Schools

Sachem BOE Revises Budget Plans

Numbers presented, then revised again during added public budget meeting at Samoset.

The Sachem Board of Education held an extra budget meeting at Samoset Middle School on Wednesday night and hundreds of residents showed up to fight for their respective programs.

Kicking off the public comments for the evening was US Olympian racewalker Maria Michta, who used her three minutes to speak about the long-lasting benefits she received from attending Sachem and being a part of Sachem athletics. Numerous representatives of the district’s athletics program were also on hand, including Steve Mills, who spoke before the board with a team of other athletes at his side.

Parents whose children take part in the district’s GATE program were also present, imploring the board to reconsider its decision to eliminate the program to save $321,000 under the new proposed plan. Children from the GATE program took front and center as well, relaying their experiences with GATE and its benefits to their overall education.

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After hearing public comments Associate Superintendent Bruce Singer introduced an updated revision to the spending plan, which reflected a 7.68% tax levy increase. The new tax levy was a full percentage lower than last week’s draft. However, after hearing from numerous members of the board wishing to keep GATE and maintain classroom sizes, the numbers went back up to somewhere between a 7.99% and 8.25% tax levy. In an informal up or down vote, the board was split 4-4 on whether they’d get behind one or the other. Board member Christine Lampitelli was absent due to a family emergency.

Not all residents in the audience were satisfied with the idea of adding in the line items; one woman felt that the board couldn’t keep acquiescing to special interest groups (such as GATE) every time they showed up to plead for their respective programs.

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Singer also introduced a tax-cap-based budget outlook in the event that the 7.99% budget should fail at the polls. The tax-cap budget would call for deeper cuts, among them the possible closure of two middle schools. Board member Michael Timo stated his desire to roll the dice that the community would get behind a 7.99% budget and not present the tax cap budget as a viable alternative. He also emphasized the value of reinstating the GATE program, citing that it would cost the taxpayers roughly five cents per day. He held up a bottle of water and stated that he would redeem the recycling nickel to have GATE remain.

“Don’t throw away the nickels and don’t throw away the GATE program,” he said.

The board is expected to adopt its final budget at next week’s April 17 meeting.

Side Notes:

It is still unclear whether or not the board plans to opt into the “pension smoothing” program offered by Albany. The program would allow Sachem to make this year’s large payout to the Teacher Retirement System and spread it out over a period of 7 years. The interest from opting into the deal would be approximately $1 million in the long run. The board doesn’t have to commit to the program until June 2014.

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There were some contentious moments during the budget hearing, most notably after a parent representing the GATE program made the comparison that his daughter’s educational needs are similar to special needs children with disabilities, because it requires an altered or extended curriculum to meet her educational goals. Board member Doug Duncan took extreme offense to the comparison.

“To compare the GATE students to our special needs students, as a brother of a sister with special needs, I find it insulting,” Duncan said. “You should be embarrassed, but I know you’re not. I’m glad you said it, though, because it shows how important the teachers are…to teach students things they’re clearly not learning at home.”


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