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Schools

Contingency Budget Would Mean Higher Taxes, School Board Says

Board urges the public to understand the challenges ahead for the school district.

The Sayville Board of Education unveiled plans for a contingency budget at a meeting Thursday. 

The contingency budget is $81.7 million, which translates to a budget increase of 3.74 percent and a proposed 10 percent hike in the school tax rate.

The released last month stood at $82.9 million, a 5.3 percent budget increase and a 10.2 percent increase in the tax rate. On March 3, the Board presented which came in at $82.2 million with a 4.4 percent spending increase and an 8 percent rise in the tax rate.

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Assistant Superintendent of Business John Belmonte presented the board and the public with the budget breakdowns. In going from draft one to draft two, the budget dropped by $1.2 million by using $480,000 in reserve funds and the loss of 5.6 full time employees. Federal Jobs Monies that were in the second draft have been changed to federal funds due to a change in the accounting, Belmonte said.

The regular proposed budget will be presented to voters on May 17. If the voters fail to approve the budget, the board can either adopt the contingency budget or resubmit the budget to a re-vote in June. However, after a second defeat the board must adopt a contingent budget.

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What exactly is a contingency budget?

Belmont explained that a contingency budget will have a spending cap, which would have a definite impact on programs. Here’s why: The legislative spending cap would be no more than 1.9 percent and the administrative cap would stand at 14.8 percent. Under a contingency budget, the district would need to reduce the proposed budget by $1.5 million to meet the calculated spending cap.

Reductions would be made of all non-contingent items. On the administrative side, this includes staff, non-essential supplies, equipment and travel. When it comes to programs, cuts would be made to things like staffing, student supplies, new equipment, athletics, summer school as well as a rise in class size. Of the $1.5 million that would need to be cut, $190,000 would be cut on the administrative side, while instructional will need to be dropped by $1.3 million.

If the budget fails and a contingency budget must be adopted, the tax rate increase would be at 10 percent, almost 2 points higher than the proposed budget, because the district would not be using the reserve money it had intended in draft two. After that money is pulled out, the tax rate would increase to make up the difference, Belmonte said.

“Unfortunately our hands are tied,” said , vice president of the board. “The state has really put us in a bad position. The state has also tied our hands as to what can and can’t be cut because of all their mandates.”

Belmonte added: "There are two points you need to drive home to the legislators. First, it’s not a spending problem, it’s a revenue problem. Our spending is in check. Secondly, our legislators do not recognize the difference in regional costs. This is a big reason why we get a disproportionate about of state aid (upstate vs. downstate).”

News & Notes:

In other Board of Education business, the board issued citations to four Lincoln Avenue students. Emily Parsowith, Katherine Gennosa, Hanna Decker and Gabriele Thornton recently received honorable mention awards in the Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association ExplorVision Contest. Lincoln Avenue principal Dr. Michele LeBlanc said: “These students used current technology in heating systems to develop clothes to help those in need and in the military. They were ranked in the top 10th percentile in the nation. Not only are they researchers and knowledgeable, but they worked together as a team.”

Alice Lepore, director of the Sayville Library, gave a presentation on the Sayville Reads Program, a collaboration between the library and the school district. The idea is to celebrate reading and share in a common theme via discussions and programs to be held at the library. There are four different books from which to choose, depending on the age group. The author of one of the books is coming to the library on May 14. Sayville Reads is designed to take reading into the town and into the homes, not just in schools. “A city that opens the same book, closes it in harmony,” she said.

Residents should be aware of some important dates and meetings coming down the pike in the next few weeks. The Board of Education will adopt its budget on April 14. The due date for petitions for board candidates is April 18. The budget public hearing is taking place on May 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the administration building. The budget vote and election will take place on May 17 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the high school.

The Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association is holding a “Rally for Public Education” on March 24 at 6 p.m. at Hofstra University. This is an opportunity for board members, educators and community members to show Albany that on Long Island, public education remains a priority. The next Board of Education meeting will be held on April 7 at 7 p.m.

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