Support Lynbrook school budget

School districts have a unique challenge when preparing their budgets for 2012-13. Thanks to a tax levy cap mandated by the state, belts were tightened, line items were scrutinized more than even before, and many school boards were forced to make unpopular decisions.
Lynbrook’s $74.47 million proposed spending plan is 2.16 percent larger than the current budget, and stays within the state’s tax levy mandate of 2.36 percent for the district.
Next year Lynbrook will receive a little more than $7 million in state aid — 9.54 percent of the proposed budget, down from 12.9 percent in 2008-09. Without having to make any major cuts or changes, the district has presented a reasonable and sound plan, and we urge residents to support it.
There are three other propositions on Tuesday’s ballot. Proposition 2 would allow the district to use of $98,000 from its technology replacement fund to undertake infrastructure and peripheral upgrades and improvements to the high school art technology lab. Proposition 3 would extend the technology replacement fund for an additional five years, and Proposition 4 would use $5.6 million of the $6.9 million in the capital reserve fund to resod the athletic field at North Middle School, install a multi-sport, artificial-turf field at Marion Street School and relocate the baseball field to South Middle School, among other work. None of the propositions will affect the budget or the tax levy.
We believe that the proposals are well thought out, reasonable and in the best interests of district students. We do urge, however, that reserves be used sparingly in the future, just in case of a “rainy day” — especially in light of the new state tax levy cap.

School board candidates
Three Lynbrook Board of Education candidates are running unopposed in this year’s election. Cathy Papandrew, who is seeking her fourth term on the board, has earned the respect of her fellow trustees, which is reflected in the fact that she is serving for the fifth time as board president. Rob Paskoff is hoping to be elected to a third term, and Sean Strife, who has completed one term since running unopposed for Tom Lynch’s seat in 2009, wants a second term. All three have proven themselves worthy of residents’ votes — uncontested or otherwise — and we urge voters to support them on Tuesday.