By Anne Marie Allocca
A 9.9 percent or $2.9 million budget-to-budget increase is being proposed in District 13 for next year. The proposed budget calls for an average tax increase of $277 for homeowners. That is based on a tax rate increase of $9.23 per $100 of assessed value.
The budget has been adopted by the Board of Education in that district, and on May 18 voters will be asked to offer their approval Dr. Elizabeth Lison, superintendent of schools in District 13, and Meredith Brosnan, assistant superintendent for business, spoke to the Herald about the changes in store for residents. The proposed budget is $31,652,172, a 9.9% increase or $2,850,551 over the present year-s budget. Most of the increase is attributed to mandated costs, including increases in money the district must contribute to the teacher-s retirement system and in the employee retirement system , which rose $1,141,000.
In order for us to absorb that kind of increase it meant an immediate significant increase in the budget unless we cut 15 teachers, Lison said.
There are also increases for contractual obligations. It was important to Dr. Lison to make sure her four schools, Wheeler Avenue, Willow Road, James A. Dever and Howell Road, maintain the excellent educational programs they now have. To that end, she proposed a change in the technology area, costing roughly $400,000.
This budget does include part of the next phase of our technology program, which is creating a wide area network, a WAN, connectivity between the four schools, Lison said. Even just looking at data from one school to another, our custodian has to bring over the sheets from one school to another. This will allow us the capability of sharing through an internal network.
Also, $200,000 is budgeted for capital improvements that could not be postponed any longer Lison said. The roof over the auditorium at Dever, as well as its main entrance doors need replacement. There is also an ongoing payment spread over 15 years for a districtwide lighting improvement project approved a few years back.
There will be some minor adjustments to help offset the budget from increasing even higher. Previously the district paid for a security guard during night events held at the schools by outside groups, not counting PTA events. Now the groups will be charged for security. The fee for the summer recreation program will now be $75 for the five-week period, up $20 from last year. Since all residents have access to the public libraries there will be no need to hire a librarian or media aide for the computer labs, which were kept open for local residents during the summer.
Our summer rec program and ELA (English language arts program) for fourth graders will be able to use the library with their adults, but it will not be open for the public, noted Lison.
To help offset transportation costs on school trips Lison plans to bring in field experiences and programs that will cut down on busing. We-ll try to use our monies that way instead of sending kids out where you have to pay for a bus, she said.
This is Lison-s first year as superintendent and she said she hopes district residents approve the budget. We just had an interschool PTA meeting, she began. While they feel the pain of what it is like to live here now and the tax burden, they are incredibly supportive. They do a fabulous job of going out to the public and explaining the beauty of our program and why it really pays to live here. I would say the community members here are very proud of their schools.
In addition to the budget vote, the Board of Education will put up a transportation referendum for the community to vote on regarding a change in the mileage limits for busing students. Presently, students in kindergarten through third-grade are bused if they live more than half a mile from their schools, while students in grades four through six are bused if they reside more than a mile from schools.
This referendum proposes a one mile limit for all students. The other two Valley Stream districts have a two mile limit, explained Lison. We really feel we cut everything we possibly could from this budget to bring it in under ten percent. The board was thinking, Ôwe can-t cut anymore so let-s hear from the taxpayers. One thing that won-t affect programs is a transportation referendum so let-s let them decide.-
Lison concluded, This budget does continue the integrity of our educational program without hurting our children. It really is a budget we are proud of and is reflective of our beliefs and keeps our programs intact. We look forward to continuing to meet our students- needs and have the parent support we have, and the community support we have.
