County will share sales tax money with schools
By Donna Comella

When Savannah Supervisor Don Colvin presented a plan Tuesday afternoon to phase out the practice of giving school districts $5.4 million in Wayne County sales tax revenue, he couldn't get the votes to pass it.

With Rose Supervisor Carm Pascarella absent, only five of the remaining 14 supervisors backed Colvin's proposal.

After battling school superintendents in recent years, Colvin said he thought it a compromise to phase out the money by one third per year beginning in 2006. He questioned Red Creek School Superintendent David Sholes as to why it costs more to educate students in Wayne County than it does in neighboring counties. When Sholes replied that he thought Wayne County probably had a higher percentage of students with disabilities, Colvin asked, 'You mean our kids are stupider than others?'

Arcadia Supervisor Joe DeSanto stood to advocate for the schools. He asked students who were present from Newark's Participation In Government class to stand, as he addressed the board. His remarks were met with applause from the gallery.

But then Colvin accused Newark School Superintendent Bob Christmann of sending home a letter with students - a letter in support of the county legislators continuing to share the money. Colvin said he had acquired a legal opinion that it was 'improper to use public funds to try to influence public opinion.'

Later, Christmann stood to point out to Colvin that the letter had been sent by the school board and not by him. He added that no taxpayer money had been used in sending the letter.

Former Sodus Supervisor and one-time Chairman of the Board George Arney was present to explain why he had first instituted the practice of sharing sales tax money with schools. He said that getting the 1966 board to go along with his suggestion cost him a couple of cups of coffee and a couple of Manhattans at Trombino's, but he made it happen. He added, however, that it was to have been only a temporary situation, and now that the county faces financial woes, maybe the county and the schools should look to cut costs.

Huron Supervisor Chuck Frederick wanted to know why Joe Marinelli, who is District Superintendent of the Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, doesn't ask the other counties to share their revenues. Marinelli did not respond, as Sholes was representing the superintendents.

Before Frederick had received answers to all his questions, Walworth Supervisor Frank Guelli reminded Chairman of the Board Marv Decker that he had already asked that a vote be taken. Guelli had asked Decker to 'Call the Question' 15 or 20 minutes prior to the debate between Frederick and Sholes.

The vote was called. Those in support of keeping the sales tax dollars in the county's coffers were supervisors Frederick, Jody Bender (Marion), Dave Lyon (Palmyra), Colvin, and Donna Chittenden (Sodus).

Wayne County remains one of the last rural county in New York State to share its sales tax dollars with area schools.

The Wayne County Board of Supervisors will hold its Organizational Meeting on Monday, January 3 at 9 a.m.

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