Floral Park-Bellerose School Voters Guide 2010

VOTING

11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Floral Park-Bellerose School and John Lewis Childs School.

THE BUDGET

The district is proposing a budget of $26,923,636 for the 2010-11 school year, an increase of 2 percent over the current budget of $26,395,722. The tax levy would rise to $19,090,420, an increase of 5.3 percent over the current figure of $18,129,554.

The average homeowner with a house with an assessed valuation of $1,106 would pay $2,795 in school taxes, an increase of 5.59 percent over the current figure of $2,647.

The proposed budget also includes a 3 percent increase in teacher salaries - plus a variable step increase - and the elimination of at least two teachers.

Other programs or services facing reductions include allocations made for capital projects, exterior security cameras, summer school reading and math programs, and the replacement of minibuses. The district's information technology and transportation staffers also face job cuts.

In addition to the budget, there is a referendum on the ballot to amend the district's transportation limitation for fifth- and sixth-graders from a distance of one mile to one-half mile at no additional expense to the district.

District website:

floral park.k12.ny.us

THE CANDIDATES

Incumbents Robert Burke and David Tsoupros are running unopposed for three-year terms.