Is Failure of Nassau Coliseum Referendum a Predictor of Next Year’s School Budget Vote?

If you’re an Islanders fan like I am, you probably were not happy to see that the vote on the new Nassau Coliseum was rejected and voted down by Nassau County residents. The same can be said if you like going to the Nassau Coliseum for concerts (me too), boat shows (me too), and home improvement shows (me too). This is not good news because without the Islanders as an anchor tenant, the Coliseum probably will not be rebuilt and I believe it will eventually close down.

It was very clear that Nassau residents didn’t want to pay the estimated $58 a year per household for a new Coliseum for the next 25-30 years (I think that was the latest and on the higher end, of the estimated tax amount and terms.) when, as I believe, Charles Wang would have paid for it all with private funds just a few years back.

But frankly, isn’t that estimated $58 a year per household peanuts when you compare that to your annual school tax increase? Think about it. Wouldn’t nearly every single Nassau resident vote "Yes" on their school budgets, and have a perpetual smile on their face if their annual school tax increase was only $58 a year? You know as well as I that your school taxes hardly ever go down, so in essence aren’t you “locked in for 25-30 years” just like the proposed Coliseum vote. If this is true, the point I’m trying to make here is that Nassau County school districts should be very mindful of what they just witnessed (A proposal for $58 a year per household FAILED!) because if they don’t, school budgets in May 2012 may get the same answer that the Islanders and the proposed new Coliseum received on Aug. 1, 2011: ”No.”

Thanks for taking the time to read this blog and my opinions. I hope to encourage further thoughts, and ideas so please feel free to post a comment below.

I’m not sure when I’ll post my next blog, but if you select "follow this blogpost" you will receive an email notification when someone posts a comment, so I can use this feature to give followers a head's up when the next blog is coming out.

Otherwise, just check the Patch often. One last thing, if you like the blog article, please consider "Recommending" it so that other interested individuals can check it out.

Take care.

Manny