Lindenhurst pulls back on school cuts

Lindenhurst residents face a 6.89 percent tax levy increase in a budget adopted by the school board Wednesday night.

The $140 million spending plan was unanimously approved after nearly two hours of discussion over cuts. Earlier this year, the board had proposed a raft of potential staff and program cuts due to millions lost in state and federal aid, an announcement loudly criticized by the community.

The approved budget, which goes before voters May 17, eliminates several positions and programs but does not approach the level of cuts originally proposed. Those included eliminating 34.6 positions and more than 10 programs, including the 11th and 12th grade Alternative Learning Center and JROTC, and moving from full to half-day kindergarten. The estimated savings would have been more than $3.4 million.

The board voted Wednesday night to eliminate sixth-grade study skills classes, saving $75,000, cut some assistant coaching positions and an elementary school position, and saved $136,500 by consolidating and eliminating transportation routes.

The board had already approved some expenditure cuts, including closing Edward W. Bower Elementary School, for a savings of about $2 million.

"There is no question that it is a more expensive tax rate than we would like it to be," board president Ed Murphy Jr. told the audience. "But before we continue cutting, we want to give the community the opportunity to approve such expenditures."

The board is negotiating with the teachers union, hundreds of whose members walked out of a recent budget workshop. Wednesday night many residents expressed disappointment the union had not made concessions. Last year, the district laid off 37 teachers after union leaders rejected a proposed two-year salary freeze.

"They hold all the power, they're holding us hostage," said Ted Voorneveld, 47, who has two children in the district. "The well has run dry here, they need to know that."

Union president Rose Russo could not be reached for comment.