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LI schools trim spending, tax increases

BY JOHN HILDEBRAND | john.hildebrand@newsday.com

10:49 PM EDT, April 29, 2008

Long Island school districts are proposing their smallest spending and tax increases in a decade, while cautioning that low rates depend on the state's ability to follow through on its recent promise of generous aid hikes next year.

School budgets would rise an average 4.96 percent next year, the lowest increase since 1997, according to district-by-district figures released late yesterday by the state. Tax levies -- that is, the amounts raised through local property taxes -- would rise 3.87 percent on average, the lowest hike since 1998.

Islandwide, the new budgets call for more than $10 billion in school spending, which accounts for more than 60 percent of the region's property taxes. Voting on district budgets and school board candidates is scheduled for May 20.

"What it shows is what we've been saying on Long Island for four or five years: that if the state maintains a fair share of funding, we can keep spending and tax increases under control," said Thomas Shea, superintendent of South Huntington schools and president-elect of the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association.

State aid for next year is to rise by $236 million, or 9.8 percent, for all of Long Island, but some experts doubt the state will be able to keep that commitment.

As usual, individual districts have adopted a wide range of spending proposals.

Increases of 8 percent or more have been proposed by systems including Hempstead, Shoreham-Wading River and Hampton Bays, while hikes of 3 percent or less are proposed in districts such as Levittown, Port Jefferson and Sachem. Farmingdale is calling for smaller class sizes in its primary grades, and Patchogue-Medford is proposing expanded BOCES job training for teenagers, while other systems are reducing services to save money.

In growing numbers of districts, modest tax increases could come at the cost of teachers' jobs. New York State United Teachers, a union that includes the Island's teachers, reports that members have received notices of potential layoffs in eight districts in Suffolk, including Eastport-South Manor, Longwood, Riverhead and West Islip.

While layoff notices are relatively few in number, teachers express increasing concern the numbers could gradually rise in coming years, as Islandwide enrollment declines that began in the last year or two continue.

"Well, obviously they're upset," said Barbara Barosa, the union president in Riverhead, where 10 teachers recently received pink slips. "It comes at a difficult time for people trying to manage their finances, worried about whether they can pay mortgages."

The largest number of job cuts has been proposed in the sprawling Longwood district in central Brookhaven Town. It announced plans to cut positions next year by 55, including more than three dozen teaching slots and 14 teaching-assistant posts.

Daniel Tomaszewski, president of Longwood's school board, said the plan recognized local "taxpayer fatigue." The district's proposed $198.3 million budget would raise spending 3.89 percent and the tax levy 3.83 percent.

Riverhead's superintendent, Diane Scricca, said her district hopes to eliminate most teacher positions through retirements, but that a few could lose jobs. When enrollments decline, Scricca added, "We have to downsize, just like any organization."