Schools
School Board Looks Ahead to Budget Woes
Reluctant to make cuts, the board is already discussing next year's budget.
School budget hearings do not begin until February, but the Port Washington Board of Education is already looking at anticipated increases and programs that may be in danger of being cut. This was the focus of a preliminary budget discussion in the auditorium, where the school board held its Tuesday meeting.
At that meeting, the board stated that the district is facing the following estimated increases for 2011:
1. A property tax increase not to exceed 2 percent a year
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2. A $2 million increase in State health plan costs
3. A $2.5 million combined increase in the Employee Retirement System and the Teachers Retirement System
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4. A $1.6 million increase in non-salary costs
"We have to start looking for where we can find savings, and unfortunately make cuts," noted Karen Sloan, the school board president.
William Hohauser, the school board vice president, referred to an Atlantic Monthly article, which stated that the United States lags behind other nations in educational achievements, and which listed New York state behind Poland. Hohauser then questioned some of the district's expenses.
"Do we need four houses in the middle school?" Hohauser asked. "Do we need all the JV teams that we have?"
Board member Robert Seiden delivered a speech he wrote to rally residents and fellow board members alike to protest "unfair taxes imposed by the state." He suggested petitioning in the community to add a ballot in the May school board election and budget vote to invalidate county legislation.
"We have to really rebel and organize a protest, perhaps in Albany," Seiden said.
Looking for savings, the board discussed concerns about running empty buses, overuse of printing paper to changing the class sizes.
"We need to find a way to reduce costs while keeping programs and make saving in the process," said Dr. Roy Nelson, a school board member. "None of us want to cut anything, but if we have to, we'll do it in a way that will impact our students as little as possible."
The next board meetings are on Jan. 4 and Jan. 18 at 8 p.m.
