Budget cuts at thing of the past in Seaford

The Seaford School District is looking to restore some of its programs and services in the 2015-16 school year, while remaining within its allowable tax levy limit of 2.28 percent.

“This is a much better position to be in,” Superintendent Brian Conboy told residents at the Board of Education’s Feb. 26 workshop meeting. The proposed restorations include an elementary school librarian, two elementary teachers, two secondary special-education teachers, one full-time and one part-time social worker, 12 secondary department chairs and a middle school interscholastic athletic program.

“These restorations are sustainable over time,” Conboy said. “It’s been a tough six years for us, and we had blood-letting. These restorations will help with the Common Core standards.”

The district began cutting programs in 2009-10. Since then, Seaford has faced a number of challenges, including the creation of the Gap Elimination Adjustment and the tax levy cap, which took effect in 2012-13. The district also stretched its reserve funds.

Last week’s meeting was the first in a series of five board meetings that will review components of the budget. Elisa Pellati, assistant superintendent for business, provided an overview of the budget process, including how the district arrives at its tax levy cap. She also explained how the cap affects the district’s spending plan.

“The tax levy cap does not cap homeowners’ taxes at 2 percent,” Pellati explained. Instead, “the tax levy cap restricts the school district’s ability to increase its property tax levy from one school year to the next by 2 percent or by the rate of inflation, whichever is less.” This year it will be less than 2 percent, with the consumer price index at 1.62 percent.

But the tax cap can end up above or below that figure, taking into account other factors, including growth in the tax base, capital spending and pension increases. In 2014-15, the tax levy for Seaford schools was $48.18 million. For 2015-16, it will be allowed to increase by 2.28 percent, to $49.28 million. The allowable tax cap is also listed on the district’s website.

Due to the lack of state aid projections, officials did not release the tentative budget total, but this year’s budget is $62.6 million.

There are 2,340 students in Seaford schools. About 15 percent have a special-education classification, and 9 percent are entitled to free or reduced-priced lunch.

Conboy said that the district must finalize its budget by April, even though it does not yet know how much money will be provided to the district by New York state next year. State aid for the current school year was at 17 percent of the district’s total budget, Pellati added.

“We are assuming there will be no increase, and we are using this year’s state aid numbers to craft our budget,” Conboy said. “Gov. Andrew Cuomo continues to withhold state aid money — $4 billion — in exchange for approval of a new APPR.”

Under the governor’s plan, the teacher evaluation system, the Annual Professional Performance Review, would tie 50 percent of a teacher’s rating to state test data.

Additionally, the district is expected to lose another $1.2 million in state money because of the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which was introduced in the 2010-11 fiscal year to help close New York’s then $10 billion budget deficit. Under the legislation, a portion of the state funding shortfall is divided among the state’s school districts and considered a reduction in state aid. It is essentially a “take-back” by the state of some of the aid the districts are due. Over the past five years, Seaford has lost $6.8 million.

As well, Foundation Aid — funding provided to districts based on student need and local ability to pay — has been frozen for seven years, and a lack of increases have cost Seaford $15 million, Pellati said.

The district plans to restore some of its programs, and put more money into its various reserves, despite these challenges, although details were not provided last week.

There will be four more budget workshops, each covering a specific topic: March 5, elementary programs; March 12, middle school and high school; March 19, facilities and technology; and March 26, revenue. The March 5 meeting will be held at Seaford Harbor School, while the remaining three will be held at Seaford Manor School. All will begin at 7:30 p.m.

At the March 26 meeting, the board is expected to adopt a budget that will go before the voters on May 19.