By Liz McBreen
The following day, the Legislature again challenged one of Pataki's decisions, replacing his state aid plan with a new model. Under the new proposed plan, the state would return millions of dollars in state aid to New York schools. With their action, Senators hope to keep school and property taxes down.
Senate Majority leader Joseph Bruno feels that delaying the budget vote will buy school districts some much-needed time to perfect their numbers. The Legislature will have more time to approve the school aid portion of the 2003-04 state budget, providing districts with more precise information on how much school aid they can expect from the state next year.
The decision to move the vote to June 3 is considered unnecessary and perhaps even detrimental by some school officials. Dr. Carol Eisenberg of the West Hempstead School District said that the delay will not help the budget. "It is kind of disconcerting," she said. "We have a published calendar to go by. Luckily we will be able work everything out, but it will have major implications for some districts. We will have to rearrange our schedule, and I do not think that it will have any effect on the outcome of the vote." She added that if the Legislature's proposed budget goes through, it will help the tax levy for the district. Dr. George Goldstein of the Sewanhaka District agreed. "I do not feel it was necessary," he said. "We just wanted our state aid returned, and now we have it." Both fear that the delay may cause confusion and inconvenience among voters.
The state aid that the Legislature is proposing to return to the districts is substantial for most districts, but the budget still has to make it past the governor.
Under the Legislature's budget, Franklin Square's aid would drop 2 percent, compared with Pataki's drop of 11.8 pecent. This would mean almost $600,000 more for the district. Elmont, a district that relies heavily on aid, was trimming its budget in preparation for a decrease of 12 percent, more than $1.6 million. The new plan calls for a 4.4 percent drop, which would restore $1.13 million to school coffers.
Under the new plan, the West Hempstead district stands to lose only 7 percent from last year, as opposed to 14 percent in Pataki's proposal. The Sewanhaka High School District, facing a loss of almost $2 million in Pataki's budget, would only lose 1.4 percent in the new plan, a restoration of $1.6 million.
The new plan would also affect homeowners with high incomes. The top tax rate for homeowners would jump to 7.5 percent, up from 6.85 percent, in households with an income over $150,000. For the following two years, the rate would gradually drop, returning to 6.85 percent in three years.
Assemblyman Thomas Alfano is one of many representatives who crossed party lines to vote for the plan, particularly because it restores state aid to schools. "Our schools are my priority," said Alfano, "and I will not allow our districts to suffer the cuts of a budget ax that doesn't take into account the impact it has on our children and community."
Alfano also voted against Pataki's budget. "This wasn't a tough vote for me because it was the right thing to do," he said. "I respect the governor and party leaders, but this issue is important to me and is one worth standing up and being counted on."
The major concerns for those who voted against Pataki's budget were the negative effects that cuts in state aid would have on schools and senior citizens. "The plan the governor put out would have had some significant implications for our schools and local taxpayers," said Alfano. "School aid cuts not only hurt students, but place an added tax burden on seniors and working families. I won't vote for that, period."
State senators Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) and Michael Balboni (R-East Williston) also broke ranks on Pataki's budget. "By restoring over $1 billion in state school aid," said Skelos, "we
have made prudent and responsible choices that will benefit our community."
The aid restorations the Legislature voted for included BOCES aid, Pre-K, Tax Limitations aid, operating aid and programming that assists new Americans through language and early intervention, a restoration especially vital to the diverse Elmont district.
"These components are critical to our community," said Alfano. "Schools in Elmont, Franklin Square and West Hempstead count on these dollars to help those students who have special needs. The cuts they would have received would have had dramatic consequences."
The Legislature's plan will soon be on Pataki's desk, and proponents fear it will be vetoed, as was the plan to change the date of the budget vote. The governor now has to try to gain support in the Senate in order to avoid having his decision overridden again.
WH library bond vote moves; FS budget passes
by Jerry Burke
To coincide with the state Legislature's desicion to move school budget votes from Tueday, May 20 to Tuesday, June 3, the West Hempstead Public Library's $9.975 million bond will also be moving to the later date, as will the voting for trustees and the library's budget.
Because the date has moved, so too has the deadline for absentee ballots, which are now due by May 27. Residents can apply for the ballots at the West Hempstead School District clerk's office, upstairs in the Chestnut Street building, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Call the clerk at 390-3118 for more information.
Anyone with any questions about the vote change or the proposed library can call 481-6591 or e-mail whpldir@yahoo.com.
In other library news, voters passed the budget for the Franklin Square Public Library on April 29, with 187 residents voting for it and 81 voting against it. The new budget, totaling $1,672,215, will take effect on July 1.
There were also two seats on the library board up for election, and three candidates ran for the positions. Incumbent Thomas Scanlon received 193 votes and will begin a new five-year term on the board this summer. Phillip Nespeca came in second with 142 votes, and will finish the two years left on the seat left vacant when Eleanor Poppe resigned earlier this year. William Youngfert, who received 97 votes, will not take a seat on the board.
A tale of two budget plans
Here's how state aid to local schools would be affected for the 2003-04 school year under both Gov. Pataki's plan and the Legislature's plan:
District
Elmont
Franklin Square
Malverne
Sewanhaka H.S.
Valley Stream CHSD
West Hempstead
Under Pataki's plan (in millions)
$12.54
$4.82
$5.51
$15.35
$9.7
$4.82
Percent change from 2002-03
-11.9%
-11.8%
-12.2%
-11.8%
-8.6%
-14.1%
Under Legislature's plan
$13.66
$5.4
$6.17
$17.02
$10.92
$5.32
Percent change from 2002-03
-4.4%
-2.1%
-2.0%
-1.4%
+3.25%
-7.0%
