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Mostly Cloudy Lynbrook tax levy to increase by 1.67 percent
East Rockaway's school district spending plan still under construction
Last week, the Lynbrook Board of Education held the second of two hearings on their proposed budget for the 2015-2016 school year, and asked residents to pass the largest tax levy increase possible for this budget cycle.
If passed, the total budget for the Lynbrook school district in 2015-2016 would be $79,373,791, a more than $2 million increase over the 2014-2015 budget. That is a 2.78 per cent increase, the largest increase since the 2012-2013 school budget, and the second-largest since the tax cap was instituted. The tax levy, or the actual amount residents would see their taxes increase, will increase 1.67 percent, the maximum increase allowed this year under the state’s tax camp formula.
Those increases will be spent largely on salaries and special education. Both areas will receive more than $1 million in new budget money if voters pass the budget in May.
Salaries will rise in the district by $1,687,023, mostly to cover new positions mandated by new state regulations. Over six new positions would be added, including two new special education teachers in the high school, and one English as a Second Language teacher, one classroom teacher, one reading teacher and one special education teacher for the elementary school students. A part time gym teacher and a part time social worker will also be added.
“Some of those new hires come from mandates from the state,” explained Dr. Paul Lynch, assistant superintendent for finance, operations and information systems. “The ESL teacher and the reading teacher were mandates. The new special education teachers were added as a result of an increase in our special education population ... the classroom teacher and gym teacher, both at Waverley Place elementary, began working this year, but will be included in next year’s budget.”
Special education services in the district will also receive an additional $1,017,363 in new funds if this budget is passed. That increase comes largely from the placement of Lynbrook students in special education services outside the district.
