Over the last few months, has had more back and forth on its budget than a ship on a stormy sea.
First, Superintendent Joseph Rella that sought to raised the tax levy by 4.5 percent. Then, when it seemed that there was no support for this budget, Rella said that they . After an open meeting asking for community input, the Superintendent put the 4.5 percent budget back on the table and the Board of Education adopted it.
We have attached two breakdows of the adopted school budget as PDFs to this article for you to review.
When Comsewogue community voters head out on Tuesday, they'll be voting on a budget that looks to pierce the New York State tax cap and on three open school board seats.
Here are some highlights about the proposed budget:
- The budget proposes .
- The proposed budget will be $79,114,408 for the 2012-2013 school year.
- The proposed increase will cost homeowners $9.96 per $100 of assessed valuation.
- The average cost is calculated to $299 per year based on an assessed value of $3,000, slightly above the average of $2,700 in the district, according to the budget presentation.
- Major expenditures come from the expiration of teacher givebacks from last year ($1.5 million) and education grant funds that will also expire ($1.1 million).
- In order to pass the budget, 60 percent of the voters must vote in favor of it.
- If the budget is ultimately defeated and the district is forced to implement a zero percent increase in the tax levy, then it would need to cut $4.4 million from the existing budget.
- After to Comsewogue School District, increased funding will limit layoffs to 19, as opposed to the 22.6 positions originally suggested.
The budget :
- Elementary school expenditure cuts total to $468,000 in savings coming from cutting three classroom sections, cuts to specials that relate to three sections, elimination of a math coaching position, reducing librarian services and reducing AIS services.
- To save money, at all school libraries.
- Expenditure cuts to the middle school total $312,000 by making class sizes of 27 students and some selected classes at 30 students
- Expenditure cuts to the high school include collapsing certain sections of high school classes and changing health requirements totaling $390,000 in savings.
- Reduction in various administrative costs, secondary support services, special education and not replacing one retiring employee will total $359,000 in savings.
- Reducing athletics costs, transportation reductions, administration efficiencies and extracurricular budget cuts and review class cuts will save $311,850 in savings.
Three school board seats are up for grabs this year.
- There is little fanfare as three sitting board members – John Swenning, Lance Brown, Ed Barry – running for the three open seats.
According to the school district's website, the budget vote will be held on Tuesday, May 15 in the from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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