Budget 08 In Progress March 2008
Budget 08 Update
From the Business Office * March 2008
Where are we now in the budget process?
A recent article in the Suffolk County News incorrectly presented the First Phase of the Sayville School District Budget proposal as the latest (Second Phase).
Please refer to following correct information:
Over the last several months since Phase One of the original Budget Proposal, the Sayville Board of Education and School District Administrators have reviewed every budget-line item.
Discouraging news in
After thorough scrutiny, the BOE is currently making Phase Two recommendations that will
- reduce the original (Phase One) proposed budget by $1,789,278
- reduce the 2008-2009 Projected School Year Budget to $75,989,590
This represents a 5.04% increase on the spending plan and a proposed tax-rate increase of 6.99%.*
Although the reduction of $1.7 million from our programs has been a challenge, the Board of Education’s strategy has focused on maintaining jobs and retaining the current quality of our instructional and support programs—with the least impact on our students!
*This 5.04% is actually a combination of the School District Budget and the Library Debt Service. After removing the Library Debt Service from this amount, the School’s spending equals 3.4%, which is below the January CPI of 3.7% (For more information, see the section below entitled New York State Law regarding School Districts and Public Libraries)
WHere Are The ReDuctions in the budget?
- Approximately eight positions will be reduced from the budget through attrition (retirements) and reallocation of existing resources.
- Reductions in supplies
- Reductions in ancillary transportation services
- Reductions in noninstructional support areas
Sayville School District Administrators and Board of Education members recognize that our community is suffering from “Tax Payer Fatigue” and are committed to giving the Sayville Residents the most fiscally responsible Proposed Budget.
To the Board’s credit, you may recall that for last three consecutive years, the projected tax rate increase had been reduced to rates lower than originally proposed at the time of the Budget votes. In tough times even last year, the BOE voted to use additional revenues and reduce the projected tax-rate increase to 4.98%.
In addition, the BOE recently approved two property-tax exemptions for Senior Citizens and Persons with Disabilities and Limited Incomes:
“New York State Real Property Tax Law (sections 467 and 459C) gives local governments and public school districts the option of granting a reduction in the amount of property taxes paid by Senior Citizens and qualifying persons with disabilities.”
Unfortunately for all our schools, this year’s financial aid shortfall by the State is having tremendous impact on providing the promised funding to support district programs.
If YoU WANT TO LEARN MORE PLEASE NOTE THE important dates:
- April 3
- April 10
- May 13 Proposed Budget Public Hearing, 7:30 pm, Administration Bldg
- May 20 BUDGET VOTE 7 am to 9 pm
By law, each school district is required to budget and pay for a public library’s debt service. A public library does not have authority to sell bonds nor levy taxes, so each school district must perform these functions on its public library’s behalf.
Since
However, Sayville Public Library will fully reimburse