By AMANDA HOFFMANN
The Oceanside School District's $124.4 million budget — which passed with 1,629 votes for and 961 against — is the smallest increase the district has passed in 25 years at only $2.3 million more than last year.
In 2009-10, the Assessor's office calculated the average home value in Oceanside to be $492,800, which would make the average school tax $6,324.87, an increase of about $150 from last year.
To keep expenses down the district didn't trim any programs that would affect students, instead cutting costs on non-essential supplies and positions that could be cut back because of declining enrollment. Staff reductions saved the district approximately $800,000.
The Oceanside library's $4.1 million budget which included a $39,004 increase from last year's budget was passed with 1,634 votes for and 806 against.
"According to figures from the Nassau County Assessor's office, the library tax for the average Oceanside homeowner is currently $248," said Oceanside Library Director Evelyn Rothschild. "For the coming year we estimate the complete cost of library service for the entire year will increase approximately $5 per household."
The library offers a variety of programs for Oceansiders, including interactive online tutoring and help for job-seekers, in addition to free museum passes, high speed internet access, WiFi, and downloadable audio books.
In Island Park, the school district's $31.2 million budget, about $554,000 more than the 2008-09 budget, passed with 382 votes for and 218 against.
According to an estimate by the Nassau County Assessor's Office, with the average home in Island Park valued at $440,800 in 2009-10, the school taxes on that home would be $3,894 - an increase of just under $100 over the current year -- despite the $9,200 increase in that home's average value.
The district was able to cut costs by reducing the number of administrative positions through a re-organization spurred by the retirement of district superintendent Dr. Edward Price, who estimated the district saved approximately $260,000 through those changes.
Declining enrollment in the district's middle school led to some position reductions that cut the budget about $138,000.
The Island Park library's $1.1 million budget, which passed with 401 votes for and 191 against, increased by a little more than $5,000. This increase will not translate to a tax increase for area homeowners because library revenue and surplus will cover the additional costs.
"Because of this financial environment and the challenges everybody is facing right now, the board has decided to increase the budget in such a way as to keep the change for taxpayers at zero," said Island Park library director Ronnie Swett.
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