This article is the lead story in the April-May Tartan Report to be mailed to homes during the last week of April

Board of Education cuts budget by more than $1 million while trying to keep program intactÉ
S-G facing toughest budget in a decade

Faced with a proposed $1 million cut in state aid and skyrocketing costs for special education, health insurance and retirement costs, the Board of Education unanimously approved a budget of $35.42 million.
The adoption comes after slicing more than $1 million in proposed spending. S-G faces as desperate a situation as it did during the deep budget and state aid cuts of 1992 and 1993.
Despite the cuts, the budget carries a tax increase of 9.7% to 13.1%.
For $100,000 home, the lower figure would mean an estimated increase of $232.77 in taxes or $19.39 per month. The higher number means a tax increase of $314.75 or $26.23 per month.
The final tax rates, to be set by the Board of Education in August, depends on action by state legislators:
• The lower rate assumes $400,000 of the $1 million cut in state aid will be restored and the state will agree to a 5% payment into the state Retirement System for non-teachers instead of the original 11% proposal.
Legislators have said they hope to restore some aid and lower retirement contributions.
• The higher rate assumes that none of the state aid cut is restored and the state requires an 11% contribution to the retirement system for non-teachers.

Keeping the education program intact
A special issue of the Tartan Report to be mailed in early May will include more specifics about the budget.
The Board of Education held four budget forums. Comments from more than 100 community members and dozens of staff suggestions for cuts were considered by the board.
“This budget skims from many areas,” said Board of Education President Kurt Ahnert. “We’ve taken a bit from each area of the budget but attempted to keep our basic educational program intact.”
The plan cuts $1.07 million from the preliminary budget presented in February. That budget would have hiked taxes by an unacceptable 20%.

What’s In, What’s Out
The budget includes mandated increases such as a speech position, a teaching assistant to help elementary students who fail state tests, a special education position, more psychologist time at the middle school and two new special education classes.
The latter two classes will save the district money by bringing back several students scheduled to be sent to more expensive classes at BOCES.
The budget cuts:
w 20.8 positions, including 10.8 full-time teaching positions, 8.5 evening cleaners, a full-time teaching assistant and a half-time secretary for a total cut of $726,350.
w Elementary summer school and field trips for $11,725, K-12 supplies by $19,826; K-12 textbooks, summer curriculum and staff development by $128,102; Academic Head of Math position for a $73,000 savings; athletics for $31,672; and cuts to equipment, technology support, and Board of Education conference costs for a $61,550 savings.

Why is Scotia-Glenville in this situation?
A national recession, slowdown on Wall Street and the loss of tax revenue after the World Trade Center attacks are all cited as reasons for the huge state aid cuts proposed by Gov. Pataki.
“Scotia-Glenville, and every other school district in the state, is now being asked to pay for those bills,” noted Superintendent Michael J. Marcelle.
On top of that, Scotia-Glenville is a heavily residential community with little commercial or industrial tax base.
Since 1998, tax increases at Scotia-Glenville have averaged 2.8%.

Contingency budget cuts another $1.2 million
If voters twice defeat the budget, the Board of Education must enact a contingency budget that increases spending by $1.9% or $582,663.
That would require cuts of $1.2 million and still increase taxes by 3.2 to 6.6%.
However, the programs and teaching staff lost in a contingency budget would change the face of Scotia-Glenville for years.
The district would still be obligated to provide salary increases, other contractual obligations and special education services under a contingency budget. ß