Steve Greenfield Announces Run for New Paltz Board of Education

In response to strong encouragement from broad sectors of the New Paltz Central School District community, Steve Greenfield is announcing that he will run in the May 20th, 2008 School Board election. Much of that support results from his recent efforts for preservation of the Middle School, and the overwhelming desire to strengthen the commitment of the board to full implementation. Others pointed towards the need to rectify the absence of representation for the interest of elementary-school children, the desire to move forward with healthy food initiatives, and the need for the board to take a more pro-active while Albany and Washington directives unfairly burden local property taxpayers to the point where expenses exceed means.
Greenfield explained the gaps in the incumbent School Board that he intends to fill. "Besides protecting the community's decision to preserve the historic Middle School, there are other key matters before the Board during the next term. Many of them are related to the sustainability of programming and control of tax levies during a time of dramatically rising fuel and employee health insurance costs; and others pertain to healthy, locally grown food and other aspects of environmental and economic responsibility. I would be a passionate advocate for progressive and sustainable solutions, and will promote an improved climate for public input into School Board decision-making on an ongoing basis -- the importance of which was demonstrated by the Middle School debate. It is also critical that parents of elementary school children have an advocate on the Board. With some board members having no children in our schools, and others having high-school aged children, and given that today's elementary school students will be the first group to feel the impact of the next term's decisions, this is a time when a stakeholder in those outcomes needs to be part of the decision-making process." Greenfield has 3 children who will attend elementary school over the next 8 years.

Former Deputy Mayor Rebecca Rotzler will be Greenfield's campaign manager. "I have come to know Steve as a dedicated community volunteer in many capacities, most significantly in his role as a firefighter, which was a result of recruiting his assistance in fundraising for our fire department. His dedication is reflected in his attention to his family, where his integrity and commitment to simply "doing the right thing" will benefit all of our children as a school board member."

Election Day for the New Paltz Central School district is May 20, 2008. For further information, contact Greenfield4OurKids@gmail.com, 532-0280.