Editorials Spending is still out of control in proposed Lancaster school budget By Lee Chowaniec Apr 23, 2008, 18:23 Email this article  Printer friendly page In their press release, the Lancaster Central School District is elated to announce that they will be able to reduce the tax rate because of release from the state’s Contract for Excellence list and added cost cutting measures. The Lancaster Central School District Board of Education approved a $81.5 million spending plan for the 2008-09 school year by a vote of 7-0. The budget calls for a tax rate increase of 46 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property valuation in Lancaster, which is well below the figure the district began budget talks with when it was on the state’s Contract for Excellence list. The pres release states that further reductions in the budget include $800,000 that was a more than expected savings from moving to a single health carrier, Independent Health. An additional $200,000 was trimmed from the budget as a deferred expense from the district’s EXCEL aid bond issue. Other savings were realized through cuts in central printing, projected retirements and a decrease in conference spending. Lancaster School Board members generally said they were pleased with the spending plan they adopted, considering that they were looking at a double-digit spending increase earlier in the budget-making process. Budget additions The budget includes additional special education staffing (three teachers) that will ensure the district meets the required student -to-teacher ratios at three buildings. Twenty-five advanced placement classes at the high school will be offered. The board points out that enrollment is strong for the Academy of the Visual and Performing Arts. “This academy fulfills a goal of the Board of Education and the Superintendent.” If approved by district voters on May 20, the plan would raise the tax rate for Lancaster property owners to $16.13 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, an increase of 46 cents per $1,000 from the current tax rate. In Cheektowaga, the property tax rate would be $24.37 per $1,000, which is an increase of 18 cents per $1,000. Town of Elma property owners in the district pay based only on a partial assessment, and would see their tax rate rise to $299.16 per $1,000, or an increase of $2.20 per $1,000. Spending still out of contr The Buffalo News reported that the $81.5 million budget for 2008-09 calls for a 2.9 percent increase in spending from the current year’s budget. Not so! Considering last year’s budget was $76.4 million and the proposed is $81.5 million, that’s an increase of 6.6 percent in spending, well over twice the rate of inflation. Year ---------------Budget ------- Spending % increase 2008-09 --------- $81.50 million --------- 6.60 2007-08 --------- $76.37 million --------- 6.55 2006-07 --------- $71.68 million --------- 5.61 2005-06 --------- $67.87 million --------- 7.75 2004-05 --------- $62.99 million --------- 4.05 2003-04 --------- $60.54 million --------- 3.83 2002-03 --------- $58.31 million --------- 0.87 2001-02 --------- $57.81 million --------- 3.47 2000-01 --------- $55.86 million --------- 6.18 Last year, the Lancaster School Board adopted a 2007-08 budget that increased spending by 6.55 percent ($4.7 million). The $76.37 million budget’s increase was primarily offset by the increase in 2006 property assessments and increased state aid, resulting in a 25 cent per thousand assessed property increase. “An incredible value,” says School Board President Ken Graber. At that time, I had voiced concerns about the school spending. Once again the state is handing out record numbers of dollars to New York State school districts to keep property taxes from increasing. The state will incur near a $5 billion deficit in the process. Once again, who is the state? Why we are! One way or the other, we are paying for the school district’s spending every dollar they get their hands on. At earlier budget discussions a board member had openly stated that class size was not an issue. The school district hired 6 reading teachers last year and will hire another three special education teachers this year. What’s the problem you say about a school district budget that only increases taxes by 46 cents/$1,000? Last year the tax increase was 25 cents per thousand and Lancaster was on the Contract for Excellent program and had to spend state aid money on mandated programs and not for lowering taxes. This year Lancaster is off the C4E list, has received a record amount of state aid and instead of treating taxpayers to a balanced budget, they have near doubled the tax rate increase from last year’s budget. With the 2007-08 6.55 percent increase, the Lancaster School District had increased its spending by 21 percent in the last three years, at a time when town growth and school enrollment has stabilized. The brunt of that money has gone for salary and benefit increases. And on it goes. Can’t wait to see the Business First school district rankings to see whether we are getting a bang for our buck! © Copyright 2008 by Speakupwny.com Top of Page

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