Pros and Cons of Two Northport School Budgets

As in early February, Superintendent Marylou McDermott delivered two different budget scenarios for the 2012-2013 school year at Monday night’s Board meeting.

The first budget, reflecting a 1.657 percent budget-to-budget increase with a two percent tax levy would maintain all staff and programs in the district but would require the use of approximately $2.2 million in reserves.

A zero percent budget-to-budget increase with a zero percent tax levy would require the reduction of $2.8 million through cuts to staff and programs and the use of $2.2 million in reserves. PDFs of the presentation and the draft budget are attached to this article.

Reductions would be widespread and would include the elimination of all late buses and a six percent cut in district-wide improvements.

At Northport High School, 5.5 full-time teaching positions would be eliminated, as would JV2 and JV9 sports teams and the Boys and Girls Track Swing Coach. Intramurals and clubs would be reduced by 50 percent and the music clinic would be relocated and reduced for a total of $802,849 in savings.

At both the Northport Middle and East Northport Middle Schools, a savings of $554,487 would be achieved through the elimination of two full time teaching positions, and a 50 percent reduction in extra-curricular athletics, co-curricular activities and before and after school intramurals. Contract services for character education would also be halved and student organizers and planners would be eliminated.

At the elementary school level, 7.0 teaching positions would be cut, along with a 75 percent reduction in intramurals and a 43 percent reduction in co-curricular clubs. Field trips would be eliminated and AIS summer school would be cut in half to two days a week for five weeks, resulting in a total reduction of $917,729.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Kathleen Molander offered a third scenario with regard to reserves: a 1.657 percent budget-to- budget increase with a zero percent tax levy. No programs would be cut but the district would need to tap $3.5 million from reserves.

Both McDermott and Molander stressed the negative aspects of a zero percent levy, which members of the public as well as some trustees have been asking for. While providing a one-time tax relief, the depletion of reserves could cause spikes in subsequent tax levies and further reductions in program and staff.

Molander also cautioned against assuming that the property tax cap would always remain at two percent. School districts must use either two percent or CPI, whichever is lower, Molander said the CPI that the state has used for this year is 3.2 percent but in the future, it could be lower than two percent. The tax cap law is in effect until 2016 but could be extended.

The Board will discuss the budget at two special meetings on March 19 and March 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Northport High School in the large cafeteria. The public will be able to give additional input at the April 2 meeting. The budget is being finalized on April 16.