Relief after local voters pass budgets

The Sewanhaka Central High School District, one of the largest school districts in Nassau County, passed its 2011-12 budget last week, with 4,628 votes supporting it and 3,028 opposing it. This year’s turnout of 7,656 voters was significantly lower than last year, when nearly 10,000 people voted on the current school spending plan.

“We’re ecstatic that the taxpayers approved this budget,” said Warren Meierdiercks, Sewanhaka’s superintendent. “It’s been a tough season.”

Sewanhaka’s budget totals $162.26 million, a $5.95 million increase. Meierdiercks said that 73 percent, or $4.35 million, of the increase is due to the rising costs of three mandated components of district spending: the state’s teacher retirement system, its employee retirement system and health insurance.

The Sewanhaka district comprises five high schools: New Hyde Park Memorial, H. Frank Carey, Elmont Memorial, Floral Park Memorial and Sewanhaka.

Elmont

The Elmont Union Free School District’s 2011-12 budget also passed last week, with 1,124 “yes” votes and 737 “no’s.” Turnout in Elmont was also down significantly, to 1,861 voters, in contrast to last year’s 2,678.

“This has been an especially difficult year, primarily due to unfunded state mandates and reductions in state aid,” said Al Harper, Elmont’s superintendent, in a statement following the vote. “Developing a financially conservative budget without compromising the quality of our instructional programs has been a challenging task ... it is reassuring to note that during these difficult financial times, the Elmont community realizes the importance of investing in our most precious resource: our children.”

Elmont, which ranks 55th out of the county’s 57 districts in per-pupil spending — $16,312 in 2009-10 — proposed a 2011-12 budget of nearly $76.45 million, a 4.7 percent increase over the current spending plan. Harper said that the increase is mainly due to state mandates that are out of the district’s control. State retirement costs are expected to increase 28 percent, and health insurance, 14 percent, he explained.

Anthony Maffea was re-elected to a second three-year term on the Elmont Board of Education. Maffea received 863 votes, while his opponent, newcomer Gina Burnett, received 556. Deniese Walker, who ran unopposed, garnered 990 votes.

Kathy Rau won a seat on the Elmont Memorial Library board, for which she ran unopposed, with 943 votes. The library’s 2011-12 budget also passed, 1,243 to 542. The library’s 2011-12 budget is $2,391,942 — the same as its current budget, as well as its 2009-10 budget. The annual library cost to the average home in the district is $136.

Franklin Square

By a vote count of 1,134 to 773, the 2011-12 Franklin Square Union Free School District budget also passed last week.

Patrick Manley, Franklin Square’s superintendent, said the results were very typical: Each year the district sees about 1,100 votes in support of the budget and about 800 opposed to it, he said. Last year, however, the current spending plan passed by more than 500 votes, but, Manley said, more voters came out because the Board of Education had a contested race.

“It’s been a long ride, but I’ve got some good plans in place,” Manley said of the 2011-12 school year. “We have a good financial plan in place ... and we will continue to provide the best education possible at the lowest price possible. We are committed to providing our children with the best education available while minimizing tax increases.”

Franklin Square’s 2011-12 budget totals nearly $33.93 million, an increase of more than $955,000. Manley said that almost $702,000 of the increase is attributable to state-mandated retirement costs.

The Franklin Square district, which ranks next-to-last in the county in per-pupil spending — less than $15,000 last year — comprises the Polk Street, Washington Street and John Street schools.

Jean Fichtl, who ran uncontested for the district’s Board of Education, received 1,170 votes.

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