School Board Notes: Restored Aid Will Reduce Tax Levy

Superintendent Nancy Carney, at her first budget presentation since next year's final aid cuts to school districts across the state were announced, said that the restored funds will be proposed to offset next year's tax levy. 

The restored funds - just under $600,000 in total of the district's $19 million in aid - will bring the district's tax levy down from 5.97 percent to 5.06 percent, over the current school year. 

Carney said the $109 million budget is the district's "lowest ever budget-to-budget increase." Spending is projected to increase 1.26 percent.

Interim Finance Superintendent Joe Singleton said it was too early to tell what the effect of the restored funds on taxpayers, in dollar amounts, would add up to.

Originally, state numbers had shown that of nearly $3 million proposed for reduction in Riverhead Central School District's aid package, . But because federal funds are disbursed through the state - and the district cannot spend some $700,000 until next year - the news was not quite as good as it had seemed. 

"It's a pretty sad turn of events when you're losing $3 million and you think you're getting back $1.3 million," said Ann Cotten-DeGrasse, board president.

Contingency, or Not Contingency?

Carney added that now, should the proposed budget be voted down by the public next month, a contingency budget would now cost taxpayers more. Prior to the announcement of the $600,000 in aid restoration, Carney had stated that a contingency budget would be roughly $40,000 less than the proposed budget.

Board Member Angela DeVito asked Carney more than once to specify how a contingency budget could result in a higher tax levy.

Carney said that if a budget fails twice, or if the budget fails once and the board decides to adopt its contingency budget, all non-contingent items must be taken out, though Singleton disagreed.

"The board will have to determine what they want to take out," he said. "But legally, they could add back items that are contingent in the budget - some items, staff ... you could end up with a budget increase and a tax levy increase."

The State Department of Education website states the following: "when the proposed budget is below the contingency budget cap, the contingency budget is calculated by removing all non-contingency appropriations from the proposed budget."

Mr. Singleton offered the following on April 6: 

"I would like to expand on my statement at last night’s Board meeting regarding contingent budgets. The Board of Education and administration has with great effort, concern and pain put forth a tentative budget, with an increase limited to 1.26%, compared to the State contingent cap of 1.92% for 2011-2012.

The District, after a budget defeat, has the right to adjust the budget for a series of reasons as outlined in Education Law. These would be for charter school payments and expenses related to increases in enrollment. This could include teachers, instructional material, and necessary transportation related to the increase in enrollment. In addition, programs that are funded from private donations could be added, as well as court order judgments and emergency repairs when approved by the Commissioner.

The Board of Education could not increase the budget for non-contingent items."

Retired Librarians: Library is Not a Luxury

Two former librarians stated that one position which should not be considered for elimination is the Roanoke Avenue School librarian. The position, they said, is slated for elimination - no less than a decade after it finally became full time. As a result, they said librarians from around the school district will fill-in at Roanoke throughout the week.

Marge Lawrence and Barbara Olsen made a plea together to the board to keep the full-time position at Roanoke.

"We know and understand that the proposed education cuts will adversely impact students somewhere, but a library is not a luxury," they said. "Especially in homes that are not literature rich or have the opportunity to get to a library."

Olsen split her time with the school district between Aquebogue, Roanoke, and Phillips Avenue schools. Lawrence split her time between schools for 17 years before the position was made full time at Roanoke, she said. After retiring two years ago, she said it's, "heartbreaking to see the position wiped out."

While speaking to the board, Lawrence choked up for a couple of moments. The emotions made real the impacts of the cuts to the board and crowd, as Board Member Amelia Lantz hugged Lawrence after she spoke.

Said Cotten-DeGrasse, "Our hearts are heavy to make those cuts."