Budget & Capital Reserve Vote and Trustee Election on Tuesday
Huntington School District voters will go to the polls next Tuesday, May 17 to cast ballots on the proposed school budget for 2016/17 and a capital reserve fund proposition and to elect two members to the board of education. Voting will be held at Huntington High School from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The proposed budget totals $123,100,263, an increase of 2.25 percent over the current year’s spending plan. The district projects a state aid increase of $1,657,252, which will help mitigate the tax increase.
“As we approach the end of a lengthy process, we are confident that we’ve constructed and presented a budget designed to address the district's needs in an educationally sound and fiscally responsible manner,” Superintendent James W. Polansky said. “The focus has remained on providing for our students, while economizing in ways that have the least impact on the services they receive and the opportunities presented to them.”
Officials said the district’s financial condition is “strong” and that its conservative budgeting practices has paid dividends and resulted in one of the lowest levels of debt of any school district on Long Island. “Additionally, the district continues to operate under a formally adopted and very sound reserve plan, which will, once again, allow us to address our facility-related needs via capital reserve proposition at absolutely no cost to the taxpayer,” Mr. Polansky said.
The proposed budget on next Tuesday’s ballot provides for the continuation of a complete array of Regents, honors and Advanced Placement courses, comprehensive art, music and physical education programs, including marching band, orchestra, chorus, band, music ensembles and specialized art courses and interscholastic athletics for grades 7-12.
The SEARCH and Math Olympiad programs will continue for academically talented fifth and sixth graders. An extensive program of special education classes and services will also continue, as will academic intervention services for students needing assistance to meet New York State’s standards.
The budget keeps the current bus transportation program in place. The high school’s science research program is also fully funded and the robotics initiative is augmented. The plan funds 64 athletic teams for middle school and high school students, 99 coaching positions and a full-time athletic trainer.
The proposed budget contains monies for the high school college counseling center and extra-curricular activities at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School, Woodhull Intermediate School, J. Taylor Finley Middle School and Huntington High School, including drama club productions, student councils and student newspapers at the latter three. Intramural programs are provided for students in grades 5-8.
The budget includes $248,662 for new textbooks, $59,683 for new workbooks, $47,514 for new library books, $100,000 for computer software and $233,772 for instructional equipment, including new computers and tablet devices.
The district’s full-day kindergarten program and elementary grade level dual language program are both funded in the proposed budget. The plan also initiates the Advanced Placement Capstone diploma program at the high school with the first course in the sequence being offered.
Trustees allocated $1.5 million in fund balance and $1 million in reserves to help mitigate the estimated tax rate increase, which is pegged at 1.61 percent. The project tax increase is based on the district’s total assessed property value remaining flat at $45,172,531.
If residents approve the budget, taxes on the average home assessed at $3,650 would increase $130.68 before STAR program savings are factored in. The tax rate would rise from $225.78 per $100 of assessed valuation to an estimated $229.41. Trustees will set the tax levy in the fall when final property assessment figures will be available. Should the total assessments be higher than budgeted, the tax rate will be lower than currently estimated.
Capital Reserve Proposition
A proposition to release $2.436 million from the capital reserve fund is also on next Tuesday’s ballot. The monies would allow the district to pursue various renovation and repair projects in every building. Passage of the proposition will not increase taxes.
Since the funds for the proposed projects already exist in the capital reserve, the district will not have to borrow any money, incur interest or raise taxes. The district will also be eligible for state aid on a percentage of the expenditures associated with the projects.
If the proposition passes, architectural plans will be drawn up and submitted to the State Education Department for approval and the bidding process will commence. District officials are hopeful that competitive bids will ultimately result in project cost savings.
The projects on the May 17 ballot include:
• Installation of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant ramps, restrooms, wheelchair lift and counter (various buildings): $1,585,000.
• Fire-rated doors (Flower Hill Primary School, Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School, J. Taylor Finley Middle School): $346,000.
• Electrical panel upgrade and foundation repairs (Huntington High School): $330,000.
• Wireless clock system (Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School): $100,000.
• Entryway security vestibule (Jefferson Primary School): $75,000.
Trustee Election
Residents will also have an opportunity to elect two members to the Board of Education for three-year terms commencing on July 1, 2016 and running through June 30, 2019.
Incumbent trustees Bill Dwyer and Bari Fehrs are on the ballot along with challenger Carmen Kasper.
Eligibility to Vote
To be eligible to vote in the election, an individual must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older, a resident of Huntington School District for at least 30 days and be registered to vote in a general election or with the school district. For more information contact District Clerk Joanne Miranda at 673-2126 or jomiranda@hufsd.edu.
A copy of the line-by-line proposed budget is available by visiting the Huntington School District’s website at www.hufsd.edu. An eight page brochure containing information about the budget and capital propositions and profiles of the two Huntington School Board candidates has been mailed to all addresses in the district. The publication is also available on the district website.