Huntington schools plan scaled-back budget

The Huntington school board Monday night unveiled a draft budget of $108,732,301 for the 2011-12 school year, a proposal that is slightly less than the current budget but carries a 3.5 percent property-tax increase.

District officials said the budget, if passed, could result in a reduction of 47.4 instructional positions and 58.5 noninstructional positions. Also on the chopping block are some athletic and music programs.

The current $108,786,539 budget is $54,238 more than the budget proposed Monday night. The smaller budget and tax increase are due to an undetermined cut in state aid and a federal funds loss of $1.4 million.

The proposed budget includes a half-day kindergarten and a reduction in salary for the incoming superintendent to $200,000, down from $266,629.

In two public presentations this month, Superintendent John Finello said significant budget increases in the 2011-12 school year include: employee health insurance, $1.8 million; salary step/longevity adjustments for employees, $1.2 million; teacher retirement system, $810,000; employee retirement system, $650,000; and BOCES, $207,000.

"When we took on the task of trying to find cuts, it was a monumental task," Finello said. "It means things have to go."