No Cuts, Layoffs in Lynbrook School District Budget

It's been nearly a month since the Lynbrook Board of Education adopted its 2011-12 proposed district budget, and there's roughly another 30 days until the community votes on it.

To recap what was reported by Patch in late March, the $72.89 million spending plan reflects a 2.81 percent increase ($1.98M) in total expenditure and a 4.39 percent increase in the property tax levy. The proposed budget maintains all current programs, staffing levels and class sizes.

"The 2.81 [percent] is the lowest we've had in all [the past seven] years, and we're still maintaining everything that we have for the students," said Melissa Burak, Lynbrook's assistant superintendent for business. "I do know that some of our colleagues in other districts and cutting programs, cutting staffing levels, just because of the economic crisis."

Aside from contractual salary increases, a large portion of the spending increases are due to unfunded mandates imposed by state and county government. They include $43,600 for the counter water tax and a $1.37 million increase in state-mandated benefit increases. Throwing salary increases ($397,905) into the mix, these government-mandated costs represent a large majority of Lynbrook's overall spending increases — costs the district has no control over.

The increase in the property tax levy, on the other hand, is largely due to a $1.55 million reduction in state aid. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's executive budget proposal lists the state aid cut as a "deficit reduction assessment," essentially a clean cut of the funds, rather than a reduction in a specific budget line.

The Board of Education is also seeking the use of $457,400 from the district's Technology Replacement Fund for the upgrading of the district's servers, completion of StarBoards in special area classes, and the replacement of third-grade desktop computers with laptops. This funds transfer — which will appear on the May ballot as "Proposition Two" — does not affect the property tax levy; by law, the district must get voter approval to remove the funds from the reserve.

A third proposition, the , was also placed on the ballot by the Board of Education Wednesday night.

It should be noted that the three propositions, though all on the same ballot, can be voted on separately. Propositions One and Two have no effect on the district budget or the property tax levy.

It is unlikely that a property tax cap — something being discussed at the state level — would be implemented before the May 17 vote, but Lynbrook officials are still keeping it in mind for next year, when it could become law. Such a cap would prevent municipalities, such as school districts, from raising its property tax levy above what the state allows. Only a to-be-determined majority of voters could overrule the cap in their community.

The budget vote and school board election will be held on Tuesday, May 17.