By AMANDA HOFFMANN and JOSEPH KELLARD
The commission, headed by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, has recommended consolidating districts with fewer than 1,000 students in an effort to slow the steady rise of property taxes across the state.
The 134-page final report of the Commission on Property Tax Relief breaks down the underlying causes of rising property taxes and offers strategies to cut costs. Among the report’s more than 30 recommendations is the consolidation of smaller school districts, which could save taxpayers money while increasing educational opportunities for students in the larger districts consolidation would create.
The report follows up on a draft released in June, which recommended, among other things, a cap on school district property tax increases.
"The belief is that consolidation of smaller school districts would have economic benefits as well as improve educational quality," said Arda Nazerian, senior policy advisor to Suozzi. "In the public testimony, it became apparent the bigger districts offer a greater diversity of educational programming for the students."
The Island Park district currently serves about 700 students from kindergarten through eighth grade, according to an estimate by district Superintendent Edward Price. Another 300 students in grades 9 through 12 grade are bused to high schools in Long Beach and West Hempstead because the district does not have its own high school.
Dr. Robert Greenberg, superintendent of Long Beach Schools, said he received many calls inquiring about the possibility of the Island Park district merging with Long Beach. “I did get some questions: Does that mean that all the kids in Island Park are going to have to come to school on the barrier island?” Greenberg said at Tuesday’s school board meeting. “The answer is no. How it would play out would have to be reflective of legislation that evolves.”
Greenberg explained that a merger would create a new school district, and Long Beach would incorporate Island Park’s facilities into its system.
Island Park could also be incorporated into the West Hempstead School District, or there could be some combination. Long Beach has about 4,000 students, and West Hempstead has about 2,350. “It doesn’t mean they’re necessarily going to come to us,” said Long Beach school board President Patrick Gallagher. “That would be more their choice.”
Gallagher pointed out that there is presently no legislation on the consolidation of school districts. “So one can only speculate when and if it is going to occur,” he said. “... This seems like something the state legislator is going to take up, and they are going to write the law … So there will be a lot of questions that will have to be worked out, like contract agreements and all. So this is pretty involved.”
Price said that one potential complication of a merger is that each district negotiates salaries and contracts differently. A teacher hired this year, with a bachelor’s degree but no experience, signs on at $53,945 in Island Park and $53,912 in Long Beach. West Hempstead Superintendent John Hogan said he did not have that figure available.
“Terms and conditions of employment varies -- sick days, personal days, contributions to health benefits, days off,” Greenberg said. “Each contract is idiosyncratic to that particular school district and union. When you start to compare contracts, there are so many different iterations you can uncover.”
Price said that the decision ultimately should be made by voters in the district, because they would most directly feel the impact of a merger. "A study would have the advantages and disadvantages listed, and the voters could decide," he said.
Long Beach Board of Education Trustee Robert Alvarado suggested that Long Beach and Island Park district officials continue discussing a merger. “Certainly it’s something we should consider, in light of today’s economic factors that are coming our way from the state, as well the economy in general,” Alvarado said. “Maybe there’s an opportunity there to consolidate, and other ways to save money in operations ... It presents an opportunity to save our taxpayers money, and at the same time to have more revenue come in to be able to afford more programs that we want.”
Comments about this story? JKellard@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 213.
