Board of Education adopts East Meadow's school budget proposal

Let the tour begin.
   
Monday marked the first of a slew of budget presentations with PTA units and other community-related groups and organizations. Discussions are led by East Meadow School Superintendent Louis DeAngelo and Assistant Superintendent for Business Robert Gorman, among other administrators and staff members.
   
Their messages this year: budget-to-budget increase from the present  to next year is 1.71 percent, said to be lowest expense hike in decades; The proposed $178.1 million budget also keeps all programs intact and maintains all district jobs.

   
"There's no denying that this is attributable to how well the district has managed its money over the years," DeAngelo said.
   
The current $175.1 million budget was a 2.2 percent increase on 2008-2009. That figure was also believed to be a district record.
   
The East Meadow Board of Education unanimously adopted the school district's proposed budget on April 8. It is now up to the public to decide, as they hit the booths on May 18 to vote on the proposed budget and trustees for the Board of Education.   
   
Without an approved state budget, which was due on April 1, school districts like East Meadow are uncertain about the amount of aid that will be sent down from Albany. However, using figures from the governor's executive budget proposal and last year's numbers, school officials said they made "conservative" projections of state aid. The district estimates a 1.36 percent increase on the tax levy. Last year's was projected to be a 3.5 percent increase, but later rose to 3.7 because of the unexpected $300,000 MTA payroll tax imposed by the state. DeAngelo said the district anticipates a reimbursement of that fee in the next budget.
   
Members of the public can request a copy of the budget by the end of the month. They can also attend the formal presentation of it in May.
   
Read upcoming issues of the Herald and visit liherald.com/eastmeadow for continuing coverage of the upcoming school budget vote.