President Obama recently made news by detailing his support for extended school days and school years, intimating that he was considering using federal legislation to severely shorten or even eliminate summer vacations. Ignoring the Constitutional issues vis-a-vis the 10th Amendment, I would be curious as to how he intends to pay for such an extension.

Here in New York, the majority of school districts are funded through local property taxes, most of which are at the tipping point. (I am a teacher, but I am also a property owner and taxpayer, so I feel this pain as well). A 20 percent increase in the school year would necessitate a 20 percent increase in school budgets, not just for teacher compensation, but increased energy and transportation costs.

Where would this money come from? Does the federal government expect to pay for it along with two billion-dollar wars and billions that will go into whatever the new health plan becomes? Where will that come from — federal tax increases? If not, will this become yet another unfunded mandate left to burden localities and their taxpayers?

Steve Corso
Sayville