Candidate Profile: Thomas G. Smith For Avon Lake School Board

Name: Thomas G. Smith, M.D.
Date of Birth: 06/13/47
Occupation: Pediatrician/ retired
Education: Bachelor of Science from Akron University, Doctorate of Medicine from OSU
Family: Wife: Judy, sons: Tom (28), Tim (25) and Tyler (18). All have attended Avon Lake City Schools
Years residing in Avon Lake: 14 yrs
Political Affiliation: Republican
Office Sought: Avon Lake School Board
Previous Political Office Sought or Held: None
Email: tjtttsmith@centurytel.net

Candidate statement:

Being a pediatrician I am running on three health issues for children. First, children are not getting enough exercise. For a grade schooler daily recess does not cost anything. For , increase the amount of gym required from two to four semesters. Give gym credit for organized sports. Since the athletes are not in gym, this creates space and a better environment for non athletes to get appropriate exercise without increasing cost or the need for additional personnel or facilities. Second, children’s diet leave much to be desired. The school needs to educate children and their parents on proper diet and then feed it to them in the school cafeteria. Third, teenagers are sleep deprived. Yet the high school starts early bird classes at 6:45 a.m. Many schools are starting high school later instead of earlier.

By getting the students to exercise more, have better nutrition, and get enough rest, this will increase school performance and decrease behavior problems at home and in school. Hopefully, this will promote a healthy life style for the rest of the students’ lives.

Everyone, running for school board is talking about the difficult economic environment, need to control costs, the economic challenge, etc. No one has told the voters how bad it is, or their solutions. Avon Lake spent $2 million more than they took in last year, three million this year, and the projection is $5 million, $7.8 million and $10 million in the following years. With a $35 million budget you can see we cannot increase taxes enough to cover these deficits. Therefore, cuts will have to be made. Since the major costs of running the schools is salaries and benefits, the cuts will need to be made in salaries and benefits. For teachers I propose a cap of $90,000 a year for salaries and benefits.