Paring ECS budget
to six percent

By DAVID HULSE

GLEN SPEY, NY — Avoiding the dire numbers many school districts are facing this coming year, Eldred Central School (ECS) officials on April 10 adopted a 2003-04 budget which will prompt a 6.02 percent increase in the projected district tax levy to $6,153,397.

Member Vincent Zike voted no as the plan was adopted 3-1, with member Andrew Boyar absent.

Expenditures grew 8.2 percent in the $10,270,360 spending plan.

ECS Business Manager Dan Grecco said the final levy will likely be smaller, as district contributions to the state employees retirement fund, now set at an 11 percent increase, are expected to be reduced to as low as four percent. Final legislative budget approval usually increases the school aid from the governor’s earlier projected budget.

Additionally, new homes added to local tax rolls will also further spread the levy among more taxpayers.

Eldred’s budget comes in at about half the tax increase projected in many districts. Blaming reductions in state aid, the New York State School Boards Association recently warned that “New York’s school districts are planning property tax levy increases averaging 12 percent…”

Superintendent Candace Mazur said last week the district is waiting for the finalization of aid figures in the state budget.

“If there is any change, we’ll call a special meeting and amend the levy,” she said.

The budget will be up for voter approval on May 20, along with a proposition for a $1.25 million bus garage.

Resident Susan Morley last week criticized the Board of Education for printing handouts with incomplete and inaccurate information about the budget impact of a new bus garage.

An earlier flier, based on earlier projected construction costs, characterized the garage as a financial wash, with costs similar to the $26,400 annual rental the district now pays to house its buses, when combined with savings from some retired bonding debt.

Newer figures now show the annual cost of the 25-year bond at $97,600, which will require a $48,950 increase in the tax levy.

Mazur said the newer information would be publicized.

Board President Bob Burrow said the earlier pamphlet used the available numbers.

“We weren’t trying to deceive anybody,” he said.

Mazur said the additional cost would add about 11 or 12 cent on the tax rate for a $100,000 property. Currently, the rate on a property with a true value assessment of $100,000 is about $15.46 per thousand dollars value.

In other business secondary school Principal Ivan Katz reported on the state’s newly released district report card statistics. Katz noted that the percentage of ECS graduates earning regents diplomas has increased from 34 to 49 percent over the past three years. One-third of last year’s graduates went on 4-year colleges, 24 percent to two-year schools.

He reported overall mixed results in last year’s regents exams, with passing grades increasing in five areas, decreasing in six areas and remaining the same (at 100 percent) in three others.

Katz highlighted eighth grade math assessment testing results as the major area of concern. Only 28 percent of last year’s ECS eighth graders scored at level three competency, compared to 57 percent statewide.

The board also scheduled a combined monthly and reorganizational meeting for July 10.

Petitions for ballot spots for board candidates will be accepted through April 21. Incumbent Bob Burrow is currently unopposed.