Vote ‘yes’ on Malverne school budget

Last month, the Malverne school district announced the adoption of its 2016-17 budget, totaling just over $54.5 million. It includes a tax levy increase of $340,000, or less than a one percent increase, the smallest, percentage-wise, in 15 years, and well below state’s tax cap. This is something that many Nassau County schools can’t come close to boasting, and we highly recommend voting ‘yes’ on this budget.

The tax levy alone would generate almost 76 percent of the district’s proposed revenue next year, with the remainder coming from state aid (19 percent), the district’s fund balance (3 percent) and other district-generated revenue, such as interest payments and revenue from other school districts (2 percent). Total spending will increase only by 1.99 percent over the current budget.

The budget, and the spending of capital reserves, will be voted on in the form of two propositions. Proposition 1 will be the budget, and Proposition 2 will ask voters to approve a total of $1.6 million in expenditures of the capital reserve fund — which, district officials explained, will carry no additional cost for taxpayers.

They would include bathroom upgrades at Howard T. Herber Middle School; roof and window replacement, masonry repairs and bathroom upgrades at Davison Avenue School; basement ventilation and bathroom upgrades at Maurice W. Downing School; the purchase of a large school bus, and the replacement of a dump truck.

If the proposed budget is not approved by a simple majority, the district may resubmit it, or a revised spending plan, to voters on June 21, or adopt a contingent budget. We urge voters to give it their support.