Mineola Alumnus Speaks Out on Budget Issues

It has become less common to find people that still reside in Mineola who went through the schools as a child.

Longtime Mineola resident Manny Grilo says he is not ashamed to voice his opinion, especially during a time when he feels the community is not being heard.

Grilo who is a father to eight, grandfather to 20 and great-grandfather to 11, has lived the majority of his life here in Mineola. He attended grade school at , going through the “old” , eighth grade at the and even went to the as a freshman.

“Back when the town debated on whether or not to add onto Willis Avenue School, I was dead set against it,” Grilo said. “There was room in the other schools but they built it against everyone’s consent and now look what is going on.”

The Vietnam veteran says it is about taxpayer’s money that keeps getting higher and the school programs and facilities that keep getting cut.

“In 1967, my graduating class had 426 kids,” Grilo remarked. “Tell me what’s wrong in this picture if only 216 students graduated in last year’s class?”

The major problem Grilo sees is if administrations are planning to close down schools and make teacher cuts why is there the same number of superintendents?

“It’s about management – they aren’t cutting where they’re supposed to,” Grilo said. “If there are 15-18 kids in a class, where is the money going to? There’s something wrong if schools are being closed and the people on the upper end are still getting paid.”

Grilo pointed out that while teachers and other staff are being cut, the superintendent and his assistants are staying afloat.

“Teachers make a lot of money but ,” he said.

When asked to make a prediction about the possible outcome of this year’s school budget vote, Grilo said that based on past results the budget will probably pass because a lot of people that should vote simply will not.

While very few people are moving out of Mineola due to the tax increase, Grilo said he has considered relocating somewhere more affordable.

“Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) is a lot like Mineola in many ways and it’s certainly more affordable,” he said. “I can get a house there for a fraction of the price (here).”