By Nicole Falco
Year after year, the districts have cited mandated increases in health insurance and retirement fund costs and contractual salary increases as the major factors contributing to budget hikes, and this year is no different. Also common to each district are the costs of complying with unfunded state and federal mandates, such as the introduction of state English Language Arts and math tests in grades three, five, six and seven in addition to grades four and eight.
The districts' boards of education and administrators explained their proposed budgets and the impact they would have on taxpayers' wallets at hearings on May 4, 5 and 6.
Central High School District
The Central High School District is proposing an $81.9 million, or 7.8 percent, increase for next year.
In District 13, the average homeowner, whose house has an assessed value of $1,757, will see a $45 decrease in taxes. In District 24, the average homeowner, whose house is assessed at $1,595, will see an increase of $193, and in District 30, a homeowner, whose house is assessed at $1,605, will see taxes increase by $282.
Tax rates differ in the community's three elementary districts because each one is responsible for a different percentage of the high school tax levy. Because the county has once again changed the way it determines a home's assessed value - making it one half of 1 percent of a home's fair market value, down from 1 percent - the percentage each district is responsible for has changed. District 13's proportion dropped from 48 percent to 45.6 percent, while District 30's increased from 29 to 32 percent. District 24's proportion is basically unchanged.
The high school district has provided a tax rate, the cost per $100 of a home's assessed value, for each district so residents who do not represent the average can determine their approximate school tax bills next year (see sidebar). In District 13, the rate is $184.96 per $100; it's $131.61 in District 24 and $133.13 in District 30.
The proposal includes $280,000 - a $70,000 increase from the current budget - to purchase 80 laptops, which would be divided among the four schools. Approximately $185,000 more has been budgeted to fund capital improvements districtwide, including ceiling repairs, auditorium improvements at Central, upgrading North High's two-way communication system, painting and new stage curtains for South's cafetorium.
The district also hopes to strengthen its building- and district-level administrative teams and restore previously cut positions. It budgeted about $400,000 to do so. Plans include hiring a dean of discipline for each school, a social worker to split time between Central High and Memorial Junior High schools and a director of instruction, who would work closely with the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. The district also hopes to restore phys. ed. department heads at each school.
Plans for next year that will have little or no effect on the budget include ongoing textbook replacements in core subject areas, four new electives, Advanced Placement Italian, ethics, college strategies and forensics. Seventh-graders will spend more time in math class, and eighth-graders will spend more time on writing.
District 13
District 13 has proposed a $2.9 million, or 9.33 percent, budget increase. The estimated tax rate is $155.24 per $100 of a home's assessed value. The average homeowner will see his or her taxes increase by $175.17, based on an assessed value of $1,757. That increase, combined with the $45 decrease at the high school level, means that the average homeowner will see a combined $130 increase in taxes.
The budget calls for the addition of two media center aides to be shared among the four buildings, a part-time psychologist and two teachers - one due to increased enrollment and the other to teach an Applied Behavior Analysis class for autistic students. The ABA class will be a kindergarten class, and will be housed at the James A. Dever School. There will be six children in the class - five who live in the district and one who does not, but will pay tuition. Dr. Elizabeth Lison, superintendent of schools, has said she expects the program to actually save the district money, since it will not incur transportation and tuition costs for those children to attend a private program.
The district has also budgeted $40,000 more for textbooks, and plans to expand its Science 21 program to include kindergarten and third grade in addition to first and second grades, and its Read 180 program, which is designed to help struggling learners make accelerated progress.
Approximately $500,000 has been budgeted for capital improvements, including roof replacements districtwide, electrical system upgrades, phase I of parking lot renovations at the Howell Road School and a new phone system.
District 24
District 24's $22.1 million budget proposal reflects a $1.5 million, or 7.36 percent, increase. That translates into a tax rate of $161.77 per $100 of a home's assessed value. The average homeowner, whose home is assessed at $1,595, will see a $175 increase in elementary-school taxes. That increase is in addition to the $193 more proposed for the district at the high school level.
Besides mandated and contractual increases, the district has budgeted $52,000 for staff development through Nassau BOCES and $400,000 for capital improvements. Intended improvements include roof repair work at the William L. Buck and Robert W. Carbonaro schools. The district also budgeted $50,000 to automate its libraries.
District 30
The proposed budget for next year is $24.5 million, and reflects a $1.9 million, or 8.55 percent, increase.
The estimated tax rate for next year is $126.17 per $100 of assessed value. The average homeowner, whose house is assessed at $1,605, will see a $195 increase on his or her elementary tax bill in addition to a $282 increase at the high school level.
More than a quarter of the increase will go to pay down debt. In 1998 voters approved a bond to pay for the Clear Stream Avenue School expansion, and they approved a second bond in 2001 to implement improvements at the Forest Road and Shaw Avenue schools.
The district budgeted for a new teacher at Shaw due to increased enrollment, and $50,000 for new literacy materials for fifth- and sixth-graders, materials to supplement its math program to stay aligned with state standards and a new handwriting program for kindergarten through fourth grade. And $50,000 has been allocated to cover costs the district expects to incur to comply with a state-mandated building-condition survey.
Don't forget to vote:
The budget vote is Tuesday, and will take place at all 10 elementary schools as well as the Corona Avenue firehouse from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Districts 13 and 30; from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in District 24.
How to determine what you'll pay
Until 2003, the county based assessed value on 1938 construction costs, with 1964 land values added in. For the past two years, the county has set assessed value at 1 percent of a home's fair market value. A house worth $400,000 had an assessed value of $4,000.
This year, the county has again changed the way it will determine assessed value, making it one half of 1 percent of a home's fair market value. A house worth $400,000 has an assessed value of $2,000.
Here's how to figure what your school tax bill will be under the 2005-06 school budgets:
1) Multiply your home's fair market value by .005 to determine its assessed value. For instance, $400,000 X .005 = $2,000.
2) Divide that number by 100. $2,000/100 = 20.
3) Multiply that number by the tax rate provided by your school district, and that's roughly what you can expect to pay in school taxes. Remember, every household pays taxes to one of the community's three elementary districts as well as the Central High School District.
Anne Marie Allocca contributed to this story. Comments about it? NFalco@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
