BOE Candidate Spotlight: Jeff Vinci

Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of profiles of this year's Board of Education candidates. The election will be held May 15 at the same time as the school budget .

Jeff Vinci, a newcomer to running for elected office, is seeking a seat on the Sachem Board of Education.

The 41-year-old Holbrook resident is running for the seat currently held by Douglas Duncan. It's the only contested seat on the board this year and it's a three-way contest between Vinci, and .

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Q&A

1) Please briefly describe your bio (age, education, occupation and name of your employer/s, family, etc.)  

41, currently attending school to become a lawyer, self employed for 19 years. I'm married with three children and two step children who are ages 24, 22, 18, 2 and 1. We have one black boarder collie/black lab mix, two cats and a 55 gallon fresh water aquarium.

2) How long have you been a resident of the Sachem School District?

6 years

3) Why are you running for the Sachem Board of Education?  

Because I want to do what's right for our children and our community that pays for their education.

4) What do you hope to accomplish?

To rid our budget of greed and waste, to save our teachers' jobs and our children's programs.

5) What is the biggest issue the Sachem School District faces in the year ahead?

The school budget.... rising healthcare, pension costs and raises for our top administrators is challenging when most citizens don't want a tax increase.

6) The state's new tax cap: the district is proposing a budget over the cap this year. Do you agree with that decision? Explain why.

I disagree with the increase. I would ask top administrators to forfeit their raises like the teachers did. Most non-contracted workers got a raise too. Why? Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone gave back his raise and then some to set an example that should start from the top down, his salary: $187,000. The assistant superintendent is making $211,150 and then gets a raise, really??? I don't think it's fair to ask our children to give up programs so the superintendent can enjoy an extra $8,135 or the business administrator making $126,436 getting a $7,739 raise and all 16 clerical workers under the business administrator getting an extra $1,000 per year. So far on page 1 of the school budget I found $31,509 to be saved and there is another 24 pages left. If I am elected, I would work to eliminate these increases or write them out of the budget and eliminate their jobs and save $337,586. That's just two positions! Like I said, eliminate greed and waste. The top administrators are greedy and giving them a raise when they make more than any employee in the school district is a waste. Why is the board letting this happen?

7) What are three of your favorite hobbies?

Racing, boating and nature