Facing a proposed revenue loss of $558,755, Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District leaders are striving to find a balance between raising taxes and cutting school programs.
As they do every year, district leaders began the process of developing the 2011-12 school budget with a rollover budget that maintains all programs, services and personnel and takes into consideration any contractual increases. BKW’s rollover budget, which would also restore many of the line items that had to be removed from this year’s contingency budget, would require a 7.94 percent, $1,560,001 spending increase.
However, under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed state budget, BKW stands to lose 11.4 percent of its non-local revenue for the 2011-12 school year. The cut in state aid combined with the rollover budget’s increase in spending means BKW would have to raise the local school tax levy 10.07 percent in order to maintain all programs and services.
“The 10 percent tax levy increase we’re facing is a direct result of the proposed cuts in state aid to our school,” BKW Business Official Kevin Callagy said. “If our state aid were to remain the same this year to next, the tax levy increase for our rollover budget would have been 4.15 percent.”
According to Callagy, for every $104,000 cut from the rollover budget, the corresponding tax levy would decrease 1 percent. Therefore, a proposed school budget with a 5 percent tax levy increase would require $525,742 in program cuts; a 4 percent tax levy increase would require $629,450 in cuts.
“We recognize that we can’t propose a 10 percent tax levy increase—that would be irresponsible to our taxpayers,” Superintendent Dr. Paul Dorward said. “However, in order to get to a tax levy increase between 4 and 5 percent, we have to take a hard look at everything contained in the 2010-11 school budget and identify areas for potential savings that will have the least negative impact on students.”
To help make those decisions, district leaders will seek feedback from the community during two forums that will be held March 10 and 22. During the forums, residents will have a chance to share their opinions on possible program cuts and their feelings about local tax levy options.
“The forums will help us identify the community’s priorities and give us an idea of what residents will support,” Callagy said.
“Right now, we’re facing a tough choice between
having a higher tax levy or cutting hundreds of thousands of dollars in
programs,” Dorward said. “We have to decide what we can do in terms of
minimizing a tax levy increase without significantly impacting
programs.”
To RSVP for the forums, please click here.
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