Using a powerpoint presentation Lindenhurst Schools Superintendent Richard Nathan presented the Lindenhurst Board of Education-approved and proposed school budget to voters, parents and residents this week at a meeting.
This was one of the first in the superintendent's annual budget presentations to the community at various venues. Information could be found on the district's website.
At the same meeting at on , two of for the Lindenhurst BOE met the public.
(Read more about that , and see profiles , and .)
Proposed 2012-13 Budget by the Numbers
Nathan’s budget presentation called for a budget next school year that's $1.5 million, or 1.07 percent, higher than 2011-12, but will require a tax levy that's less than the 3.55 percent cap the district is allowed by New York State law.
This is being accomplished, he said, by continuing a multi-year trend of cuts and consolidations to meet shrinking state and federal funding sources.
The increase in the tax levy - which amounts to $239 per year for the average homeowner with an assessed valuation of $5,000 - is less than increases approved by voters in 2010-11 (3.87 percent) and ().
It also maintains many of the programs and services which make for "great schools" and preserves the district’s fund reserves for future "rainy-day" needs, said Nathan.
The school property tax levy represents the amount of funding a district needs to raise through property taxes after projecting school expenditures and subtracting state aid, other revenues, and funds drawn from the fund balance, Nathan explained to parents, residents and voters in attendance on night.
He also indicated the district lost upwards of $6.6 million in state aid between 2010-2012.
And despite receiving an in Governor Andrew Cuomo’s NYS 2012-13 budget, “the anticipated state aid is still more than $4 million less than the 2009-2010 state aid,” Nathan said.
Additionally, a one-time "fix" of $1.566,651 in federal education job funds received by the district last year won't recur.
Nathan pointed out in the past few years, Lindenhurst has taken a number of steps to control expenditures.
For 2010-11 the district cut 37 teaching positions and froze, cut or consolidated a number of non-instructional positions. In 2011-12 the district closed , and made cuts or consolidations in athletic programs and personnel.
In the proposed budget for 2012-13, Lindenhurst will another 15.6 instructional positions and cut three non-instructional positions - up from the nine teaching and two non-instructional positions.
In addition, the district will replace the Alternative Learning Center () with an after-school program.
It'll also replace the programs for elementary grades four and five and middle-school grades sixth, seventh and eighth with after school gifted-and-talented "clubs."
Untouched are a number of programs that Nathan said make Lindenhurst "the home of great schools."
Among them are:
- Full-day kindergarten.
- A Full instructional music program.
- The Dance program.
- The JROTC program.
- Full foreign language program.
- Offering four world languages.
- The AP program.
- A “full range of English, social studies and science electives.”
(For even more information about the now adopted budget, see the accompanying PDF file, click , and , read an opinion piece about it , and take the polls about it and .)
Cast Your Ballots
Voters will be able to for the candidates and the budget on , .
Polls will be open to voters that day from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
include the elementary schools at , (replacing ), , and Harding (replacing E.W. Bower).
Editor's Note: Don't forget to weigh in with your thoughts and concerns about this year's budget process for the with Lindenhurst Patch on the site by taking these by clicking , and and by sharing your thoughts in the comments section of articles about the topic, and on Facebook and Twitter, and by e-mailing barbara.loehr@patch.com with an opinion piece like these:
