Port Washington Schools Superintendent Proposes Recommended Budget

Dr. Geoffrey Gordon, superintendent of recommended a proposed budget for the 2011-12 academic year. 

"I am going to propose a budget,which does not excess  any existing staff," Gordon said at a school board meeting on Tuesday. "It does reduce a significant amount of  positions, possibly 25 that will be done through attrition."  

The budget-to-budget increase would be 2.96 percent. Based on current assessments, for the owner of the average Port Washington home, which is currently taxed at $10,359, it is estimated that the dollar difference would be an increase of $438.

Concerns about the upcoming budget were brought forward at the meeting. Paula Whitman and Linda Weil, co-presidents of the Parents' Council, said, "We will pay higher taxes if that is really necessary."

However, they added, "A process that uses a rollover budget as a starting process is a concern as we believe that there are some inefficiencies in the existing system that may not be currently addressed. We also encourage every single district employee, if they have not already done so, to please share in the commnity’s collective sacrifice for the benefit of the children."

Joseph Mirzoeff, a former school board member said, "Three requests: end retirement bonuses, terminate the five worst absenteeism abusers, hold the budget and tax increases to 1.92 percent. Designed to gain support, this is a compromise, because many feel school district spending should be less, not more."

After hearing the recommended budget, concerns were raised about the positions that would remain unfilled through attrition. Among them, the loss of a health teacher at the middle school level, a math resource teacher. In addition, school board member Larry Greenstein suggested reallocating clerical staff to assist the remaining school psychologists, noting that the psychologists solely, are the only ones that can counsel someone.

"In the end, we put up a budget but in the spirit of democracy," Gordon told the community. "It’s your choice as to what you support and what you don’t."

"We’ve taken money out of technology," he added. "We’ve taken money out of capital Our supply budget is down to the bone. If the budget goes down, that will come out of programs. That will be the community’s choice."

Gordon also pointed out that of the top 12 North Shore schools, Port Washington currently comes in tenth when it comes to per pupil expense.

Here are some of the key numbers.

Additional Attritions:

 Middle School Health

 High School English

 High School Psychologist

$212,000