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NO AP SCHOOL TAX INCREASE

That got your attention right? It is possible this year. It was also possible last year.
On June 26th of 2007 I made a motion in open session to take 1 million of your over paid tax dollars, and reduce the tax levy increase to zero. Steve Valente joined me in supporting this, the others said no. The motion failed 5-2

Now, throughout the budget season, this administration has admitted that those accounts were in fact over funded and has wanted to use the money to increase spending. I have been strongly against this because it still does not bring any tax relief to you, the tax payer. Keep in mind, these funds are overpayments that you made in 05-06 and 06-07. Don’t you, the voter, deserve some consideration given the economic outlook and the reassessments?

It is time to say “GIVE IT BACK!!” It was taken from the taxpayers under false pretenses and the audits show the truth. This year, you should get something back. Do you remember when they said we couldn’t afford sports? Dori Haines and Erin Loffredo worked their butts off to fund raise and for what? We had surpluses in the budget.

Misrepresenting the financial state of the district to the voters should be a crime. Using the line “If the budget fails we have to cut programming” is unfair and inaccurate. On April 3rd, we received a list of non-mandated items. We could cut $500,000 from the budget by eliminating Asst. Principals, the Asst. Superintendent, conferences, graduate re-imbursement, and stipends. Student programming would still go on and the people that really do the work, the teacher, would not be touched.

How can a zero tax levy increase be done?
First, take the bus debt pay down (labeled Debt Service, buses) out of the capital debt reserve account instead of the “4 accounts” (where the $3.5 million got buried last year).
For even numbers, let’s pay down $750,000 in bus debt.
Second, increase the “Debt service transfers” by $750,000.
Third, decrease the line labeled “local school taxes” by $750,000.
Done! No increase in“Local School Taxes” this year. Simple right?

One problem, the BOE adopted the budget early, by a vote of 5-2 (You know who the 2 were). The vote was taken on April 3, 2008 during the bid award meeting. The vote wasn’t on the agenda and the only mention of budget was a discussion of options. The BOE had been saying right along that the adoption would be April 8th, 2008. So, unless they change their mind, the only way to do it now is fail the budget and tell the board to try again. Maybe then, they will listen.

Bill Reinhardt