Letters to Editor, May 1, 2026

The ‘warmth of Pound Ridge’

To the Editor:

Once everyone got over the hump of “it’s so cold and rainy, maybe we should’ve cancelled,” Eco Afternoon, put on by the Pound Ridge Partnership and headed up by Nicole Shaffer and Sarah Douglis, was all systems go. Participants did their job conveying their eco-messages to attendees, weathering the situation with purpose and a good attitude. Volunteers included high school students and scouts who helped make the day run smoothly.

After volunteering at the event, I picked up a sandwich at BreadsNBakes where owner Dawn Bowman told me that a customer had come in, telling her that she was looking for a house in Pound Ridge and wanted to know more about the town. Dawn said she had paused for a moment and then said, “Where do I start?” proceeding to tell her about the cross section of folks and the unique small community that she loves so much.

When I got home, even though I needed a long, hot shower after being chilled to the bone, I was still feeling the warmth that was shared between everyone who did their best. Dawn had it right.

Ellen Best Pound Ridge

Why I support Cait Conley in CD-17

To the Editor:

Cait Conley deserves the N.Y. CD-17 Democratic nomination for any number of excellent reasons: her being a child of the Hudson Valley; her exemplary service to the U.S. over 16 years in the Army with decorations, including three Bronze Stars, to show for it; her leadership in critical roles relative to national security in the Biden White House; her extraordinary poise and intelligence; and her progressive policies in everything from putting guardrails on AI and crypto, to bringing ICE to heel to banning members of Congress from trading stocks.

Among her most important policy goals is to return the United States to leadership in renewable energy development and environmental protection, and to put the Hudson Valley in the driver’s seat in training our people for clean tech and deploying the state of the art here. I know how essential these goals are because I’ve spent my entire adult life engaged in these issues, as an activist, government official, professor, and writer.

I would like to highlight a key aspect of Cait’s background and policy in this regard. She has made it clear that the climate crisis is a national security crisis. She is uniquely positioned to understand this because she spent two years in the Biden White House at the heart of efforts to safeguard the security and resilience of our nation’s critical infrastructure — from water supply to energy. She knows, in detail, how the climate crisis impacts the Hudson Valley and beyond. She outlines her thoughtful and necessary policies at her campaign website: See “Rebuilding for Resilience: Infrastructure That Works for the Hudson Valley.” 

Of course, we need the strongest possible candidate in November to beat Lawler and to begin to roll back the depredations that the Trump administration and the Republicans in Congress have visited on our nation. I am firmly convinced that Cait Conley is that person.

Bill Hewitt Pound Ridge

Raising questions about Prop. 3

To the Editor:

I am a KLSD resident concerned about how the district approaches spending and long-term planning. We have seen a pattern of moving quickly on major decisions without fully considering risk or timing. The EV bus rollout is a clear example, where known cold weather and charging limitations have resulted in vehicles being unreliable and not utilized. That decision had real costs and consequences. 

Why do we rush to act when we hear the word mandate instead of taking time to evaluate and present options? Other districts waited and assessed. Why didn’t we? 

Now we are being asked to support a $25 million universally pre-K project tied to a building that was allowed to fall into disrepair. Lewisboro Elementary School was built as a neighborhood school, where children could walk and buses supplemented transportation. This proposed UPK/community center is a significant shift, with no buses planned, a capacity of up to 180 students, and additional use by outside organizations. These changes will affect daily traffic and parking, yet no traffic study has been conducted in advance. 

That raises serious concerns. Conducting a traffic study after approval is backwards and undermines informed decision making. Where is the comprehensive planning?

What alternatives were considered? We are told adding space in existing schools would require major construction, yet other districts have successfully reconfigured existing space for UPK. So which is it — can’t we, or won’t we? And if this option is truly not viable, where is the clear, detailed cost analysis to prove it? There are also concerns about transparency. Key details have changed multiple times. Messaging appears tailored to different groups, making this feel more like a sales pitch than a consistent and transparent process. I am not opposed to investing in our schools. But I expect thoughtful planning, clear communication, and transparency.

Kristen Carroll South Salem

A high-schooler's position on Prop. 3

To the Editor:

My name is Hudson Lutz, and I am a junior at John Jay High School. I want to share my thoughts on Proposition 3.

I understand why this proposition raises questions about cost and whether this is the best long-term approach. Preschool currently costs $12,000 to $16,000 a year, out of reach for many. The tax impact for LES construction is $18/month for a $1 million home, or $9/month for a $500,000 market value home. This is far less than $16,000/year for preschool. I understand that any tax increases are a concern for families, and I recognize the burden it may bring. But that burden is incomparable to the strain on families of paying $16,000/year for preschool. 

Education is a right, not a privilege. Therefore, early education must be accessible to all. Moving fifth graders to John Jay Middle School is not realistic. I can tell you from firsthand experience that there simply isn’t enough room for 200 more students. The hallways are packed, and this is an unrealistic way to approach universal pre-K. Furthermore, our fifth graders need to be in elementary school; we are not ready at that age to jump to middle school. Moreover, the “do-nothing” LES cost is $7.5 million. Our other schools lack space for 200 preschoolers and would need construction. Preschool classrooms require 900 square feet and must have an attached bathroom. None of our current buildings has that infrastructure. The state is expected to fund universal pre-K, providing $10,000 per student. We already pay those taxes and deserve that funding to come to the Katonal-Lewisboro School District.

Please base your decision on facts, not on speculations circulating. Vote “YES” on Proposition 3. Support our families, and invest in our future. Every year we wait, families face unreasonable costs, and our children miss out. Let’s continue uplifting our community, not restricting.

Hudson Lutz Katonah