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Mostly Cloudy Island Park School District unveils new budget
Proposal includes tax levy increase of 2.9 %; budget increase of $1.2 million
The Island Park School District began its 2010-11 budget process on March 22, unveiling a $32.4 million budget, a 3.9 percent increase, as well as a 2.9 percent increase in the tax levy.
There are two important numbers when discussing school taxes: the tax rate and the tax levy. The tax levy is the amount of money the school district needs to raise through taxes, and the tax rate is the number determined by the county that residents will pay. While raising the tax levy will in turn raise the tax rate, it is the county that technically raises the taxes people pay each year based on home assessements.
The Island Park School District’s 2010-11 spending plan, a nearly $1.2 million increase over the current plan of $31.2 million, has, according to district Superintendent Dr. Rosmarie Bovino, $1,151,420 in new expenses.
“It can’t get any worse than what I’m going to show you tonight,” Bovino told the small group of taxpayers that attended the meeting. This is a worst-case scenario.”
Included in the budget is a 17 percent state-mandated increase to both the Teacher and Employee Retirement System, an increase of over $187,000 that the district has no control over.
“I think [the budget] presents unique challenges because of the reductions in state aid and all of the rising mandated costs,” said Bovino.
Bovino did stress to those in attendance that the numbers presented in the budget were not final. The district is still waiting to see just how much state aid it is receiving. It budgeted for a minimal amount, and the amount of aid the district is receiving could still increase.
Transportation costs are also going up in the proposed budget. Bovino attributed a cost increase of 18 percent to needing to bus more students to Long Beach High School (because more students are choosing to attend the school) and also needing to replace two aging buses that are well past their prime. However, to save money, Bovino suggested the district lease the new buses instead of purchasing them.
