Gifford announces candidacy for Lewiston-Porter School Board

Lewiston Porter Sentinel, May 3, 2008

Bonnie Gifford, mother of three Lewiston-Porter students and owner and vice president of Heritage Health Care Group LLC, a local health care consulting business, announces her candidacy for the Lewiston-Porter Board of Education.

“As a single mother and small business owner, I am intimately aware of how difficult it is to make ends meet each month,” Gifford said. “Taxpayers are already overburdened in New York state, and our school board needs to work as a team to hold the line on taxes and creatively seek new revenue streams.

Gifford believes when you effectively manage finances, you will provide resources that are needed to develop and enhance educational programs.

Gifford is a graduate of Lewiston-Porter, and she served on the Starpoint School Board for five years before moving her family back to the Lewiston-Porter district. “Lewiston-Porter is an exceptional school district, and I wanted my boys to be educated here,” Gifford stated. “As a board member, I will ensure that every child receives a top-notch education while watching every penny on behalf of the taxpayers.”

Gifford has been going door to door, getting residents’ opinions about the school district. The overwhelming opinion of most residents is that they cannot absorb any more tax increases, particularly with the current economic conditions.

“With the ever-rising gas and grocery prices, residents have told me that they are maxed-out financially. People just do not have the money to absorb this across-the-board assault on their finances,” Gifford said. “I personally understand this strain, and I will do everything in my power to make sure I hold the line on taxes.”

Another priority, according to Gifford, is to improve communication with district employees. “Seventy-five percent of our budget is wages and benefits. Positive negotiations will ultimately save taxpayer money. Historically, when our school board has poor relations with our employees, there have been higher wage and benefit packages paid out,” said Gifford. “We need to partner with all district stakeholders and engage them in meaningful discussions to develop ways to save money. Everyone shares the responsibility in this challenge to keep costs down.”

Fostering good relations with parents is also of the utmost importance, according to Gifford. “When I served on the Starpoint board, parents knew that I was available to respond to their concerns. I will gladly take phone calls and address any concerns that may arise.”

As for the future of our district, Gifford says the board must act immediately to hire a superintendent. “We have not had an educational leader in three years, and we need one. Other administrators have done an admiral job in filling in the gaps while we have been without a superintendent, but someone has to be directing instruction and curriculum,” Gifford noted.