Speak Out On Scarsdale10583

In the past few months I have heard from many of you who wish to publish Letters to the Editor and opinions on Scarsdale10583.com. However a Scarsdale Inquirer policy forces you to choose between the site and the paper.

According to site users, the Scarsdale Inquirer will not print a letter in the paper if it is also published on Scarsdale10583. This has prevented many of you from sharing your views on Scarsdale10583. Since the website facilitates user comments, this policy inhibits community discussion of important matters. Furthermore, as all members of the community do not receive the newspaper, the Inquirer policy precludes you from reaching a wide audience of Scarsdale and Edgemont residents who regularly access the site, but may not read the paper.

The site is now almost a year-and-a-half old and is growing every month. It includes a wide range of voices and opinions and seeks to air what’s on your mind and to give you the opportunity to comment and offer feedback.

On a personal note, since I have lived here for twenty years and served on many school and village committees I understand Scarsdale’s issues and I am sensitive to residents’ concerns. I was elected to the School Board Nominating Committee and served on the committee for three years and as its Vice Chair for an additional year. I was also elected to the Citizen’s Nominating Committee and served for three years in the selection of candidates for village trustee. As a member of the Board of the League of Women Voters I led the budget study of the school budget and the village budget for several years and I call on my experiences when producing site content. It was inevitable that the internet would come to Scarsdale, and I believe it serves the Village to have a local resident with local sensibilities manage a Scarsdale site. At this point, Scarsdale10583 has become a part of the fabric of the community and has every right to exist.

If you have an opinion that you would like to publish, I urge you to send it to Scarsdale10583 and pushback against the newspaper’s policy. Speak out on taxes, the upcoming election or whatever else is on your mind. After all, for you and the community, the more people who read and react to your views the better.

Regards,
Joanne Wallenstein
Founder
Scarsdale10583.com