Locust Valley school budget revote in June

Locust Valley is headed for a school budget revote June 21 -- details to follow.

A spending figure will be set Tuesday, the district announced Thursday. School board trustees had agreed to a revote Wednesday night, but decided they needed more time to crunch numbers.

During the long night session, devoted largely to financial arcana, many in a school-friendly crowd of 150 pushed for a chance to vote once again on the original $73.9-million budget that was narrowly defeated last month. The plan would have raised spending 2.9 percent and property-tax collections by 5.81 percent.

Some speakers chided trustees for considering a lower spending hike of 2.4 percent, and a tax increase of 5.34 percent, saying this was overly pessimistic. Speakers blamed the budget's rejection on nondollar factors, especially a hotly contested board election that ousted three incumbents.

"I think you have no faith in the community," said Jeff Davis, 64, a retired New York City educator "This election was an aberration."

But board members responded that a rehashed budget vote might invite a political backlash. One trustee wondered aloud why "no" voters hadn't appeared to voice their views.

By the time the meeting ended after 10 p.m., the board had decided it didn't want a whittled-down contingency budget. Such budgets are dictated by state law and do not require voter approval.

"There's a black eye in my mind with contingency," said board president Jack Dolce.

Before the meeting, Locust Valley officials had agreed to cut 26 positions, equally divided between teachers and other staff. In addition, seventh- and eighth-grade sports teams are to be combined. Any additional cuts are likely to be modest, district officials say.

This hasn't silenced speculation that deeper reductions might be imposed later. One focal point of debate is the high school's International Baccalaureate program, now in its seventh year. The program includes college-level exams that count heavily toward Locust Valley High School's superior rankings in an annual national academic survey.

Nonetheless, George Stimola, 25, who won election to the board last month, has questioned the baccalaureate program's value. Stimola cites some parents' complaints that teens cannot meet the program's demands.

"People in the district will pay 2.9 percent or more if they think children are getting a quality education," Stimola said. "But that's not the case now."

Mary Jane Conlon, co-president of the district Coordinated Parents' Council, strongly disagrees. Her son obtained extensive college credits by passing baccalaureate exams.

"I've got to tell you that, educationally, it's one of the best things that happened to my kid," Conlon said.