School Board Adopts $216 Million Budget, Heads to Voters Next Month

The Half Hollow Hills Board of Education unanimously approved a $216 million budget Monday night for the 2011/12 school year.

The budget, a 3.9 percent spending increase over the current year, will go before residents next month for a vote.

"A lot of hard work went into the creation of a budget that is fiscally responsible and maintains the integrity of our programs," Superintendent Sheldon Karnilow said at the board meeting held at .

The adopted budget, which represents a 4.94 percent increase in the school tax levy, includes a salary schedule freeze for teachers and administrators that school officials said will save the district $3 million next year. Eligible teachers will still receive automatic step increases. 

The budget, about $200,000 higher than an laid out last month, includes funding for elementary summer school, which had been discussed as a possible budget cut in light of state aid shortfalls. The budget also reinstates $100,000 to go toward professional development. 

"We heard everyone loud and clear," said Karnilow, at the end of the summer. "We went back to the drawing board and sharpened our pencils. This budget does have the elementary summer school intact." 

A large portion of the budget increase--more than $6 million out of $8.1 million--is due to hikes in state health insurance premiums ($2.5 million) and mandated contributions to the retirement system (3.5 million), according to Victor Manuel, assistant superintendent for finance and facilities.

"Those are the two drivers for next year," Manuel said of the health insurance and retirement payments. 

Most district employees contribute 20-25 percent of the cost for health insurance, among the highest around, Manuel said. 

"We’ve done our part as far as the employee contribution, but the premiums are still increasing," he said.

Other major budget increases include $857,149 for reinvestment in technology hardware and $394,240 for additional buses for students attending private or parochial schools. The balance of the budget increases total $800,636, or .38 percent of the overall budget. 

"We tried to keep it as low as possible while at same time keep all the programs in place for the district," Manuel said of the minor budget increases. 

Declining enrollment at the elementary level means 14 teachers will be excised at a savings of $1.4 million, but no teachers will be let go because of budget reasons, Manuel said.

On the revenue side, the district, like every other on Long Island, is facing a deep cut in state aid once again. State aid is pegged to drop by $2.2 million next year, a total of $5 million over two years. Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's original proposal, aid would have fallen by $2.6 million, but state legislators recently voted to restore $400,000 to the district.

"Nothing consequential in the grand scheme of the budget," Manuel said when referring to the lesser cut in state aid. 

Federal stimulus money to school districts will also come to an end on June 30.

Although nearly 40 residents stuck around for the budget presentation Monday night following numerous recognitions of outstanding student athletes, only a few spoke up before the board. One of them, Allen Kovesdy, of Dix Hills, said that while he wasn't too worried about this year's budget, he was concerned about what he called a pending "significant structural imbalance."

"By not cutting as much this year, you’re setting up for a gigantic increase next year," said Kovesdy, who has served as deputy director in the county executive's budget office. 

Kovesdy said that when teachers' contractual raises are back in play in 2012-13, the district could be faced "with instructional costs going through the roof." 

School board members said they were satisfied with the budget they are sending to voters.

"I know it's a responsible budget," trustee Carole Catapano said. 

Manuel's budget presentation will now make the rounds before PTAs throughout the district, beginning Tuesday morning at . 

A budget hearing will be held May 9 at 8 p.m. at . Residents head to the polls on May 17 for the budget vote at High School East.