRye.com will post the bond vote results as soon as they are available after 9pm once polls close.
There is one polling location: the Rye Middle School Gym at 3 Parsons Street. Ample parking is available.
The bond will raise $80 million (see a presentation). Pages on the school district web site have an overview, frequently asked questions as well as a video of Superintendent Eric Byrne giving an overview of the bond. For a Rye homeowner with a $1.68 million dollar home, the average monthly tax impact will be $3.23.
There is a Facebook page and some mailings against the bond coming from "Friends of a Better Bond". Both the mailings and the Facebook page have no identification as to the people behind the effort. The school district, when asked, said they are not aware who was behind the anonymous effort. The pro group, Friends of Rye City School District, has also been sending mail and running ads.
Maybe they might spend it wisely, maybe they would not. Overall its too much money to hand in a lump sum unchecked to any operation like this.
Why do I say this? I’ve been here 6 decades now, graduated from the system and have seen a few things. Most recently – and attention new arrivals – some ridiculous cover-ups and corruptions touching the top of the board & management. Pray-tell you say? Plug the following Dec 20 2013 LoHud headline into your internet browser:
“Falsely accused basketball coach hopes to get back in the game after Rye City School District apologizes”
Here we have an exculpatory video suppressed by the district as evidence and outright lying by district officials. And no consequences for the district law firm involved who I believe will adjudicate issues pertaining to this brand new mega funding.
Nope. Too big. I support a series of smaller issuance’s along the way, each approved step by step by the voters, just like we always have.