Patch Chat: The 2011-12 White Plains School School Board/Budget Vote

White Plains will vote on the proposed 2011-12 school budget on Tues. May 17, as well as for two school board members—between noon and 9 p.m.

Absentee ballot applications as well as information on the six voting locations (Battle Hill Fire Station #5, Church Street School, Rochambeau School, Highlands School, Mamaroneck Avenue School, Ridgeway School) are available through the district clerk's  office at 914.422.2071.

Incumbents  and are running for re-election. Parent  is running for the first time. (Click on the candidates’ names to read our interviews and watch videos.) The two candidates who are elected will serve a three-year term starting July 1. 

 A candidates’ forum was sponsored by the White Plains League of Women Voters was on May 5, and will be shown and repeated on channel 77 on iO Cablevision and channel 46 on Verizon Fios and repeated. 

Here are 5 things you need to know about the 2011-12 White Plains School District Budget:

• The total budget is $185,536,466, a 1.09 percent increase over last year’s budget.  
• The budget carries a tax rate increase of 2.67 percent over last year’s budget; or $213.90 ($.59 cents a day) more for the average house assessed at $15,000.
• The budget calls for 35. 2 (full time equivalent) staff position cuts: one administrator, 5.2 teachers and 29 support staff
• The budget calls for the elimination of the adult education program, which will be offered by BOCES and Westchester Community College
• The budget will have Family Services of Westchester take over part of the district’s pre-kindergarten program. The district-administered portion of the program will serve 108 students, at a cost of $300,000.

All three school board candidates said they felt the proposed budget was fair—both Eller and Stein voted in favor of it. White Plains Board of Education Member Donna McLaughlin was the first board member in recent memory . She felt the budget should of cut out items that are “a luxury, not a necessity,” like the $300,000 cost of the pre-k program.

Some parents who fought to save pre-k during budget discussions with the final outcome of the budget. Julia Wall, who spearheaded the effort to save pre-k, the importance of the school budget prior to this year.

“Now I realized how irresponsible I was,” .  “I never considered the impact my apathy could have on my kids in the future, on the kids currently in our schools, on our real estate values, or on our larger community.”

What do you think?

• Did you vote for or against last year’s budget? Have you ever voted for a school budget?
• Do you know the basic details of the 2011-12 budget? Are you pleased with the proposal that is before voters?
• What does the school budget mean to you? How does is affect you?

Want to learn more learn more about the budget? Click  or on the PDF for the district’s budget newsletter. Click here to review budget documents.

Like us on Facebook (facebook.com/WhitePlainsPatch) and follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/WhtPlainsPatch)