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The 54-year-old has lived in the district for nine years and has a boy who will be entering PVC (middle school), and a girl in CET (elementary).
Aspinwall has a BA from Amherst College and an MM from the Manhattan School of Music. He is the owner of WP Tax Associates and was formerly an Independent floor trader at the NY Mercantile Exchange and NY Board of Trade.
Why did you choose to run for the board of education this year?
There are many issues which will confront the district in the next few years: rising pension costs, teacher contract negotiations, incorporating the Common Core and standardized testing, just to name a few. I believe we need to take a firm stand on cost increases, while insuring that all the children in the district get the education that’s best suited to their talents and abilities. I think I have the open-mindedness and analytical skills to make a contribution, and I would like the chance to do so.
What issues in particular would you like see addressed?
I would like to see the pension system reformed. We need to move towards a defined contribution model. As it is now, taxpayers are on the hook if the pension fund does not earn an 8.8% return, and I think this is unfair. (Although we must keep the promises we’ve already made to those in the system). In addition, I would like to see education individualized across all levels, so that all students get the education which is appropriate to them. Our excellent teachers are already making strides in this direction.
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