Herald Endorsements

Vote ‘yes’ on RVC schools budget

Posted

The Herald enthusiastically endorses the proposed 2017-18 school district budget, and encourages voters to do the same on Tuesday.

The spending plan, totaling just over $112.7 million, is about $3.2 million larger than the current budget, and district officials managed to keep the tax levy increase under 0.75 percent. State aid for facility renovations, totaling about $1.7 million, was a big factor in the final budget numbers.

The district has always kept students’ best interests in mind while making sure they are learning at a high level. South Side High School underwent a three-year-long facelift that concluded last summer, adding a new library, science and art wings, a virtual reality lab and athletic facilities, and air-conditioning classrooms.

The district earmarked $20,000 for the Robotics program next year, which falls under the STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art and math — initiative. Robotics has already proved to be successful, with the middle school team making its second straight appearance at the VEX Robotics World Championships in Kentucky last month.

Voting will take place in the main gym at South Side High School from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The school budget is Proposition 1 on the ballot.


Approve library spending plan

Supporting the 2017-18 Rockville Centre Public Library budget is also an easy choice. Your tax dollars will not go to waste at this vital public institution. With an operating budget of just $3.5 million — most of which goes to staff salaries — the library board and staff have been innovative in expanding programming for patrons of all ages while continuing to support the library’s ever-widening stock of digital materials.

In addition, the board has been a conservative borrower, using grants and state aid to pay for capital-intensive projects such as large-scale repairs, while keeping the library’s debt at zero. And although the budget proposal includes the maximum allowable tax-levy increase, it will cost residents an average of only $5.73 more next year.

The library spending plan is Proposition 2 on Tuesday’s ballot.