Fewer students, more spending

The Wantagh School District’s enrollment has shrunk by more than 820 students, or 22.5 percent, since the 2008-09 school year. Its proposed budgets, meanwhile, have gone up 21.65 percent — about $15 million — over that same time.

Despite a 2016 audit by the New York state comptroller’s office, admonishing the Wantagh Board or Education and district officials for chronically over-budgeting each year — causing homeowners to pay more in taxes — the school board plans to once again ask voters in May to approve a budget that raises the tax levy by 2.96 percent.

A group of concerned taxpayers in Wantagh wants to know why.

District officials say that the instructional staff has grown smaller, but health insurance and pension costs have risen. However, records show that since 2008-09, the number of teachers has decreased by just 4 percent — with six new teachers actually hired between 2014 and 2016.

District officials also said that new mandates and dramatically changed instructional needs over the years have added significantly to the budget. The officials met those challenges, they said, with a 2.2 percent average annual budget increase. New costs include Chromebooks for students, full-time kindergarten, STEAM and A.P. Capstone programs, and more psychological support services.

However, district records and interviews with Wantagh homeowners show that the school district continues to increase taxes, add teachers and new elective courses, and amass money in its reserve funds — while paying six-figure salaries to 72 percent of its staff — despite the sharp decline in enrollment.

“Wantagh taxpayers have perpetually been among the highest-taxed-per-capita towns in Nassau,” said Bob Nicolai, a ongtime Wantagh resident who has served on various school committees over the years. “It has been an ongoing battle with the Board of Education as to why we cannot reduce taxes.”

District officials said that to address long-term financial needs, they put in place a fiscal management policy and reserves plan.

About 84 teachers, or 30 percent of the teachers in the district, make salaries ranging from $100,048 to $145,568 a year. The top two earners are Wantagh high school phys. ed. teachers and coaches. Of 280 total staff in 2017-18, 204 made more than $100,0000.

“The average Wantagh teacher makes about 25 percent more per working day than the average Wantagh household of 3.2 people,” said Bob Hasteadt, adding that “Regents scores today are on the same level as they were in 2008-09, in spite of significant expenditure increases.”

“About 75 percent of the budget goes to pay for high salaries, benefits and pension contributions,” said Jude Netto, a retired 35-year Wantagh resident. “So, to meet the tax cap, the district diverts money from the needs of the classroom, plant, equipment and infrastructure. As a result, in May, the Wantagh school board will ask voters to consider a $7.5 million capital reserve fund, to meet these neglected tasks.”

According to the district, it will be funded by unanticipated revenues, fund balance, cost savings and efficiencies over a 10-year period. Funds in the capital reserve can only be used for specific voter-authorized capital improvement projects.

According to Netto, “Given the ingrained practice of overbudgeting, it is difficult for voters to confirm whether these ‘efficiencies’ are real or a result of deliberate overtaxation.”

“Besides, Wantagh just spent $5 million from a prior capital reserve 2 years ago,” he continued. “The current budget also has a capital reserve line for $600,000. Since this number is baked into the budget, it will be available every year (forever) for capital improvements. So, it’s questionable whether we need the additional $7.5 million reserve.”

Wantagh cited for chronic overbudgeting

Mitch Zerner said that by overbudgeting each of the past 10 years, Wantagh’s school district’s year-end fund balance grew from $5 million to $16 million at its peak. Each year the district uses left-over funds from the previous year, and is therefore required to plan for an operating deficit.

“Instead they add a sizable cushion, and this spread could be up to $5 million,” said Bill Russack, a former school board member. “With approximately 6,000 households, families could be paying about $833 more than needed.” The New York state comptroller’s office cited Wantagh for this very practice.

The group of concerned people is also worried about a more serious problem on the horizon, the pensions that those with high salaries will earn. Teachers and administrators earning $125,000 or more at retirement can receive taxpayer-funded pensions of $100,000 a year or more, free from New York state income tax and with medical benefits.

According to the 2019 adopted state budget, Wantagh schools can expect a state aid increase of 1.16 percent, or $176,312 more than the current school year — not counting building aid. According to the budget proposal for 2018-19, the district administration expected a $200,000 state aid decrease. If the state aid were passed on to taxpayers, the projected tax levy could be reduced from 2.96 to 2.49 percent.