Walking distance, buses, school board and public library also on the ballot
Voters in the Bethlehem School District will take to the polls Tuesday, May 18, to approve or disapprove of an $88,296,000 budget for the 2010-11 school year.
The budget is a 0.8 percent increase from this year’s and would include an estimated 3 percent increase in the tax levy. The actual tax rate won’t be available until the summer, when assessment equalization rates are set.
The district made cuts to nearly every area of the budget during a multi-month budgeting process. Among the reductions are 11 teachers, a special education teacher, 10 various staff and administrative positions, two custodians, the elimination of field trip funding and bevy of line items like clubs and technology upgrade budgets.
In athletics, two coaches were cut from the indoor track team, elementary intramurals were scaled back to two days per week and the cheerleading program was partially defunded by moving it into the clubs category from the athletics department.
The district also adopted a new facility usage fee schedule that increases the costs for community groups using school facilities, creating an estimated $60,000 increase in revenue. The new schedule was proposed as a way to avoid closing the Middle School pool.
The cuts were largely in response to further school aid reductions threatened in Gov. David Paterson’s executive budget. BC would suffer a roughly $2.5 million reduction under that plan, but the state has yet to adopt a budget.
If voters reject the budget, the district will have the opportunity to put the same budget or an amended budget to a second vote, or go directly to a contingency budget.
A contingency budget is set by a state formula that is influence by the Consumer Price Index. Employee contracts and state mandates must still be honored.
While in most cases a contingency budget allows for a slight increase in the year-to-year budget to maintain programming, the ongoing economic crisis this year would see the district facing another $1.5 million in cuts on top of those made in the proposed budget.
According to Superintendent Michael Tebbano, a contingency budget would likely result in further teacher layoffs, sharp cuts into the athletics program and across the board budget reductions for every department.
Such a scenario could decimate the district, he said in March.
Voters last turned down a budget in 2006, but passed a revised budget a month later.
In addition to the school budget, voters will also see three propositions on the budget.
One is for the proposed $3,782,023 Bethlehem Public Library Budget. It’s roughly $25,000 less than the 2009-10 budget.
If approved, the tax levy would see no increase, leaving the estimated tax rate at $1.22 per $1,000 of assessed home value in Bethlehem and $1.21 in New Scotland.
There are also three candidates for two, 5-year terms on the library Board of Trustees. Voters will have a choice between Jeremy Martelle, John McCarthy and Mitchell Goldstein.
Also on the ballot will be a proposal for the purchase of school buses. The district would bond $1.4 million to purchase 15 vehicles`11 large buses, four medium ones`which would equate to zero growth in the Transportation Department’s bus fleet.
The proposition is $200,000 higher than last year’s, even though fewer vehicles are included. The cost of steel and new EPA emission standards are driving up the price of vehicles, according to the district.
Voters will be asked to approve or disapprove of an increase in the walking distance from the BC High School. Now, students living within one-half-mile of the school are not provided with busing. The proposition, if passed, would double that distance at an estimated savings of $10,600.
The school board had originally examined extending a walking distance to the middle school, but withdrew that idea after a discussion of roads and terrain around the middle school.
The board vote to proceed with a high school walking distance proposition was split 4-3.
All elementary school students are offered busing.
Two seats are open on the BC Board of Education. Running for three-year terms are Chris Bergere, Jennifer Bliss, Michael Cooper, Jonathan Fishbein and incumbent Diane Giacone-Stever.
School board Vice President Lisa Allendorph holds the other open seat, and is not seeking reelection.
Voters will for the first time have the opportunity to participate in an electronic district exit poll. In years past, a writer survey was available, but district officials said they hope a bank of computers would help boost participation rates, which average around 10 percent.
The anonymous poll solicits feedback on a voter’s reasons for voting and thoughts on the budget development process.
The vote will take place 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Bethlehem Central High School, 700 Delaware Avenue.
You do not have to be registered to vote to take part, just be a resident of the school district for 30 days prior.
Check www.spotlightnews.com for up-to-the-minute budget vote results and analysis.“