School Administrators to Release Draft Budget Tonight

While state officials seem to be making little progress toward agreeing on a state budget by the statutory deadline of April 1, Huntington School District executives will release a draft financial plan for 2010/11 at a public meeting of the Board of Education on Monday, March 15.

Trustees have been discussing next year's budget in broad terms for several weeks. At their meeting on March 1, School Board members instructed administrators to develop a plan that limits the potential tax increase to 3.5 percent. Trustees have spoken passionately about their desire to keep the tax rate as low as possible, while preserving as much of the instructional and extracurricular program as possible.

"Everyone realizes we are in the midst of a very challenging economic climate, with shrinking state support, growing expenses and a stagnant tax base," Superintendent John J. Finello said. "We are all aware of the burden property owners are already facing and understand the need to control all areas of spending."

Assistant Superintendent David H. Grackin has calculated the cost of the carry-forward budget at $110,835,051, which would produce an estimated tax increase of 6.84 percent. Such a budget provides programs, services and staffing that is identical to this year's. Trustees said such a tax increase would be unacceptable and opted to nearly halve that number.

In order to bring down the potential tax hike to 3.5 percent, administrators are working to identify $2.985 million in spending reductions from the carry-forward budget. "These are real cuts and will be felt," Mr. Finello said. Huntington is bracing for a possible loss of more than $300,000 in state aid and the shifting of about $600,000 in currently state reimbursed special education expenses onto the district.

Mr. Finello said Huntington has been making spending reductions for several years to hold down taxes, including eliminating programs, cutting teams and clubs and downsizing the number of employees. Despite the previous reductions, the district remains a strong, he said.

"These latest cuts will hurt, but the Huntington School District will still be providing its students with an exceptional educational and extra-curricular program," Mr. Finello said. The community can continue taking pride in its public school system."

Administrators have been meeting daily to discuss budget matters. Trustees have kicked around the financial situation at several public meetings and solicited input from residents. Many taxpayers have stepped up to the microphone at meetings to offer their opinion on how the School Board should meet the economic challenges it faces.

The March 15 meeting will be held in the Jack Abrams Intermediate School auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Those in attendance can pick-up a copy of the draft budget at that time. Additional copies will be available after that date at all eight building and on the district's website at www.hufsd.edu.