Amityville schools stay within budget, will keep elementary school open
Thursday April 11, 2024 Amityville, N.Y: Outside the Northeast Elementary school Thursday morning. Credit: Tom Lambui
The Amityville school board has adopted a final budget that, thanks to a last-minute infusion of $2 million in extra state aid, saves an elementary school from closure and keeps the tax increase within the state limit.
The school board adopted the $117.7 million spending plan at its meeting Tuesday, bridging a $4.6 million budget gap with a mix of the added state aid, a tax increase along with staff and other cuts.
The proposed budget must still pass muster with voters on May 21, but school board members said they were relieved that it will preserve Northeast Elementary School, the location of the district's pre-kindergarten program, which was under discussion for closure.
The school houses 124 pre-kindergarten students and 18 special needs students.
The $2 million in state aid was procured by Assemblywoman Kimberly Jean-Pierre and Sen. Monica Martinez. The district will also receive $29.7 million in state foundation aid, which is $264,017 more than the prior year, officials said.
"Their efforts ensure that Amityville's youngest learners will continue to have access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programming that establishes a strong foundation for their educational career," said Superintendent Gina Talbert in a written message to the school community Saturday.
Jean-Pierre said in a statement, "This is not just a budgetary line item; it was about the heart of the community and the future of our children."
Martinez, noting that she is a former educator herself, said in a statement, "I know firsthand the importance of retaining our teachers and ensuring students maintain access to services, AP classes and recreational activities that are foundational to a well-rounded educational experience."
The Amityville school board has been wrestling for months with one budget crisis after another. The district's money crunch follows a separate budget deficit of $3.6 million for the school year that ended in June 2023. That prompted the school board last month to announce the layoffs of 47 teachers and staff.
Even with the added state money, the district still plans to eliminate a high school dean, middle school dean, assistant principal, attendance teacher, music teacher and a director of English as a New Language, said Nakia Wolfe, the head of the district's teachers union.
Wolfe said he had hoped school officials would have kept more money in the budget, even pierced the tax cap, to lessen the impact on students education. The state has set the district's allowable tax increase at 3.08%, but piercing the cap requires a 60% approval from voters.
"Let the voter's decide. Go out and explain it to voters, gain their trust," he said. Referring to the one-time $2 million in additional state aid, he said, "This is a short-term patch-up. It doesn't mean we won't be in the same position next year."
The proposed budget would be funded in part by $65.7 million in school taxes.
The revised budget, if approved by voters, would bring the increase in the tax levy for Babylon and Oyster Bay to 3.077%. The tax rate for Babylon would rise from $207.91 per $100 of assessed value to $214.38. The tax rate for Oyster Bay would rise from $252.10 per $100 of assessed value to $259.57.
Community advocate Wendy Canestro, who has announced her own run for school board, said that while she was happy to see the elementary school preserved, said she worries that the school board will continue to face monetary problems down the line.
"The board of education has proven it lacks financial prowess, and a lack of foresight," she said.
Wolfe said the board still has challenges ahead. He noted that school board member Dave Heller has resigned, which follows the resignation of Terry Fulton at the end of last year. Heller's resignation comes too late to fill his position in the May elections, Wolfe said, and the board has yet to decide whether to appoint a replacement or hold a special election, he said.
"I think there's a lot of work to be done on finances, so we don't have a situation of laying off teachers and closing a school next year," Wolfe said.
Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
