District: new funds won’t alter 2012 budget

Although the State Senate and Assembly passed the remaining portions of the 2012-13 state budget on March 30, and although that budget restored more than a half-million dollars to the Baldwin School District, district officials say that the money will not appreciably affect the budget proposal Baldwin’s Board of Education approved weeks ago.

Due for a vote on May 15, the 2012-13 spending plan totals just under $119.5 million — $494,000 less than the current budget. (A complete breakdown can be found on the district website, www3.baldwinschools.org.) The proposal contains several severe cost-cutting measures, most notably the closure of the Shubert and Milburn schools, but while the state’s late-game restorations exceeded the cuts the district proposed, Superintendent Dr. James Mapes told the Herald that the extra money would be allocated to maintaining future programs rather than keeping Shubert or Milburn open.

“The Baldwin School District has seen a restoration of some state aid that turned a projected decrease into a small increase,” a statement released by Mapes’s office read. “However, the district faces substantial financial challenges that will continue for the foreseeable future. Dramatic increases in costs for pension contributions, health insurance, and special education are expected over the next several years. With caps on both the tax levy and state aid and without any real effort by the legislature or governor to invoke mandate relief, the district is severely limited in its ability to raise adequate funds.”

The statement continued, “The reductions contained in the budget adopted by the Board of Education for 2012-2013, including the closure of two elementary schools, reflect a long-term plan to increase efficiency while maintaining the current program levels for all students in K-12 as long as possible. The additional state aid, along with continued savings achieved by running fewer buildings, may allow us to keep the full-day kindergarten program and mitigate the reductions that will be necessary in future years.”

Funding the future causes current concern

The decision to allocate money that many called a “windfall” to cover future expenses rather than to avoid current cuts has raised hackles in the community. A statement emailed to constituents from Assemblyman Brian Curran’s office describing the restoration of funds to the district sparked a flood of commentary directed to the Herald

offices.

“With this new-found money we should be thinking of keeping Milburn up and running,” said a message from Milburn Community Association member Ken Elsman. “[The school is] the best draw the area has. It’s top rated, safe and accessible. Sorry to say, [closing the school would be] shameful. Why am I now noticing real estate signs in nearby communities making a point that ‘this home is in the Oceanside School District’? That says it all.”

Kelly Waney, another resident, echoed Elsman’s feelings. “It would be a travesty if the [board] spins it that they knew these funds were being restored prior to their proposed budget adoption, or if they [don’t] modify their proposed budget.”

While the way the restored funds will be allotted may be a bone of contention, the fact that more money will be available was welcome news. It was the result of three months of negotiation at the state level and a redirection of competitive performance grants.

“At a time when school districts are facing tough fiscal realities, the governor's proposal to budget $250 million for competitive performance grants, while in theory a good idea, was misplaced,” a statement from Curran read. “I am happy that we were able to take $200 million that was originally allocated for performance grants under the governor's plan and redirect it to school aid.”

Under the reconsidered grant formula, the state’s final budget contained $805 million more for education aid statewide next year. The Baldwin district will receive $140,500 in state aid, a $560,000 restoration of the grant funds and a $50,000 state grant the Legislature secured for the district two weeks ago.

“We successfully fought to have a portion of those funds directed toward a part of the education budget that adversely affects the school districts of Long Island, particularly Baldwin,” Curran said of the revisions. “This action resulted in the Baldwin School District going from a half-million-dollar cut in state aid to receiving an increase in state aid of approximately $150,000.”