Hewlett-Woodmere school budget up slightly, tax levy down

As the old Blood, Sweat & Tears song “Spinning Wheel” noted, “what goes up must come down,” the proposed 2022-2023 Hewlett-Woodmere School District budget has a slight increase of nearly $1.3 million, while the tax levy percentage which is at 1.95 percent for the current budget has declined to a tentative 1.02 percent.

“The Board felt the community had suffered through the pandemic in many different ways – and wanted to further reduce the tax levy as a means to be sensitive to the struggles the community has endured through Covid,” Assistant Superintendent of Business Marie Donnelly wrote in an email. The current budget is $129.36 million. The proposed budget is $130.58 million, a less than 1 percent uptick in spending.

The tax levy is the amount of money the school district collects through property tax. School districts were mandated by the state not to have a tax cap higher than 2 percent for the 2022-2023 budget year. The projected tax levy is $108,577,100.

As the district develops its new fiscal plan before the budget vote on May 17, it considers health insurance rates, funding sources, the tax cap calculation, budget and tax levy history, budget considerations and constraints and form several budget drafts over an eight-month budget development process.

As the majority of the district’s budget is funded through taxpayer dollars, Board of Education President Debra Sheinin said that transparency is important. “At any time, they [community members] should be able to review how the District funds are spent, as well as access reports that provide feedback on the performance of the District,” Sheinin wrote in an email. “In addition to the opportunity for public comments at the budget sessions, the Board also presents an opportunity for the public to comment on the budget at the Public Budget Forum, held in March prior to the Board’s adoption of the budget.”

The forum is on March 22 at 7 p.m. There are budget development meetings on March 9 and 17, at 6:30 and 7 p.m., and the board votes on adopting the budget on April 6 at 7:15 p.m. All the meetings take place at the Woodmere Education Center, 1 Johnson Place, in Woodmere.

“While costs continue to increase for the District, we are mindful of the fact that our community has suffered through the effects of the pandemic over the last 2 [-plus] years and try to minimize the impact our budget has on the community via the tax levy,” Marino stated in an email. “Each year, we strive to balance what we ask for from our community with continuation of the wonderful programs and opportunities we provide to our students.”

At Hewlett High School there are elective and college-level courses, team concept and exploratory subjects at Woodmere Middle School, expanded access to digital resources and devices, and a bevy of academic, art, athletic and music programs.