Malverne School Budget Passes, Taylor, Bottitta Win

Malverne school district residents approved the proposed 2012-2013 school budget Tuesday, and a proposition to pay for roof repairs at the high school. They also elected Michael Taylor and Josephine Bottitta to the board of education.  

There were 741 votes in favor and 489 against the $48,597,767 proposed budget, which is/was $1,085,656 (2.29 percent) higher than the 2011-2012 budget. The budget raises the tax levy - the portion of revenue that taxpayers are responsible for - by $918,995 (2.44 percent). This figure is actually under the tax cap created by New York State law and therefore, only required a majority of voters for it to pass.

Proposition No. 2, which authorizes the district to appropriate and spend $312,000 from its Capital Reserve Fund to repair the gymnaisum roof at Malverne High School, passed with 785 votes to 363.

Taylor defeated Kasal, 717 votes to 524 votes, to win a four-year term on the school board. He will takeover the seat now occupied by , who is retiring, at the reorganization meeting in July.

Bottitta won the election for the seat that  from, effectively becoming part of the board. She garnered 802 votes, compared to Besson's 239 and Krudis' 329 and will serve out the three years that remain of Coonan's term.

Receive updates to this story and other breaking news in your inbox or on your smartphone by signing up for our newsletter here.

The budget that residents approved eliminates summer recreation and all summer school programs, with the exception of Regents prep, and all non-instructional field trips, including the $35,000 sixth grade trip to Frost Valley.

It also reduces art, music and library in the elementary schools, music lessons, K-12 co-curricular activities and clubs, athletic programs for Grades 7-12, BOCES services and non-mandated elective courses in the high school, which will be based on enrollment. It cuts High School and Middle School intramurals, and reduces the program to one per semester in both elementary schools. 

In terms of staff, the budget cuts two administrative positions, two custodial staff, two security positions and six Full Time Equivalent (FTE) teaching positions, but two of the six positions will be saved because two teachers have opted to retire at the end of the school year.

The district will consolidate the Science chair and Math chair positions into one, and the English Language Arts chair position will be combined with the Social Studies chair.

The remaining four FTEs that will need to be cut will include one full-time psychologist and reductions in part-time positions in the areas of ELA, Social Studies, Health and Phys. Ed., Art, Music, Science and Library. These cuts will increase class sizes throughout the district to around 22 to 23 students on average.

As for the taxpayers burden, a resident with a home valued at $343,536, the average for the district, can expect to see their school taxes go up by $178 for the year, if their assessment stayed the same. Someone with a $500,000 home assessment, assuming it remained unchanged, will see their annual bill go up by $259.

What do you think about the results of the elections? Tell us in the comments space below, or send a "Letter to the Editor" or a request to blog to Tara.Conry@Patch.com.