East Rockaway school district drafts budget

The East Rockaway School District drafted a budget that maintains all programs for the 2016-17 school year, and the Board of Education approved two propositions for use of capital reserves at its March 22 meeting.

“We do not anticipate any cuts, that’s why we’re so hopeful on the restoration of the GEA which represents $111,000 [for our district],” said James Robinson, the assistant superintendent for business.

The proposed budget, which would be finalized on April 19, is roughly $38 million; with a tax levy increase of .27 percent, or $78,000. Robinson said that although the budget is still a moving target, the proposed tax levy is considerably less than the current year’s $484,000 raised from taxes. “On a per-house basis, it’s really not going to be much of an impact at all,” Robinson said of next year’s tax levy.

The district is hosting a budget advisory meeting on April 12 to discuss the final stages of the process before board members adopt the budget proposal.

Robinson cited the Affordable Care Act as one of the factors for the increase, which has a six-figure impact on the district’s proposed budget. He said the budget also factors in the addition of an academic intervention services (AIS) Math teacher and a guidance teaching assistant.