Seaford District Officials Continue to Crunch Budget Numbers

As Seaford district officials explore lower and lower potential budget proposals, the possible program cuts continue to increase.

During Thursday night’s Board of Education workshop meeting the impacts of budget proposals that would increase 4.1 percent, 3.5 percent and 2.6 percent were discussed. As each potential budget was presented the number of cuts that would need to take place continued to rise. 

Some of the programs that could be affected by cuts in draft budget proposals discussed at the school board meeting include the district’s marching band camp, summer remedial programs and middle school sports teams. Class sizes could also rise slightly.

For Seaford to maintain all current programs and staff there would need to be a 7 percent budget increase, according to district officials. Under a 4.1 percent budget increase, cuts could include cutting seventh grad boys and girls basketball, winter cheerleading and the district’s marching band camp. Under a 3.5 percent budget increase proposa, additional cuts could include seventh grade volleyball and winter track.

"All of the things that we are putting down  [as possible cuts] are painful to put down and no matter what we put down it is valuable to someone,” said Seaford Superintendent Brian Conboy during the school board meeting at . “No matter what we list somebody is going to value it greatly.”

No matter how low Seaford’s budget proposal ends up being there will be no escaping the fact that taxes will rise for the average homeowner due in large part to the district facing a $1.6 million cut in state aid, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s latest spending plan. Even under a contingency budget, which would be a 2.6 percent increase, the tax levy would rise about 8 percent, according to Ken Aldrich, Seaford’s assistant superintendent for business. The tax levy is the total amount that a district must raise in property taxes in order to meet expenses.

“We’re going to try find a sellable number for our community in a very, very difficult climate where even a 0 increase leads to tax levy increase,” said Conboy. “If we don’t spend an additional cent from last year we still have to raise taxes.”

If the district were forced to operate on a contingency budget the district may be forced to cut its full-day kindergarten to a half-day program and eliminate all middle school athletic teams as well as instrumental music at the fourth grade level. When going over the potential of a 2.6 percent budget increase proposal, Conboy emphasized that he fully endorses full-day kindergarten but that reducing it to a half-day program cannot be ruled out given the fiscal challenges the district is facing.

In addition to a large projected reduction in state aid, Seaford only has a little over $600,000 in reserve funds, the second lowest total of Nassau County’s 56 districts, according to Board of Education president Brian Fagan. Throwing another monkey wrench in Seaford's budget process is a proposed 2 percent tax levy cap from Gov. Cuomo that if approved by the state legislature would kick in for next year.

Fagan said the school board has reached out to all six of the district’s bargaining units to see if they would be willing to adjust their contracts in light of the budget challenges. So far the only unit who has agreed to re-work its contract for next year is the district’s building administrator union, which has agreed to freeze raises for half of next year. In addition Conboy, Aldrich and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Personnel John A. Striffolino have volunteered to for next school year.

The Seaford school board will continue budget discussions at its next workshop meeting this Wednesday at Seaford Manor School starting at 7:30 p.m.