F.S. district stays under 2 percent tax cap

At the Franklin Square Union Free School District’s Board of Education meeting on April 3, board members approved a 2012-13 budget of $34.43 million — a 1.5 percent increase over the district’s current budget, $33.93 million.

Theresa Hennessy, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and management, said that 0.9 percent of the district’s budget-to-budget increase relates to retirement costs. According to the approved projected budget, she added, the district’s tax levy increase will stay at exactly 2 percent, below the district’s allowable cap of 2.11 percent. (The state-mandated, 2 percent cap is based on the majority of, but not all, budget items.)

The district's total tax levy for 2012-13 is $25.46 million, a 2 percent increase from the 2011-12 budget's $24.96 million levy.

Hennessy explained that while the district is able to include a greater tax levy increase for next year, it is concerned about voters’ understanding of the tax cap, and has the flexibility that many other districts don’t to keep its levy at a minimal increase. Under the budget plan, she said, the district will be able to preserve all existing programs and add enhancements to small group, differentiated instruction. It will also be able to continue its annual investments in facilities, transportation and technology maintenance, she said.

According to Hennessy, the district’s 2012-13 budget aligns with its long-term network-upgrade goal, which includes updating its server hardware and software. “Our current equipment is aging and inefficient,” she said. “This update will also provide increased security and emergency backup support.”

As part of its upgrade goal, the district’s projected budget includes funding for five additional interactive white boards for the district — part of the district’s White Board Initiative, which was implemented nearly five years ago, under the recommendation of the district’s Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee. Hennessy explained that the district has purchased Interactive White Boards in every budget over the past five years, in an attempt to have one board in each instructional space, and once five more boards are purchased next year, the initiative will be completed.