$145.2MM Budget Proposed for Scarsdale Schools for 2013-14

The Scarsdale School Board ended a controversial budget season on April 22 with the adoption of a budget of $145,286,213 for school year 2013-14 that represents a 2.47% increase over the 2012-13 budget and will increase taxes by 3.91% for Scarsdale residents and 4.01% for those in the Mamaroneck strip. The proposed budget is almost $1 million below the preliminary proposed budget that was distributed to the community in early March.

This is the second lowest budget-to-budget increase in 20 years and as Board member Jonathan Lewis said, "it is an extraordinary effort at belt tightening in the fifth year of a financial crisis."

The 2013-14 school budget includes funds for a new health, fitness and learning center, maintains low class sizes, adds security personnel to district schools, and adds a teacher and replaces a retiring librarian at the high school. By liquidating building repair reserves, reducing funds for pension contributions, decreasing funds held aside for tax disputes and deferring the purchase of a new school bus, the Board was able to move ahead with the new project and deliver a tax increase below 4%. However, since the budget exceeds the NYS state cap by $600,000 it will need to pass by a 60% vote.

At the previous meeting on April 15 the projected tax increase was just over 4% and the Board asked the administration to recommend $300,000 in additional budget cuts so that the tax increase could begin with "a three rather than a four." In order to bring the tax increase below 4% the Board did move to make $300,000 in additional cuts at the end of the 4-22 meeting.

Here are where the funds that were cut:

• A new school bus: $100,000
• Funding for a computer consultant: -$25,000
• Tax certiorari funds: $100,000
• Program Improvement Funds: $10,000
• Arts Initiatives: $10,000
• Center for Innovation: $10,000
• Principals' allocation for discretionary repairs: $25,000
• Travel budget: $5,000

For the first time in recent history, the budget did not receive unanimous approval from the PT Council, the League of Women Voters or even the Scarsdale High School PTA. Concerns about the expense and potential usage of the proposed "Wellness Center" divided the community as well as the board who ultimately passed on the project with a vote of 5 - 2.  However, the PT Council does plan to issue a statement. According to PT Council President Gayle Hutcher, "The PT Council does not follow any specific timeline for commenting on matters such as the School Budget. We feel it is important to take time to research the details and then convene a meeting of our executive board to discuss. Any silence on our behalf does not imply a message of pro or con. We have used the budget study process as a time to listen, ask questions and comment on the budget. We have spoken at two recent Board meetings on the budget. That is the point of these meetings. With the last details of the budget approved late on Monday, the PTC will now meet to form a statement. I would hope to speak on this topic at the next BOE meeting on May 7th."

It appears that five years of economic difficulties, astronomic increases in pension and retirement costs and the newly imposed tax cap are taking their toll on the district and challenging the ability of the administration and the board to reach consensus.

The meeting began on a high note, with a performance by SHS A Capella group "For Good Measure," who moved like Jagger" and did a terrific rendition of Rianna's "Distrubia". Catch their act on Cable TV.

On the agenda was a resolution to release $425,000 in repair reserves to free up funds for repairs at district schools and in turn, monies for the Wellness Center, now temporarily dubbed the Center for Health, Fitness and Learning. The money will be used for $365,000 in roof repairs and for asbestos abatement in the middle school kitchen and in high school floors.

In the community comments portion, Gayle Hutcher spoke for the PT Council and objected to the additional $300,000 in cuts to bring the tax increase below 4%. Here are her comments:

"The Board's desire to cut an additional $300,000.00 of the school budget in order to bring it below 4% could lead to sacrificing program/capital investment without thinking of long-term (even next year) implications. Is this cost worth it? We feel the savings may not be worth it when compared to what we could lose. We may be delaying important items that will need to be addressed in the future and could compound to increased costs. We have already made some hard decisions this year that have affected our programs and curriculum."

However Robert Berg of Tisdale Road saw it another way and used strong language to urge the Board to comply with the state tax cap. He said, "We don't need no stinking tax cap ... , that seems to be the motto of the Administration and the School Board this year. ... The Journal News reports that only four school districts out of 53 in the Lower Hudson Valley are planning to surpass their tax caps for 2013-2014. Is it any surprise to Scarsdale taxpayers that Scarsdale is one of the four? ... throughout the Great Recession – for the period 2008-2014, Scarsdale's school tax levy will have increased 10.34%, while Briarcliff Manor's school tax levy has plunged by 10.26%" "I cannot support this budget. I urge my fellow taxpayers to defeat the proposed budget, and demand that the Board present another budget that falls within the tax cap."

Vivienne Braun asked the administration to provide details about the curriculum for the new Wellness Center, saying, "I would love to know what will go on there before we build it –- what is going to happen there that is not already happening in health classes?" McGill contended that the "plan begins with a vision," and that it was "not necessary to know a fine level of detail to move forward."

After a hiatus from school board meetings when he "was tied up at Village Hall," Bob Harrison was back in the room. He took the mike to lobby the Board to increase funds for the Scarsdale Teen Center, which in recent years, was cut from $87,500 to $65,000.(The board did not increase the allocation.) He also objected to the new Wellness Center. Harrison sparred with Board President Liz Guggenheimer for the floor when he went beyond his allotted three minutes and refused to yield the mike. When he finally took his seat, Guggenheimer said, "I missed you Bob."

As the meeting came to a close, Art Rublin, Chair of the Coalitions for Scarsdale Schools said, "the Board has developed a proposed Budget that is very responsive to the community's demonstrated interest in program, instruction and facilities that are important for a well-rounded high-quality public education, with year-over-year budget growth that is very low from an historical perspective despite significant state-mandated pension contribution increases." "I would say, having watched the Board work hard over many hours, that you have done that, balancing fiscal prudence with sustaining a school district that we are all proud of and that many people depend on."

The Board announced that they will hold two community budget forums to answer questions about the proposed 2013-14 budget.

Here are the details:

Wednesday, April 24th at 7:30 p.m. in Room 170-172 at Scarsdale High School (Brewster Road side of the school in the Board of Education wing)

Thursday, May 2nd, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 170 at Scarsdale High School (Brewster Road side of the school in the Board of Education wing).

Representatives from the Administration and the Board of Education invite community members to pose questions and air concerns about the proposed budget.

The school budget vote and election of new school board members will take place on Tuesday May 21 from 7 am to 9 pm at the Scarsdale Middle School Gym.