Josh Lafazan: Unprecedented

18 year old Josh Lafazan has always had high expectations for himself. However, nothing compares to his goal of becoming the youngest elected New York State official in history. 

Lafazan is campaigning to become a member of the Syosset School District’s Board of Education, a position that he says he is more than ready to handle at such a young age. “I bring a fresh perspective to things,” Lafazan said.  My personal experiences living in the district for the first 17 years of my life will add a fresh perspective to the board.

If elected, Lafazan plans to implement what he calls his 5 step plan. Inside of his 5 step plan, Lafazan talks about the need to institute a district supported recycling program which will generate enough funds in 3 years to purchase solar panels for the high school’s roof. “What I would like to do is establish an organized recycling program in all 10 of our schools,” Lafazan said. “This will not only teach our students the importance of giving back to protect the environment but it will promote healthy competition within our schools. Over a 3 year period the amount of money we will be able to receive from recycling these bottles we will be able to buy solar panels for the high school’s roof and save the district on its electric bill.”

Other suggestions Lafazan would like to discuss with the board if elected is to establish safer traffic control around the high school. Lafazan says there should be action taken to improve the traffic conflict around the high school. “We need to make sure we protect our students,” Lafazan said. “Too many accidents occur from students leaving Stillwell Fields parking lot.  We should lobby the Town of Oyster bay to at least put a stop sign there.” 

On Lafazan’s platform he suggests the school district change its policy to allow direct donations to improve the facilities around the school district. “If someone is nice enough to donate brand new basketball hoops for our schools than we should be grateful for the opportunity to improve out district without adding to the tax burden of current Syosset School District home owners.” 

In addition, Lafazan wants to establish an internet redirection program to help generate more revenue that will be directed exclusively to a student activity reserve fund and will once again cost the tax payer nothing. Lafazan also wants to find and eliminate the waste within the school budget.  “A line by line examination of the budget by people in their specific areas of expertise should identify opportunities to either save money, improve efficiencies, or create additional value added services for the district”  Lafazan said. “If none of these objectives can be realized then the community at large will learn that the board has made wonderful decisions and they will feel better about the budget and will then become less resistant to supporting a budget, since this new process will have create much more transparency than the current decision making process within the Syosset School Board.”

Throughout his campaign, Lafazan has criticized the contract given to Syosset superintendent Dr. Carole Hankin by the current board. While appearing on the Fox Business channel for an exclusive interview, http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/1619486568001/school-district-head-paid-540k-while-freezing-teachers-pay, Lafazan said “It is an issue of leadership. How can you as the leader of the school district ask the teachers to take a pay freeze for the second year in a row and then accept a raise?”

Joshua Lafazan has many other ideas to reduce expenses and raise revenue for the school district. 

He also has ideas to improve the educational curriculum to better prepare our graduates to compete in the working world after school.

Lafazan has been quoted as saying “My allegiance is to the tax payers of Syosset.” 

 The vote to elect the Syosset Board of Education will take play on May 15th.