Cuts likely to Valley Stream high school budget

Many Long Island districts may have to severely curb spending next year including the Valley Stream Central High School District. Officials released a proposed budget on Feb. 1 that calls for some drastic cuts to programs.

The move comes on the heels of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement of his first proposed state budget, which calls for a 7.3 percent reduction in education aid next year.

Cuomo’s proposal would give the high school district $15.36 million in state aid next year, a reduction of more than $2 million. District officials have a strategic budget approach, which is to make sure any reductions do not harm the core instructional program.

“We have started to look at other things with a philosophy that if we are going to make reductions and there is going to be pain, it should be spread out,” interim Superintendent Dr. Richard Marsh said. “It should not be to one area of the budget, but to all areas.”

With reduced federal aid, a proposed tax cap and the county’s move to shift the burden of tax certiorari refunds to the districts, tough decisions have to be made, Marsh noted.

The budget proposal details significant changes in the district’s revenue and spending for next year. Wayne Loper, assistant superintendent for business, said the district is trying to balance both sides of the budget so that money taken in is equal to what is spent. “You have to take in a dollar before you expend a dollar,” he said.

District officials are actually projecting $16.2 million in aid for next year, which includes about $1 million in federal jobs money received in October that hasn’t been spent, Loper said. The aid makes up about 15 percent of the budget.

Local revenue, which makes up 7 percent, includes the district’s fund balance. Recently, Loper informed the board that the district was expecting to have about a $3 million surplus from this year. Coupled with funds already in reserve, the district plans to use $5.4 million in fund balance for next year. “This is good for the tax levy and keeps it stable,” Loper said.

Also, the board could use $500,000 from the worker’s compensation reserve. The tax levy makes up the remaining 78 percent of the budget’s funds.