Given the damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, Tannenbaum said, the Board of Education decided not to exceed the tax levy limit as it planned next year’s spending. “With all that has gone on in this community this year, the board was not considering going over the [property tax] cap,” she said, “so we needed a way to balance this budget.”

District administrators were set to meet with school board members on Tuesday night, after the Herald went to press, to finalize the budget. A Budget Advisory Committee meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled for April 8 at Centre Avenue School. According to Tannenbaum, the board will adopt a spending plan at a meeting on April 16.

Lynbrook’s spending plan

The Lynbrook school board approved a $76.19 million budget, with a maximum allowable tax levy increase of 1.52 percent, on March 13. Interim Superintendent Dr. Melissa Burak said she was very pleased to see the restoration of high tax aid.

Since the district has already submitted its tax levy, Burak explained, the additional aid would be used as revenue for the 2013-14 school year. “We always have unexpected needs, so it will allow us to address those needs without burden,” she said. “It reduces stress on the overall budget and allows us to maintain programs without affecting any children.”

Both Tannenbaum and Burak said they were in contact with local elected officials from the time Cuomo released his proposed budget in January to its formal adoption last week.

Voters in both districts will decide on their respective budgets on May 21. Since both school boards decided to stay below their allowable tax levy increases, the plans will require a simple majority to pass.