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Here’s More Fuel On the Fire of Suspected Irregularities in the Recent School Budget and Board of Education Voting. These Figues Could Add Up to Trouble for The District or They May Simply Indicate the Community’s Response to a Very Contentious Issue Up For the Vote. What do YOU think?
Do You Think These Figures Spell Trouble?
What’s Going On?!?!?
A Reader / Contributor sent this inquiry to Superintendent Smith:
I wonder if you could provide some intelligence to explain why we find these figures and what a possible explanation would be for the incredible increase in turnout?
Certainly, the population in this area has decreased in terms of voters but this year’s figure appears to be almost DOUBLE previous years’ figures! That’s extraordinary, indeed!
These numbers are straight from the NYS Education Department Website!
year number of voters
2012-2013 3425 <————- Our community hasn’t grown that much! Somethings WRONG! BoE Count is even higher: 3438!
2011-2012 1998 Voters
2010-2011 1922
2009-2010 1127
2008-2009 1277
2007-2008 1534
2006-2007 1805
2005-2006 2157
2004-2005 1303
2003-2004 1521
In fact, comparing the turnout of voters for the BoE member candidates we see an extraordinary increase in turnout compared with the previous elections: I am using as my reference the May 26, 2011 report appearing in the Ravena News Herald, Mixed reactions to RCS school district vote , which makes the statement:
“Incumbent Mike Robbins and co-platform candidates Krzykowski and Lukens came away as clear winners with 879, 788 and 744 votes, respectively.
“The next highest total was William McFerran with 661 votes followed by Cathy DeLuca, 640, incumbent Chris Pennock, 614, Andres Jimenez, 589 and Judy Sylvester, 581.
“The total number of votes cast was 1,998, representing roughly 17 percent of the district’s 11,618 voters, according to Superintendent Daniel Teplesky.”
[Editor’s Note: If you click on the link to that News Herald article, and ignore the date, it might have been written describing this year’s campaigning and voting, except for the numbers. Those pesky numbers!]
The arithmetic mean (average) I calculate from all candidates in the last elections is 687 votes compared with this year’s 1886, almost 3x the previous year’s average. This represents, assuming no population change since the 2011 elections 29.5% of eligible voters, or almost 3x the previous year’s turnout. Why would that be, I wonder?
Alice Whalen = 2216 votes
Sunilda Swann = 1578
Howard Engel = 2206
Judith Sylvester = 1600
Edward Reville = 1831
Mean (average) for 2012 = 1886.2 vs. 2011 = 687
I understand you will be making a statement on the alleged voting irregularities that were reported in various places; it might be a good time to comment on these figures not hyperbolically enthusiastically but with a palatably realistic and credible explanation.
Superintendent Elizabeth Smith’s Response: “I believe the increase in the number of voters casting ballots this year reflects their interest in the budget, and the quality of education the children of this community will receive in the future.”
I did expect a bit more for $140,000 a year; but does it get any more politically safe than a response like that? She must think everyone in this community is as stupid as the general Coeymanazi population!
Do you buy that? Those who know this community would find such “outsider” wisdom a bit, well, naive (and I’m being kind; Smith is certainly not familiar with the local culture, she is a carpetbagger of a sort). Wanna buy a bridge?
Where was Jerry Deluca, Matt Miller, the Pieter B Coeymanazis during the vote tallying? (Just joking…almost.)
Do You Still Have Questions, Too? CONTACT!
Ms Elisabeth R. Smith, Superintendent
RCS CSD District Office
15 Mountain Rd.
Ravena, NY 12143
Phone: 518.756.5200
e-mail: ersmith@rcscsd.org
And the entire RCS CSD Board of Education at e-mail: BoardMembers@rcscsd.org
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Albany NY a.k.a. Smalbany 
laszlo polyak
May 22, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Ditto ! Simon ! However that’s what is great about this blog -blogger it force’s us to think about what “We” want as a community and is fact base . The BIG QUESTION is how many signers to vote vs votes? If the numbers does not match the we need an investigation!! ( the core and corner stone of we the people as Americans—- voting fraud makes all of us MAD!!!!!! we win fairly or lose fairly !) Maybe a re-vote ….which could bring out more voters! That’s great ! For the first time I got a call too ! The sad part was I worked for NYSED -in auditing , both sides did not want to hear the facts ! Well, that’s Why we have to answer to both the US ED Dept and NYSED! Laws have change bullying can cost a teacher their job and their pensions! Teachers are on notice to TEACH ! Or lose it all! times are changing all across the US because everyone is not happy we are no-longer number 1 in education around the world …well or 2 or 3rd…… Tats Sucks!!!!!!!!!!!! period!!!!!!!!! The dumb-ing of our children something to be proud of ???? don’t you think !
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Simon
May 23, 2012 at 8:21 am
I see no reason why a quick count of signatures in the book (and supplemental papers) shouldn’t be done to simply put this issue to rest. If anything, I saw MANY people who happily signed the book (no lines!) and then when told to go back to the 30 minute long line to actually vote, they simply said “forget it” and left. So, I would expect the signatures to SLIGHTLY outnumber actual votes, but not by much.
A re-vote would not be proper. Case law has frequently shown that in the case of misconduct certain votes (such as scrutinized absentees) or single machine’s tallies (rare) would be disqualified. You’d have to have such massive misconduct to invalidate all the votes for the first round. Not saying it wouldn’t be possible, but in our case, with the vote not really being “close”, and no HARD evidence of outright misconduct, it’s a long shot.
But I have no issues with anyone who has complaints to notify the Education Commissioner. Notifying Board Members or the Superintendent became useless as of last night; their vote to accept the results means you not have to appeal to a higher level.
S
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Simon
May 22, 2012 at 11:33 am
Doesn’t really matter. The fact that stories like this appear on the blog diminishes the entire blog’s effectiveness and legitimacy, as it makes it look like you post articles for your own gratification.
S
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Fides qua Creditur
May 22, 2012 at 12:21 pm
I agree, Simon. I’d rather have quality than quantity anytime. But the TU blog has neither. Very ungratifying!
Peace!
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Simon
May 22, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Stopped reading the TU blog about 5 minutes after the RCS budget page went on there.
There being double the voter turnout this year isn’t an issue. I’m surprised it was only double.
S
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Fides qua Creditur
May 22, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Can you please elaborate Why? you are not suprised that double the voters turned out compared with last year? If the media report on the process leading up to the 2011 voting is credible, then there is nothing substantially or substantively different in the process in 2012…except the incredible (no pun intended) numbers of voters who allegedly turned out in this extraordinary event. From about 12% to almost 30% is quite an increase.
E.
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Simon
May 22, 2012 at 3:56 pm
Are you kidding?
Emotions about this year’s budget were *OFF THE CHARTS*.
Voter apathy is legendary in our area. This year, everyone became so involved in the controversy (not necessarily about the facts of the budget, but everyone got involved in the debate on one side or another on a very PERSONAL level) that I’m surprised that it’s only double.
* Aggressive signs, including that truck
* Heightened debate about teacher “give backs”
* Far reaching effects of cuts that were going to happen on things like sports (always gets the sports folks out)
* THIS BLOG
* That group’s antics in Coeymans
* Fights in public businesses
* Allegations of meddling by the teachers union
* Controversy over BoE antics
* Phone calls to get people out (I personally had never gotten a call before this year!)
Normally, people don’t vote unless they’re compelled to. This year, a greater number of people were DRAGGED into the debate and felt COMPELLED to vote. ANGERED to vote. Every move by someone on one side of an issue incensed the other side to do one better. The vote no longer really was about the budget anymore. It was about “us” beating “them”.
There was no difference in the actual process this year. We’ve had tough budget years before. Worse years even. The difference was the public’s involvement in the debate on a very PERSONAL level.
On my street alone, I can 100% believe that twice the number of people voted as did last year. A report from a poll worker that evening (when the voting was packed due to a school concert) stated that the place was packed since early to mid-afternoon.
I’d like to know why you think participation this year should be the same as last year!
S
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Fides qua Creditur
May 22, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Simon, before we make any decisions on reactions, we need to apprise ourselves of the entire gestalt of circumstances leading to the reactions. That’s the entire point of this blog, dear friend, to point out a great many things that are either covered up or to which people turn their backs for one reason or another. What you might find outrageous intially might just turn out to be pristingly justified and fair, once the true facts are known. One example for which I feel I may be qualified to opine is the truck sign; there’s a lot that went on before that sign went up, including trespass, vandalism, and Coeymanazi visits. Yes, I do agree, some of those people are insane–but the insane never want to hear the diagnosis of their insanity. I don’t know of the fights in public businesses but I and many other residents have witnessed some pretty ugly, aggressive and childist behavior in so-called adults. Embarassing displays.
There can be no doubt of the meddling by the teachers association/union in the events; nor of the special interest activities by the teachers, former teaches, and teachers’ spouses on the BoE. To deny that is simply unrealistic.
Yes, maybe this BLOG was effective in getting people out and about; it has raised the bar in a number of areas and from what I can see and what I hear, there are two camps: those that hate it for the truth it discloses, and those that love it for the truth it discloses.
I do hope that what many have suggested, that this Blog was instrumental in getting out the vote, is true. Now it’s time to educate, re-educate, and to foster clean-up of the community and the community organs with a view of community remediation and rehabilitation of community.
Peace!
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