By:Jerry Burke
"Elmont's Board of Education members share the homeowners' frustration," said board President Aubrey Phillips. "We see a countywide finance summit as a way to collect data from our 55 school district neighbors, ask questions and present ideas."
The purpose of the summit, as stated in the board's resolution, "is to review and explore alternative means of funding public education in light of the mounting concerns regarding home ownership and its effects upon the school property tax."
The Elmont district administration sent letters to the boards of education of each Nassau County School District and Nassau BOCES, inviting them to respond to the idea of a summit. After the results of the initial invitations have been reviewed and if there is sufficient interest, the Elmont board will provide additional information on a meeting date.
"We hope that by pooling our resources, we will be able to prepare a position paper on behalf of participants to present to our elected officials, the state Education Department, and organizations whose prime interest is the education of elementary and secondary children in New York," said Phillips.
According to the district business office, expenditures in the 2004-05 budget jumped from $51,523,292 in 2003-04 to $54,974,766 -- a 6.6 percent increase, with only 3.1 percent coming as a result of a change in programs or services, and 3.5 percent the result of mandated costs.
Outgoing Superintendent Dr. Maria Palandra was supportive of the board's summit measure. "We look at the current budget and see an increase of only 6.6 percent, yet when your tax bill comes you see an increase of almost 15 percent," said Palandra, noting that the difference in rates stems from the addition of the Sewanhaka Central High School levy as well as the continued shift in the tax burden away from commercial property to residential areas.
According to the district, because of the county's landmark reassessment of homes and commercial properties and because businesses have filed reassessment challenges, homeowners are paying 73 percent of the tax burden, whereas owners of other classes of property are paying only 27 percent. Homeowners' average tax increase was 14.82 percent, according to the district.
The next regular meeting of the board will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m., at Dutch Broadway school. The district is offering to review the process or the current budget figures with district taxpayers who call (516) 326-5500 ext. 17 with questions.
Comments about this story? JBurke@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 234.
