Candidate Bio: Ryan Kennedy (R) for Common Council

Middletown Insider blog is accepting bios from all  municipal candidates. See criteria: http://www.middletowninsider.com/2013/08/request-for-candidate-bios-for-all.html

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  Ryan Kennedy (R) Candidate for Common Council
  Senior Class President MHS Class of 2005

As a Middletown native I want to give back to the community I have grown up in. I want to see a top notch education system that provides opportunities for all students, to strive for a responsible budget, and to keep class size as low as possible, as that is the most important factor in a child's education.

Having served as a member of the Board of Education for six-months I have made public the short-fallings of the Board under the leadership of Ted Raskca. I will continue to do so by showing the wasteful spending of the majority of the board who wish to cut teaching positions and raise class size. I pushed for a budget that the community wanted, and that was in support of our teachers. I also spent time at our schools, talking to teachers, sitting in on classes, and meeting with principals to see and hear first hand the problems that our schools are facing.

I believe I bring a simple perspective, as I know what the children need in this school system, while Central Office and the Board continue to largely support their own pet projects. I do bring experience in the form of my bachelors degree in organizational communications, which has given me the tools to work toward solving our educational system problems and get our message out to the public.

I have been an asset to the Republican caucus on the Board. I am able to work with my two fellow Republicans to provide concrete solutions and have fought against the failing ideas of the democrats. In the future I would love to see a program at the high school to increase skills in manufacturing.

Currently finishing his 5th year as a member of the Middletown Board of Education

Chairing the following committees:

Communication & Transportation

Member of Budget Committee

Current Board representative to:

Middletown High School Vo-ag & Alternative Education

Member of the Senior Center Building Committee

Past member of the Long Hill Estate Authority & Recycling Task Force

Born, raised and educated in Middletown.

CSSU Master’s & Bachelor’s Degree in Communication

MxCC Graduate
: UPDATE from Ryan Kennedy: 

Thank you Middletown Insider for publishing my bio. Above is a summary of what I have done as a board member.
Below are the issues that I feel are most important in regards to the next Council term.

Parking: The Council needs to make parking in the Melilli lot and Court Street Lot free after 5pm with the gates opening at that time. Two hour free parking needs to be re-instated to all city lots including the lot across from the Russell Library.

Bonding: A super majority vote of the Common Council needs to be required for any bond package. A yearly debt limit needs to be set, only being allowed to cross by a referendum vote.

Biennial budget: A city budget being set every two years will allow for directors to plan for the future. The budget should be passed on the even years taking the politics out of the budget process.
I also didn’t know I have hard to contact. My home phone is 860-346-5805.

www.middletownctgop.com

Apple, Oranges & BOE Budget Hikes

 While the proposed Board of Education budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year makes some budget cuts to try and balance the books, areas when increases spending is called for is presented in  misleading ways. The proposed budget has an increase of 7.8% which is sure to raise the mil rate significantly for tax payers when coupled  Mayor Drew's budget calling for City increases in spending.  A link to the BOE budget is below, which was NOT available before the BOE's meeting on Tuesday. Unlike the Frechette budgets of legend, this budget is somewhat broken down, but still not a transparent  detailed line by line item budget many tax payers have called for.

 BOE Budget can be read here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1OYjxtLEgUwaGNXN1JMckk5RVE/edit
Why is this budget so high & why will taxes go up?Apples & Oranges Logic: Dr. Charles told various media  that the increase is partly caused by "technology". Note that technology acquisitions are normally considered capital acquisitions. The law makes a distinction between a school district's operating funds, over which it has virtually unlimited discretion and control, and capital purchases, which are subject to local (i.e., the Common Council) control.

With all due respect to the Superintendent, you're being snookered here - even if it's unintentional. A capital expenditure is one that happens intermittently, not annually. It's the difference between buying a computer, which will have an extended life expectancy, and paying a teacher's salary, which is an ongoing, operational obligation. Giving the BOE money to buy computer equipment will unnecessarily raise the City's MBR obligation, so don't fall for it!
 
A better solution will be for the City to purchase the equipment, optimally through the City's IT Department which, coincidentally, is proposed by the Mayor (déjà vu to when Mayor Giuliano who FIRST proposed this which was shot down by the Democratic controlled council) to assume BOE operations.