Huntington BOE Approves $111.9M Budget

The Huntington school district's Board of Education unanimously adopted a budget Monday of $111.9 million for the 2012-13 school year — a 2.59 percent increase from last year.

The approved plan calls for a tax rate increase of 2.89 percent from last year — the result of an estimated $300,000 decline in assessed evaluation, according to Superintendent of Schools Jim Polansky. 

By trimming approximately $860,000 in costs, the board managed to incorporate a tax levy at the state-mandated limit with two percent of the levy applied as a base and an additional .21 percent being a function of permitted exemptions, according to Polansky.

Not in the plan for next year: the re-opening of or full-day kindergarten classes.  Restoring kindergarten and opening the school would have made the budget challenge much greater, according to district administrators.

"Ultimately, when we started the budget process there was almost a $900,000 gap that had to be closed. We had to look at ways to tear the budget down to get to the tax levy limit," said Polansky. "If opening Jack Abrams or the kindergarten were in there, the two of those things combined is another million-and-a-half that woud have been added to the $900,000."

Restructuring of administrative positions and staff retirements for next year resulted in a savings of approximately $61,000 to the district. Five teaching positions were eliminated at .

Elementary requirements remained basically the same, with a 30-student maximum per class in first through sixth grades, according to the budget. Kindergarten class sizes are projected at 25 students each.

The district will receive a $702,000 increase in state aid next year, according to budget numbers. 

Trustee Jen Hebert said although she favors opening the school and restoring kindergarten to full-day, the timing wasn't right for it this year because of the tax cap burden. 

"I'm a big believer in the proper steps to making big decisions. I didn't want to do it carelessly," said Hebert. "I don't think we could even start to think about it this year given the huge price tag that was on it."

Hebert, voted to the school board for the first time last May, said the budget process was unexpectedly easier than anticipated. 

"It was not at all what I was expecting when I signed on." She said she believes the board has the support of a large majority of the community regarding their decisions.

A final review of the approved budget will be presented May 7 at Jack Abrams school, one week before the May 15 public vote.

If the budget is voted down twice, $2,078,203 in significant cuts to program and capital budget components would be required, according to the contingency budget. "In essence, it is a zero percent cap," said Polansky.

Also on the ballot, a capital projects referendum to allow for about $2.299 million for district renovation and reconstruction projects to be used from the capital reserve fund.

Earlier this month, the school board a revised seasonal facility use schedule which includes fee hikes as a means to raise extra revenue.

Adopted 2012-13 Budget: