By Jay Goonetilleke

My name is Jay Goonetilleke; I am a former recipient of the GI bill and am currently working as a financial analyst. I am married and a father of three daughters. My eldest daughter graduated from WMAHS with honors and today is a scholarship recipient to an elite private school and an Air Force ROTC cadet in an Ivy League school. My other daughter is a first grader at Clara Barton Elementary School. I consistently preach to my children about the value of an education. I want parents in our community to engage in their children's future and education as well. If we all work together as a community, we can encourage positive attitudes and reinforce them by making our district # 1 in Western Pennsylvania.

My goal is to run for the West Mifflin Area School Board Director as a Conservative Republican candidate. I want to create fresh ideas and positive solutions. I have always been concerned about the quality of education. I believe there are solutions available that will enhance our test scores in reading, writing, math, science, and English skills. Our children's education and future abilities to compete in this commonwealth and in the entire country is crucial. Therefore, I am advocating a new business model for the future called "Smart School District Initiatives."

Our district's educational achievement is unacceptable when one compares our test scores to other schools in Allegheny County and along with the state level. For the amount of taxpayer's money being spent, the performance is unacceptable. There is an education "crisis" in West Mifflin.

Other important issues include property taxes, which should NOT be raised to cover the overriding cost of the new middle school. I have reviewed our $45 million dollar school budgets from the past two years and am amazed by how many expenditures items are on the budget, including the lack of grants. We need to apply for every grant that is available to us.. Expenditures cannot exceed our Revenues. We need to consolidate services with the Municipality to reduce the cost. We need to balance the budget every year.

I advocate creating a new business model in West Mifflin; Education accountability, fiscal responsibility, merit based hiring, and reforms that are imperative. We as a community need to fight for what is right for our tax payers. Let's work as a team to fight against nepotism, favoritism, and corrupt politics in our community. Together we can build a great school system in West Mifflin and have the best place to live and raise children in Allegheny County

On May 17 at the Primary, I am asking for your support. My name will appear on both the Republican and Democratic Ballots. Just as I preach the importance of education to my children, I want this to be the same with all of the children in West Mifflin. I want the children in our community to be able to attend higher institutions and succeed. For the sake of our future generation, please support me. I pledge to you that if I am elected, you will have a friend and advocate on this school board.

God Bless,

Jay Goonetilleke, MBA/Finance

Smart School District Initiatives + Business Model

• Make Pre-K education available for all children
• I want to mandate that a majority of students be proficient in English/Reading/Writing/Science and Math from K-12 by 2013
• Early Childhood Education/Special Education/Honors/Gifted and Talented Programs
• Summer school & After school Tutoring Programs Reforms
• Professionalism standard to district
• School Superintendent must hold a PH.D + High Character-High standard of moral values
• Each Principal must have Principal Certification or should be encouraged to purse PhDs.
• Reduce 4% of administration jobs and overtime - this will save money for Tax Payers
• Volunteerism for senior citizens in exchange for property tax relief

• Professionalism standard to district
• School Superintendent must hold a PH.D + High Character-High standard of moral values
• Each Principal must have Principal Certification or should be encouraged to purse PhDs.
• Reduce 4% of administration jobs and overtime - this will save money for Tax Payers
• Volunteerism for senior citizens in exchange for property tax relief

• I will take steps to restore discipline to our budget
• Start a "Capital Campaign" to pay off the new middle school debt
• Encourage semi-annual property tax collection rather than annually in term of 2/ 30 semi-annually.
• Contractors doing business with district "Change order" should not exceed more than 4% and must be bonded
• School Board Attorney salary not to exceed more than $120,000
• Reduce personal wage tax to 0.4% (currently 0.5%)
• No tax payer funded "Bonus" to Administrators- this needs to STOP

• "Professional Development" which helps teachers become specialists in their subject by helping them get advanced degrees
• Unqualified administers with lifetime job security/free healthcare is a burden to West Mifflin Taxpayers
• Stop giving family members lifetime jobs in this district

It is Time for New Leadership and together we can build a great school system in West Mifflin.

All Portions of the business model outlined above are subject to copyright.2011@