S. Huntington Candidate Ciappetta: Top District Issue

Patch asked candidates for the Huntington and South Huntington school boards to identify the most important issue facing the district.

Nick Ciappetta, a trustee on the South Huntington board who is running for re-election, gave this response.

The most significant issue facing the South Huntington School District is one that we have been grappling with for the past two years, namely, how to comply with the property tax levy cap while preserving programs and services in the midst of declining, or flat, state aid and rising non-discretionary costs such as health care and pension benefits.
This year, under our new administration, the Board of Education adopted a budget that attained this balance; no significant programs or services were cut while staying within the tax cap.  This balance was achieved by seeking alternative revenues, eliminating administrative inefficiencies, and negotiating fair agreements with our collective bargaining units.  This same approach can be followed for the next couple of years until, hopefully, pension increases subside and state aid rises.