Dick Hubert, a Rye Brook resident who has criticized the local school board on topics ranging from high taxes and inflated budgets to lack of diversity and multiculturalism, officially began his candidacy on Sunday with a "Meet & Greet" event to welcome supporters and garner a strong following for his campaign.

Close to 40 people attended the event, which was held at the Doral Greens home of supporter Marcia Teschner.

Hubert and his campaign manager, Sam Marcus, another long-time school board critic, handed out packets with details of Hubert's campaign platform, which calls for more diversity in the district's faculty and staff, more transparency, increasing reform and collaboration with other school districts, and sustainable cost structures and school budgets that are fiscally responsible and fair to taxpayers.

Hubert said that the Board of Education has the most impact on local taxpayers, so the best way for him to affect change is by becoming a member.

"The school board is really, long-term, the most influential and important local activity that you can go to because they're training our future leaders."

The Blind Brook School District, which serves 1,500 students, recently proposed a nearly $40 million budget that includes a 2.14 percent tax levy increase. Blind Brook taxpayers spend slightly more than $25,000 for each student in the district.

Hubert said that the district pays too much per student compared to neighboring districts with similar demographics, such as Greenwich, which currently spends about $16,000 per student. Hubert said that the current board does not take into account the tax burden for many members of the community.

"No one has represented the 50 percent plus of the public that pays for the schools, but doesn't use the schools," he said, referring to Rye Brook empty nesters, many of whom live on fixed incomes and are worried about higher taxes.

Hubert, a former journalist who has lived in Rye Brook since 1994, is running in a contested election against Sheri Zarkower, the school board's current vice president. If elected, Hubert will serve a three-year term.

He has attended nearly every school board meeting in the last six years, sometimes being rebuffed by members of the board who think  he has unfairly criticized not only them, but also parents and children in the district.

"I'm not sure that Mr. Hubert has shown an interest in those taxpayers who have children in the district, as well as the children [themselves]," Zarkower told Patch Sunday.

Zarkower said that one disparity between her and Hubert is that she has not lobbied unfair criticism at the district, claiming it is racist and close-minded toward the neighboring Village of Port Chester.

"Another key difference is the appreciation I have for the community and I'm deeply concerned about the constant derogatory comments made towards the community by Mr. Hubert," she said.

"How do you represent a community when you feel that way about the constituents?" she added.

Hubert said he isn't against the school district or the community, and that he has never called the district racist, only saying that it was segregated by class and race.

"I'm in favor of investing for our kids, but I'm not in favor of using the kids as an excuse to get 'what's yours' at the expense of the community," Hubert said. " I love the kids. I want the kids to have a sensational education, but I don't want the people who are involved with the kids' education to use them as an excuse to milk the taxpayers dry."

During Sunday's Meet & Greet event, some residents expressed concern about the tone Hubert would take during his campaign.

After Hubert's campaign manager, Sam Marcus, expressed his displeasure with teachers' high salaries and called many school boards "spineless and gutless" for not negotiating better contracts, Rye Brook resident Annie Birckel said that Hubert's campaign would only be successful if he and his supporters took a more friendly tone.

"I think the teachers can be a more powerful ally, rather than your enemy," Birckel said.

Moge Agahian, who unsuccessfully ran for a spot on the Rye Brook Village Board, also gave Hubert's campaign the same advice.

"In order to win, the message to the parents has to be that an unreasonably expensive school district doesn't necessarily equate to a great education," she said. "If you make this a win-win for the parents, that yes, your taxes can be lowered and your children can have a quality education, I think many people will listen to you."

Marcia Teschner, who hosted the event, said she fully supported Hubert's candidacy because he is advocating a point of view that needs to be heard.

"He's the only one that has the courage to stand up and help with our terrible tax situation," she said. "He's the one who has been going to meetings and reporting back [to us] and there's nobody there but him frequently."

Hubert said he is looking forward to the campaign and even if he wins a spot on the five-member school board, it'll be an uphill battle.

"Clearly, one out of five is going to be outvoted every time, but it's a voice that no one has heard before," he said.

The Blind Brook Board of Education will hold its election on May 18. Voters can cast their ballot at Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School.

But before then, they'll be able to hear all the candidates' platforms during a "Candidates Night" at Blind Brook High School on May 4.