By BERNADETTE GIACOMAZZO
The spending plan, which will be offered to voters on May 20, is $5.9 million, or 4.76 percent, larger than the current budget, and calls for a 4.93 percent increase in the tax levy.
In putting together these programs, our goal is to maintain and strengthen the existing district programs and services, Greenberg told the near-capacity crowd at the Long Beach Public Library. We believe we have put the district in better fiscal shape ... to protect our most valuable asset and investment: our children.
Though Greenberg acknowledged the proposed tax levy increase-s potential financial burden on some families, he pointed out that the increase is attributable in part to the decrease in state aid. Greenberg said expected that the district would receive approximately $18 million in aid roughly a few hundred thousand less than it received in the 2006-2007 school year, and approximately the same amount it received nearly 10 years ago. When you take the inflation factor into account, $18 million is not a lot of money, he said.
As a result, there will be cuts in transportation and special education funding and consolidation of BOCES programs.
Still, Greenberg told residents that the district had no plans to rely on state aid to fund the district-s necessary improvements and upkeep. We need to be more aggressive on our own and we will be, he said.
In other school news, board President Franklin Alvarado announced plans for a new cashless system for district food service, which will be discussed at the next school board meeting on March 25. Alvarado said that the system has worked extremely well elsewhere, and he expects it to increase revenue in the Long Beach district.
In addition, Audrey Goropeuschek was named middle school principal, effective July 1. Goropeuschek, who will replace the outgoing Joane Tom, previously worked as an assistant principal in the Plainview-Old Bethpage school district and as a social studies department chair in Valley Stream. Nothing in this district arouses more emotion than middle school education, Alvarado told her, and I-m sure, Audrey, that you will do a fine job in your new position.
The next school board meeting is scheduled for March 25 at 8 p.m. in the Long Beach Middle School. There will also be an Envisioning and Goal-Setting Community Forum on March 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Long Beach High School.
