Voters in every Western New York community outside of Buffalo will head to the voting booth next Tuesday (May 21) to consider school budgets, school board candidates and propositions.
The following capsules include the financial information voters can use to see how their money would be spent. All figures related to tax rates and tax bills are estimates, either provided by school officials, or calculated based on information they provided. The taxes on a $100,000 (market value) home do not include the STAR rebate.
North District
Jason McCarthy (i)
Jason McCarthy, 38, has worked as a restaurant and bar manager for nearly 10 years and is employed by Hutch’s restaurant. He also worked as a mortgage loan officer with HSBC from 2001 to 2005. He’s a product of Catholic schools and graduated from the University at Buffalo in 2000. He says he deserves to be re-elected to the board because he’s proven himself.
West District
James M. Sampson
James M.
Sampson, 65, is president and CEO of Gateway-Longview, an area provider of child services. He has also been a trustee and founding member of West Buffalo Charter School since 2009. He graduated from the University at Buffalo and earned his master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin. His grown children attended Wisconsin public schools. He is chairman of the bipartisan Buffalo control board and served on the transition teams of both former Republican County Executive Chris Collins and current Democratic County Executive Mark Poloncarz. Sampson emphasizes his problem-solving skills.
Central District
Mary Ruth Kapsiak (i)
Mary Ruth Kapsiak, 71, who has served two terms on the board, spent 26 years as a commercial representative for NYNEX Corp. before entering the workforce in education. She was a substitute teacher for six years, beginning in 1990. Later, she worked for two years each as a special-education and reading teacher before becoming an assistant principal and later supervisor of elementary education. Kapsiak earned a bachelor’s degree in speech communication from the University at Buffalo, a master’s degree in exceptional education from SUNY Buffalo State and a certificate in reading and school district administration from Canisius College. She says the district is headed in the right direction.
East District
Theresa Harris-Tigg
Theresa
Harris-Tigg is an assistant professor of English education at SUNY Buffalo State. The 58-year-old educator is a product of the Buffalo Public Schools and a graduate of Bennett High School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from D’Youville College, a master’s degree in education from Canisius College and a doctorate in education from the University at Buffalo. She has three children. Harris-Tigg thinks greater focus needs to be placed on the classroom.
Ferry District
Sharon Belton-Cottman (i)
Sharon
Belton-Cottman, 57, attended Buffalo Public Schools, graduating from East High School. She attended Canisius College and earned a bachelor’s degree from Medaille College. She works as a home mortgage consultant with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. She has two grown children. She wants the Buffalo school district to increase its graduation rate by changing the district’s approach to student discipline.
Park District
Carl P. Paladino
Carl P. Paladino, 66, is a developer and former gubernatorial candidate. The South Buffalo resident is chairman of Ellicott Development and has built or developed three local charter schools. He attended a public elementary school, then Bishop Timon High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University and a law degree from Syracuse University. He has four children. Paladino would like to see a new superintendent run the district.
Buffalo News articles | Candidates/profiles | Map of subdistricts
Date of election: Tuesday, May 7
The election: 13 candidates for 6 available openings
Term: 3 years
Note: This year's elections are solely by subdistrict; the three at-large spots on the nine-member board (5-year terms) come up for election in 2014
