Scarsdale School Budget Wins 86.2% Approval

It was all smiles at the Scarsdale Middle School on Tuesday night May 19 when the Scarsdale School budget passed with 86.2% of the vote – a historic high. Though the total vote count of 714 votes was low, 616 voted yes, indicating strong support for the budget, the educational program and the Scarsdale schools. The proposed $148,048,080 2015-16 school budget was actually a tad lower than the 2014-15 budget, giving residents little cause for dissent. In addition, since both the village and school budgets came in under the state tax cap, the state recently sent rebate checks to qualifying households, which may be another reason that the budget passed easily.

Pam Feuhrer and Art Rublin, who had been nominated to serve on the School Board by the School Board Nominating Committee were both elected, Feuhrer with 600 votes and Rublin with 569 votes. They will replace the current School Board President Mary Beth Gose and Board member Lew Leone, who will both complete their terms of service in June.

The vote count was announced by former Mayor Robert Steves, who was appointed Chair of the District Meeting for the Budget Vote and Election. The 86.2% approval rate was markedly higher than last year, when there were 997 votes and the budget passed by 77.9%.

For those watching the numbers, see below for a history of budget and bond votes in Scarsdale:

Additional factors that may have contributed to the positive vote include:

Decreases in the district's contribution to the NYS Pension and Retirement Systems and the elimination of a planned surplus will save Scarsdale $4.878 mm for 2015-16. This 30% savings over the prior year is a result of improved investment returns. This savings took pressure off the Board and gave them more flexibility to agree on a budget that came in under the tax cap.

This was Superintendent Thomas Hagerman's first budget vote and it appeared that he worked well with the board to reach consensus on sensitive issues. With the board and administration in harmony, former critics of the board and school spending found few reasons to object.

In December 2014, the community approved an $18.12 million bond for improvements to the elementary school, middle school and high schools. The debt service on the new financing replaced retiring debt and will cause no increase in the school budget. By separating the financing of capitol projects into a separate vote, the board and administration diffused criticism from those who may have questioned the need to improve the facilities. When the budget was turned down in 2013 for the first time in 43 years, many dissenters said they voted "no" due to proposed spending for a new fitness center at the high school.

All community organizations, including the Scarsdale Forum, the League of Women Voters and the PT Council supported the proposed budget and encouraged residents to vote yes.

Offering his interpretation of the vote, Board member Bill Natbony said, "I think the administration and board looked at all the cost areas and at all the areas where there was a need for a quality, enhanced program and came to a really good balance. The community recognized that."

The 86.2% approval rate augured a great beginning for the tenure of Dr. Hagerman and a joyful end to the career of Assistant Superintendent Linda Purvis who has managed the budget process for the past 15 years. School Board President Mary Beth Gose was clearly gratified with the response from the community as she completes six years of service on the Scarsdale School Board.