Westbury puts tighter budget up for revote

Westbury's school board last night scheduled a revote on a trimmed budget carrying a 3.17 percent property tax hike -- down substantially from the 5.51 percent increase that voters narrowly rejected earlier this month.

The district's revised budget of $109,014,480 represents a 3.53 percent increase over this year's spending figure.

That's also down from the district's original proposed budget of $109,707,104, which would have boosted spending 4.19 percent.

The revote will be held June 21.

Pless Dickerson, who is Westbury's school board president, said the savings were due in part to a recent agreement by administrators and other non-union staffers not to take raises next year.

"It's important to be known that, during the fiscal crisis, everyone has had a role in preserving quality education for our young folks," Dickerson said.

Westbury will save additional money by eliminating 14 jobs, including six teaching slots. All are being vacated through retirement.

The district originally planned to cut six jobs next year.

Dickerson said the additional staff reductions probably will result in some slightly larger classes. But there will be no overcrowding, he added.

Westbury's initial budget was rejected 683-642 on May 17.

The district was one of five Islandwide where proposed budgets did not pass. Several of those districts still are weighing whether to hold revotes.

Some Westbury voters had objected to the district's teacher contract, which provided raises averaging about 5 percent annually over the next three years.

Before last week's vote, however, teachers agreed to delay those raises six months each year -- a move that the district estimated would save $1.1 million annually.

The district's revised budget was approved last night by a four-member board majority consisting of Dickerson, Rodney Caines, Siela Bynoe and Rocco Lanzilotta.

Other board members did not attend. None of those who did not vote returned Newsday's calls last night.