Carmel Central School District candidates debate budget, teacher pay and policies at League forum

Five candidates competing for two seats on the Carmel Central School District board faced questions from a League of Women Voters moderator on topics ranging from the district budget and teacher pay to special education and athletics.

Superintendent Michael Plotkin opened the forum and reminded voters that "on May 19, when you cast your vote... we also have a wonderful historic school budget on the ballot with a negative tenth of a percent tax decrease the first time in Carmel history." Candidates repeatedly framed the election in light of that budget and broader questions of transparency and governance.

Candidates gave opening remarks and then answered a sequence of community-submitted questions. On the board's role versus the superintendent's, most said the board should set policy, hire and evaluate the superintendent and provide fiscal oversight while avoiding micromanagement. Moderator and several candidates stressed increased transparency, including recording and livestreaming committee meetings.

Teacher compensation emerged as a point of contention. Candidate Elizabeth Alvarez said "their teachers are being gypped" and argued for restructuring to pay classroom staff more. Candidate Jim Wise highlighted the district's pay scale, saying Carmel is "the second highest salary district in the state," and urged balancing teacher pay with fairness to other employees. Another candidate cautioned that existing salary commitments take up a large share of the budget.

On student safety and policy, speakers returned repeatedly to a recently debated fraternization policy. Several candidates said the board mishandled the policy process and that student protection should not be delayed by procedural perfection; one candidate said the board's handling left him "embarrassed" and urged more timely action to protect students.

Special education questions emphasized legal obligations under IDEA. Candidates said IEPs must be implemented with measurable goals, data collection and better communication with families; speakers urged educating staff across the district to recognize needs and called the special-education PTO a resource for parent feedback.

Community concerns about athletics also surfaced. Candidates pledged clearer communication, earlier decisions around coaching and camps, and working with the superintendent and interim athletic director to reduce uncertainty for teams and families.

The forum also covered statewide policy: when asked whether New York should compel districts to buy electric school buses, most candidates said they supported electric vehicles in principle but criticized the mandate as an "unfunded mandate." One candidate summarized the concern as electric buses being "wonderful as an idea and terrible as an unfunded mandate," citing the extra infrastructure and upfront cost challenges the district would face.

The panel closed with 90-second statements urging voter turnout. The moderator and multiple candidates reminded residents to vote in the May 19 referendum and school board election.