Seaford Voters to Decide Revised School Budget

Nearly a week after Seaford voters a spending proposal for next year, the Board of Education has voted to put up a revised budget in hopes of avoiding austerity.

The new budget proposal to go before voters on June 21 is $54.9 million, a 2.43 percent increase. The budget would carry a 8.35 percent tax levy increase. The tax levy is the total amount that a district must raise in property taxes in order to meet expenses. The average Seaford homeowner would see a $558 increase in their tax bill, a $42 difference from the original budget proposal.

The Seaford Board of Education voted 4-0 to adopt the new budget proposal at its meeting held before a standing-room only crowd atMonday night. Trustee Michael Sapraicone was not in attendance for the vote.

The new budget proposal voters will decide on June 21 is $329,623 less than the $55.2 million spending plan voters rejected on May 17. Some of the cuts from the original proposal include $141,000 to middle school athletics, $68,000 in maintenance costs, $80,000 in technology, and $20,000 in security expenses.

The $141,000 cut to athletics means only the middle school sports fall season will be funded in the budget. The community could then raise the necessary funds for the winter and spring season if they choose.

The revised spending proposal is only $95,000 above a contingency budget, which is what the district would be faced with if voters once again reject the plan on June 21. Under a contingency budget the district would be limited to a 2.26 percent increase and be limited to spending on bare essential items. Under this scenario the district would also be required to charge community groups to use its facilities.

Should the budget fail on June 21, the school board would be forced to cut another $95,000 and one full time teaching position would be targeted for a cut, according to district officials.

Despite only raising the budget slightly, Seaford is faced with having a higher than usual tax levy this year due in large part to the district projected to lose $1.5 million in state aid and $76,000 in revenue from the Seaford Avenue School where a Nassau County BOCES program ended their lease last year.  The district also only has around $600,000 in reserves and tapping into those would jeopardize its bond rating with Moody’s Investor Services, according to Assistant Superintendent for Business Ken Aldrich

A status-quo budget with no cuts would have involved a 7 percent increase and 15 percent tax levy hike, according to district officials.

Voting on the revised budget proposal is scheduled for June 21 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Seaford Manor Schooland