By Hector Flores
The budget, which was adopted by the Board of Education on April 12, calls for a tax levy increase of 3.9 percents, which translates into a school tax increase of $178 for the average homeowner.
The proposed budget totals just over $157 million, an increase of $8 million over the current budget. The 5.4 percent increase is being attributed to increases in fuel costs, salary increases, health insurance premiums and contributions to employee and teacher retirement systems. In addition to those ever-increasing costs, district officials say they continue to see increases in unfunded state and federally mandated programs such as No Child Left Behind.
Leon Campo, the school district¹s deputy superintendent, said in an interview with the Herald last week that despite the overall spending increase of 5.4 percent, the district was able to keep the tax levy increase at just 3.9 percent, one of the lowest in the county. ³For the 2007-08 school year, the 3.9 percent tax levy increase is well below the Long Island average of 4.7 percent,² Campo said.
He explained that the district was able to dip into its rainy day funds and make use of state aid, which totaled $32 million. Although the state aid was a major factor in keeping the tax levy increase down, Campo pointed out that the aid increased by only $2 million over the $30 million the district got last year. ³The state aid is just not keeping pace with the rising costs,² Campo said.
In an effort to keep costs under control, the district has implemented a ³no growth² budget for the second year in a row: No new programs or staff ‹ other than replacement staff ‹ will be added. The budget maintains current instructional and co-curricular programs from kindergarten through 12th grade, and maintains class sizes within district guidelines ‹ 18 to 22 students in kindergarten, 19 to 25 in first through third grades and 21 to 27 in fourth through sixth grades.
Additional savings were made possible through the EXCEL referendum, which was passed last December, and an energy conservation project. The programs have enabled the district to begin $5 million worth of school-improvement projects at no cost to taxpayers. ³Our spending plan of 5.4 percent is well below the average Long Island school district spending increase, which is slightly above 6 percent,² Campo said. ³The school district¹s expenditures ‹ on a per-pupil basis ‹ are conservative and compare favorably with other school districts.²
Campo also noted that the district¹s administrative costs are the fifth-lowest in Nassau County. ³We are proud of these statistics,² he said. ³Our school system provides for a full academic, athletic and cultural program for our children within the financial resources of our taxpayers.²
The contingency budget
If the school district fails to pass the budget, it will be left with three options: to put the same budget up for a second vote, to offer voters a reduced budget, or to adopt a contingency budget. Under contingency, according to state law, the increase in district expenditures would be capped at 4 percent. If the district is forced to adopt a contingency budget, the resulting tax levy increase would still be considerable, at nearly $6 million. The district would have to cut $2.3 million from the current budget proposal, which would mean a loss of teachers and student services.
Budget voting
The budget vote is May 15, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the five elementary schools. Absentee ballots may be obtained from the office of the district clerk. For more information, call (516) 478-5738.
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
