Yorktown Board of Education Approves $91.1 Million 2011-2012 Budget

The Yorktown board of education unanimously voted to approve a $91.1 million budget on Monday. 

The approved budget includes a 1.99 percent tax levy increase and 1.86 percent tax rate increase. This year’s total budget increases 1.32 percent, or about $1.184 million, more than last year’s budget.

The tax levy increase is $6,000 under Gov. Andrew Cuomo's proposed 2-percent tax cap. If the tax cap is passed, the school district could still introduce a budget with a more than 2-percent tax levy increase. However, Superintendent of Schools Ralph Napolitano said 60 percent of voters would have to approve that increase to override tax cap.

School officials initially , which will now be $850,000, Napolitano said. Since the district has received $148,000 more in state aid than anticipated, there were two options: to return the money to taxpayers or add it to the contingency fund. He asked board members to add $148,000 to the contingency fund to give him the flexibility to use it if needed. If not used for the 2011-2012 year, the money would be returned to taxpayers, Napolitano said. 

"I can promise you that I will not make any decisions that would cause you to think I'm not being responsible," he told board members. "I would like to have that figure to be flexible if we need to add some position back that I'm not anticipating at this moment."

Board members supported his request and approved to add the money to the contingency fund.

Since 2005, the district has seen a decline in enrollment. For the 2010-2011 year, there were 55 fewer students than projected. In 2011-2012 there will be 48 students less than the 2011-2012 projection at this time last year, Napolitano said. 

As part of the budget, there will be a district-wide reduction of 23 to 26 positions inclusive of salaries and benefits. Some of those reductions would be through attrition, decreased enrollment, redeployment of staff, alternative delivery of some programs and excessing.

The districts would continue to save $1.2 million each year the French Hill school is closed. Officials are expecting to lease the French Hill building, which would generate additional revenue. To offset the tax levy, the district will be transferring $1.6 million from the fund balance.

In addition, there would be no more SmartBoard purchases from the general fund budget. Almost every classroom in the district is equipped with those boards, but an additional 29 SmartBoards would not be purchased, Napolitano said, saving the district approximately $150,000.

To save money the district has reduced supplies, equipment, library books, some BOCES programs, the fund balance, staff, athletic scrimmages and competitions. There would be no increase to pay schedules for nurses, teachers, and district administrators in 2010-2011, Napolitano said, and there will be a budget freeze for the remainder of of the 2010-2011 year. 

At the end of March, the Yorktown Congress of Teachers (YCT) and the Yorktown Central School District , to expire in August, 2012. Although there is no increase to the teachers' salary schedules in the first year, approximately 65 percent of teachers in the district will still receive an increase to their salary based on reaching another step, which is an automatic salary increase, Assistant Superintendent of Business Tom Cole said. 

Yorktown board of education president Jackie Carbone said the three administrators, Napolitano, Cole and Assistant Superintendent of Schools Florence O'Connor have agreed to a freeze of their salary. Napolitano's salary for the current year is $240,000. During the last school board meeting, his contract was extended to 2016. 

Some of the budget problems and concern for school officials come from the fact that the Yorktown school district will be paying out big chunks of money to property owners who have in court and won. The declining real estate values have led to significant tax challenges in town. Currently, the former Verizon building, located on Route 202 near BJ's, has challenged Yorktown for what they consider "excessive taxing" over a period of 10 years, Napolitano said. That will require nearly $1 million reimbursement, wiping out the district's entire reserve. 

Approximately $850,000 additional certioraris are expected in the next twelve months including BJ’s property, expected to be estimated at $320,000. 

Looking ahead for the 2012-2013 year, Napolitano said there would be "more painful" decisions to come, programs would be under scrutiny, class sizes may increase. 

The approved budget now faces a public vote. The district will hold a budget hearing on May 9 to allow residents to comment. Residents then will vote on the budget May 17 at the  from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.