Scarsdale School Budget Gets 84.4% Approval Rate

Scarsdale voters came out in droves to show their support for the Scarsdale Schools on Tuesday June 18. After the first budget was defeated for the first time in 43 years, the Board and administration responded with substantial cuts to the budget and met demands that the increase should come in under the NYS tax cap. The count was a remarkable 2,465 yes votes to 454 no votes, yielding a 84.4% approval rate.

The budget for 2013-14 is $143,899,713 and is only 1.49% above this year's school budget. The tax increase will be 2.82% for Scarsdale residents and 2.91% for homeowners in the Mamaroneck strip.

On June 18 the Scarsdale Middle School gym was packed with voters right up until the 9 pm deadline and officials were surprised at the high turnout for this second pass at school budget for the 2013-14 school year. In response to outreach by the Coalition for Scarsdale Schools, the PT Council, the PTA's, Maroon and White, the League of Women Voters and neighborhood associations far more voters were engaged than in previous years. The total vote count was 2,919 which is triple the number of votes in previous years. Last year for example, a total of 725 total votes were cast and in 2011 the vote count was 877. This year's approval rate of 84.4% exceeded approval rates of 79% in 2012 and 70% in 2011.

When Linda Chayes, Chair of the District Meeting for the Budget Vote and Election announced the results the crowd cheered and clapped in a mixture of happiness and relief. The vote ended four weeks of uncertainty, during which School Superintendent Michael McGill announced his retirement effective June, 2014.

Commenting on the outcome of the vote, School Board President Liz Guggenheimer said, "I thank the community for coming out to vote in large numbers. The June 18 vote shows incredible support of Scarsdale's public school system. With this budget, we can focus on keeping the strong Scarsdale schools strong. The Board looks forward to keeping the community informed about educational programs made possible by the budget. I hope the increased level of community engagement will continue as the District continues to move forward."

Art Rublin, who headed up the Coalition for Scarsdale Schools said, "Voters were out in force at the Middle School yesterday -- voters in Scarsdale and the Mamaroneck Strip OVERWHELMINGLY, and in historic numbers, approved a budget that, as our distinguished outgoing School Board President Liz Guggenheimer has said, will keep our strong Scarsdale schools strong. As our cherished Superintendent Dr. McGill said,"This is a statement that the voters want to support their schools and do not want to see them changed in fundamental ways."

Bob Berg, who was outspoken in his opposition to the first budget but supported the second proposal said, "I am delighted with the huge voter turnout yesterday and the landslide vote in favor of the second budget. This tremendous community support for our schools should silence the Chicken Littles who feared "the sky is falling" after the crushing defeat of the ill-considered first budget. The message is clear - "Power to the People" -- Scarsdale's taxpayers do strongly support their schools, but they now demand greater fiscal responsibility and sensitivity from the Board and the Administration to the taxpayers' pocketbook. The first budget's defeat and its aftermath have been extraordinarily beneficial for Scarsdale. The true "silent majority" have been empowered to make their voices heard. Going forward, I expect we will have a more transparent and open Board that welcomes vigorous debate with an engaged community and among themselves and an Administration that is more focused on making sure we are getting the best bang for our buck on existing programs rather than using our schools and our tax dollars as a testing ground for the latest educational fad du jour.