By MIKE CAPUTO
A handful of vocal residents called on Hewlett-Woodmere school officials to loosen the financial burden in its proposed budget at a public forum on March 27.
In front of about 45 district residents in the Hewlett High School auditorium, Dr. Peter Weber, assistant superintendent for business, presented a drafted proposed budget that reflects an increase of 5.93 percent in expenditures from the total in 2007-2008.
The 5.93 percent increase would be less than last year's increase, which was 6.24 percent. Within the preliminary figures, there are no major cuts to programming or staffing.
School officials, like Weber and Superintendent Dr. Les Omotani, point to rising energy costs, increased government mandates and meager state aid as factors for increases in district spending requirements. Formulas used by the State of New York classify Hewlett-Woodmere residents as "high wealth," and therefore allot less state aid to the school district. Since Hewlett-Woodmere receives about 7 percent of its budget from state aid, the remaining 93 percent is on the taxpayers.
"To say the community must bear the burden of 93 percent of the school costs doesn't make sense," Omotani said. "It is an unacceptable low rate of return."
According to figures presented by Weber, New York districts receive an average of 47 percent of its budget through state aid. On Long Island, school districts receive an average of 25 percent of its budget through state aid.
Typically, about 75 percent of school budgets goes to salaries and benefits for administrators, teachers and staff - which is reflected on Hewlett-Woodmere's proposed figures.
Some residents in attendance blamed budget increases on increasingly high salaries for administrators, which was highlighted in recent published reports. This includes Omotani's reported current salary of $266,500.
"Every year, you guys come up with an increase in the budget shouldered by the taxpayers," said Robert Mark, a Woodmere resident who addressed the school board. "Some can afford it, some can't, but you never try to decrease by reducing salaries."
Flora Schwartz, also a Woodmere resident, had similar sentiments:
"I suggest that we be ingenious and that there would be no salary increase for administration - that would be a very honorable thing to do," she said.
School officials reminded residents in attendance that the budget figures are not final until it is authorized at a school board meeting in April.
In addition to the budget (proposition 1), voters will decide on propositions 2 and 3. Proposition 2 would authorize the district to utilize nearly $3 millions in funds accumulated through a technology reserve fund - without an additional cost to taxpayers. The technology reserve was established through voter authorization in 1999, and allowed the district to place surplus into the fund. The district plans to use the money for vast technological upgrades across its schools, including installation of more interactive whiteboards, an upgrade of technological infrastructure and provision of tablet PCs to high school seniors.
Proposition 3 would set up another reserve fund that would be mainly used for costly repairs and replacements of athletic facilities. School officials said it could be utilized for a new artificial surface at the high school when a replacement is needed. The next meeting of the Hewlett-Woodmere school board is a work session on April 9 at 7:30 p.m. in the Woodmere Education Center. A budget work meeting will follow the work session. The annual budget vote is on May 20.
For more information on the proposed budget and for a schedule of meeting times, visit the district's Web site at www.hewlett-woodmere.net.
Comments about this story? Mcaputo@liherald.com or 516-569-4000 ext. 210.
