Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is Rebecca Telesh running for
the School Board?
A: Rebecca has seen a lack of Fiscal Responsibility and independence
from the school administration on the school board. She wants
to be a voice that challenges in a constructive way the status quo.
Q: I am a teacher at Shen and hearing
that Rebecca is a fiscal conservative worries me.
A: You should not be worried. Rebecca is a parent of 3
children who attend Shenendehowa schools and cares deeply about the
quality of the education that all the districts children receive.
Rebecca finds it inequitable that the current administration has
chosen to cut over 22 classroom positions and only 4 administrative
positions. The current school board is ok with this approach.
Rebecca is not. There is something inequitable in that
equation especially since the administration has grown significantly
under the current administration's watch. Rebecca staunchly
supports no increase in the current student to teacher ratios.
She supports streamlining and reducing the size of the
administrative and capital expenditures.
Q: Why hasn't Rebecca ever run for office before?
A: Rebecca made a decision to retire as a department manager
at a major department store retailer back in 1996 to actively raise
her children. Now that her youngest son will be starting
school full time she is ready to serve her community in a larger
capacity. She has always been involved in the schools and
community and now is making a choice to run for School Board because
of the opportunity to make a positive change for our community.
Watching the rubber stamping of administration proposals by the
School Board is not acceptable to Rebecca, but instead she is
committed to bringing fresh ideas and energy to the board.
Q: What are Rebecca's views on people leaving the area
because of the high school taxes?
A: Rebecca finds that to be unacceptable.
We need to get our financial house in order at the school district
and live within the means of our current tax base. Many on
fixed incomes can not keep their homes because of the lack of
financial discipline. Rebecca also encourages you to vote for
people in State Elections this fall who want to restore the STAR
Rebate program. Taking it away this year combined with no COLA
adjustment for those on Social Security is a travesty that must be
fixed.
Q: Why are you raising money through contributions?
A: I am committed to make an impact in our
community and am raising money to help get the word out. Like
the open check register I am proposing for the school district I too
will be itemizing all my transactions. I have been blessed
with the outpouring of support and response to the message of
Quality Education, Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability. I
also promise to use everyone's contribution in the fiscally
responsible manner I campaign on. Thank you to everyone for
their generous support.