By Nick Buglione
In light of rising expenses and unfunded state mandates, shortfalls in state funding will almost certainly lead to program cutbacks and a significant increase in property taxes, administrators said at the packed meeting in North Merrick's Brookside School.
"We're all in this together, and we need to work with you to keep up the quality of education in Nassau," said Dr. Herb Brown, superintendent of Oceanside schools.
Among school administrators' top concerns is just how much money they can expect to get from the state, considering that Gov. George Pataki's proposed budget slashes Nassau's education aid by 12.7 percent, or about $70.5 million, across the board.
"Please remember the important word of that budget is 'proposed,'" said Assemblyman David McDonough (R-North Merrick), who was among the five state legislators who attended the meeting. "We are working as hard as possible to change that proposed budget."
All of the Assembly members agreed that the governor's proposed funding of Nassau's districts is simply not enough. Tapping into the state's "rainy day" funds and tobacco revenues are just two ways more money could be funneled to the schools, said Assemblywoman Maureen O'Connell (R-East Williston).
Exactly when that money will be in place, however, is another issue. "In trying to construct their own budgets, school districts are dealing with an unconstructed state budget," said Robert Lupinskie, of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.
With a perennially late state budget, school districts are at a loss when it comes to figuring out just what aid figures they should plug into their own spending plans, which are voted on in May.
What's more, some political experts predict the governor and state Legislature might not have the 2003-04 budget in place until sometime this summer. "Right now we're faced with districts constructing their budgets, and the [governor's] proposed executive budget is the only thing on the table," Lupinskie said.
In response, the Assembly members promised weekly updates to the superintendents -- daily if necessary -- on any expected changes in their portions of state aid.
During the meeting, school officials also aired grievances regarding the county's alleged intention to seek state approval to amend the Nassau County Administrative Code. The amendment would shift the burden of property tax refunds from the county to the school districts.
"We believe if this were to occur, it would be devastating to our school districts," said James Parla, superintendent of the North Bellmore Elementary School District. If the onus of tax refunds were to fall on the schools, it would cost the Hempstead School District, for example, almost $2 million a year.
Drawing thunderous applause from the crowd, all five Assembly members promised to vote against such a measure.
Issues regarding unfunded state mandates were also discussed, particularly Wicks Law -- a mandate that drives up school construction costs by requiring separate bidding on various aspects of projects.
"Wicks Law reform is in the governor's budget proposal, and I would vote for it," said Assemblyman Steven Labriola (R-Massapequa), a member of the Assembly Education Committee.
This was the second mass meeting of Nassau County school administrators in as many weeks aimed at tackling what they have dubbed the perfect storm: a "trifecta" of state aid reductions, rising expenses and problems related to Nassau's property reassessment, all of which will likely result in school program reductions and tax increases.
Essentially, taxpayers will pay more and get less in the coming year, which may influence them to vote against the proposed budgets in their communities.
"This year there will probably be a disproportionate number of school budgets that fail," said Dr. William Johnson, superintendent of Rockville Centre schools.
