Community Forum Brings Budget Concerns Front and Center

The auditorium was filled close to capacity Tuesday night as the community came out to discuss school budget concerns for next year.

The Board of Education decided to hold the community forum to let Sayville residents communicate what programs they are willing, or not willing, to sacrifice. Residents were asked to voice their ideas, opinions and suggestions on what cuts needs to be made.

Last week, the Sayville Board of Education for 2011-2012, which showed a 10.23 percent increase on the tax rate. The over $4 million loss in state aid, coupled with the rising costs of pensions and fringe benefits, are the main culprits for the increase, according to the board. In terms of salaries, teachers, administrators and unaffiliated staff took a half year pay freeze both this year and last, which has saved the district about $2 million. In addition, the new budget shows a salary decrease of about $800,000 year over year. The district’s spending increased 1.8 percent last year.

To keep the current level of programs for Sayville students, residents will be faced with a tax levy of about 8 percent. That would mean trimming more than $1 million from the current rollover budget. For the average household in Sayville, it equates to roughly $520 per year. According to the board, 8.05 percent of the initial 10.23 percent increase is costs under Albany’s control, not the district.

In order to reach 4 percent, the budget would need to be slashed by about $2.1 million. “What is the impact?” asked John Belmonte, Assistant Superintendent for Business. “What will our instructional programs look like if we have to cut $2.1 million from it?”

Superintendent Dr. Walter Schartner addressed the community before the forum began. “As I look around this audience, it’s hard for me not to get emotional – many of these people here are a product of the Sayville Schools,” he said. “As a teacher, coach, building administrator and superintendent over the past 33 years, you are the success of Sayville Schools. The Board of Education is willing to make tough decisions but always with the students in mind. We have a community that is willing to invest in the future of the students through educational opportunities. We want to hear what we can trim to get to an 8 percent budget. And I think 8 percent is even a sacrifice.”

The forum also focused on the retirement system and how the district plans to make up for the shortfall and fund its pensions moving forward. “The district is fully funded for its current year liability,” Belmonte said. “In terms of our debt service, our debt is $4.4 million for next year; that is offset by more than $3 million we will be getting back.”

Some ideas that residents threw on the table for budget cuts included cutting the number of social workers and psychologists – instead of having one in each building, have some who float to different buildings. Having the buses start pick ups at three miles, instead of the current two mile restriction, could save some money in terms of cutting down on the number of buses. One resident, who doesn’t want to see the sports programs touched, said most parents would be willing to pay to play.

Resident Nancy Buono said, “I elected to move to Sayville because of the school district. Most of the other districts across Long Island are facing the same challenges. Can we work with these districts to get some answers? Maybe there can be a consolidation of services with nearby districts, or maybe we can just work collectively to come up with some creative solutions.”

Another resident suggested setting up a committee to come up with some long-term solutions, since these problems will only get worse if the tax cap is instituted and more state aid is taken away.

Parent and resident Jennifer Mormon took to the microphone three times, offering some budgetary solutions. “These are just a list of suggestions; I’m not saying they are good ideas, just a starting point for discussions.” Her ideas included: no lunch monitors, having teachers do it instead; pay to play for all sports; a full year pay freeze from everyone; half-day kindergarten with the option to pay for full day; and cutting electives to half a year instead of a full year. “I think we need to cut everywhere, not just in one place,” Mormon said.

District music chairperson Jeff Hoffman used the forum to voice his feelings on the cutting of music programs. “Music and arts spark creativity,” he said. “We can’t just teach the fundamentals, we need to continue to teach the whole child so they can be the best they can. We cannot take our music and arts program and turn them into a shell of what they once were. ” Hoffman read a letter sent by last year’s salutatorian .

One resident said she feared these potential cuts would dismantle the schools, and fraction the community. “This community can come up with the money if they really tried; give up the Starbucks, find it in your own budget to make sure our kids get what they need and deserve. It costs money to have a good education. The programs and teachers here are phenomenal. That doesn’t happen by accident and it doesn’t happen by cutting corners,” she said.

According to the Board of Education and Dr. Schartner, there’s an inequality in terms of the state funding Long Island schools are getting. Long Island has 17 percent of the students in the state but only receives 12 percent of the aid. Long Island aid is $4,246 per pupil whereas the rest of the state receives $6,216 per student. “We need to get a grassroots movement going and show these politicians that they need to be working for us,” one resident said. “My daughter deserves to have the same education as everyone else who walked through these doors.”

“These programs we are talking about cutting make our children who they are,” said Ken Murray. “Tough times call for tough choices. Everyone has to give a little. We are all standing here talking about what the cost is to run a certain program but I'm asking what is the cost of not running the program?”

Scott Batterberry was one of several residents who urged residents to contact their local politicians and voice their concerns. “The real root of this problem is in Albany,” he said. “The best action we can take is political action and go out and fight this unfair battle.”

Students also made their way up to the microphone, voicing their concerns about losing programs that were so essential to making their school years a success. Eric Casey, a senior, talked about how the elective programs are just as important in molding a student as the mandated ones. Eighth grader Brian Walsh talked about the importance of the extra-curricular activities, such as Sayville’s outstanding music and arts programs.

There was a full-page handout of possible programs that would be cut in order to make budget. Some of those items include: athletics, kindergarten, early intervention, guidance counselors, secondary summer school, AP courses, band, orchestra and chorus at the elementary level, clubs and activities at the high school and middle school, and much more.

“My recommendation to the board is going to be the 8 percent budget,” Schartner said. “With some tightening of our belts, we will have to cut more than $1 million. But I didn’t spend 19 years of my life building this middle school to where it is today to have Albany come along and tear it down in a few years.”