By Dan Israeli
In total, the preliminary budget seeks $68.9 million in spending, a 5.1 percent increase over the current budget of $65.5 million.
The proposed tax levy increase follows an encouraging trend, having dropped from 2.9 percent in 2006-07 year to 1.7 percent for the current year. Harper said he is confident that his staff has presented a number that will delight taxpayers while still addressing the district-s needs. We-re being responsive to the community, he said. We always try to find ways to keep the budget down while maintaining our responsibility to the students. We have worked diligently to find ways to save taxpayers money.
Harper announced the proposed numbers at the Elmont Board of Education-s first budget workshop on Feb. 27. He also discussed program changes for the upcoming year, as well as cost reductions in parts of the budget. The proposed capital projects fund, for example, would be reduced to $1.2 million from the current year-s total of over $3 million. Harper said the decrease was made possible by a state EXCEL grant, obtained last year, which helped fund a number of capital improvements. For 2008-09, budgeted improvements include window replacements at Dutch Broadway School and roof replacement at Covert Avenue School.
The district also expects to save approximately $120,000 by having two fewer classroom teachers, to comply with enrollment projections. There is, however, a need for another special education teacher at Clara H. Carlson School due to the addition of a few students. According to Harper, Elmont-s program has become a model for many other local districts that still send their students to outside special education programs, like those offered by BOCES.
We are tremendously proud of our program, said Harper, noting its courses for autistic children. Six or seven years ago, it cost us over $100,000 to send our students outside. Now we can educate them better in-house, and at a fraction of the cost.
The district-s director of business and facilities, Robert Geras, announced at the workshop that he had recommended that the district refinance a bond which the district used to build six school additions at current lower interest rates, which he said would ultimately save the district $616,000. Geras also commended the proposed budget, saying, The board and superintendent worked responsibly for the needs of the community to be fiscally prudent, and that the proposal was for the taxpayers and the needs of students.
School board President Pamela Byer praised the low tax levy increase. It-s the lowest one I-ve ever seen, she said. What the board is looking at, really, is the community and our seniors. They-ve been coming to the meetings and asking us what we can do. Byer said she was also in favor of the continued growth of the school-s enrichment programs, and trying to keep academics at a top level.
Lorraine Ferrigno, a board trustee, said she was thrilled with the proposed budget, though she did have an issue with the district-s handling of state-mandated training for board members, which is undertaken by the district. Ferrigno said that the expenses seemed too high, and she requested further review of training and conference costs. Harper agreed to look into the issue.
With the numbers where they are now, there is still time for change, especially if the district is awarded an increase in state aid over the Governor-s original proposal. We will continue to go through the budget, line by line, Harper said. We may get closer projections, and there-s always the possibility of greater state aid. It is still possible to go lower than .5.
Comments about this story? Disraeli@liherald.com or (516)569-4000 ext #214.
