Ponns Cohen: 'My Obligation to Correct the Record'

Here we go again!

Mr. Schulte is misrepresenting my positions seemingly by political design. By his own admission, he relies on his “recollection” of statements I am alleged to have made at an RTM meeting in May 2011 regarding an RTM motion to reduce the BOE budget by $1 million for excess administrators. He claims I “advocated for a cut” at this meeting. He further claims that, at a recent BOE forum, I “denied” making such statement. Not so on both counts. 

Here are the facts. At the RTM meeting BOE Chairman Steve Anderson alleged that the BOE had first heard of a proposed $1 million cut to its budget that evening. My short comment was to correct the public record: the BOE had been notified by email about this potential RTM $1 million cut a week before. I stated: "The BOE was aware that this proposal was coming down the pike.”

Given the prior North Mianus funding problems, I thought it was especially important to correct any possible misrepresentations before the RTM. Since I was aware of the misrepresentation, as a public servant charged with protecting the credibility of the institution, it was my obligation to correct the record.

Marianna Ponns Cohen