The Herricks Board of Education voted to set the 2012-13 school district tax levy at $89,429,579 at its meeting last Thursday night, representing the 2.88 percent year-to-year increase the board had projected when the budget was presented for the May ballot.
The tax levy increase falls within the bounds of the state-mandated tax cap and includes the planned return of $1.2 million from a current budget surplus to Herricks taxpayers, according to Helen Costigan, Herricks assistant superintendent for business.
The Herricks School Board presented a $101.27 million budget for 2012-13, which represents a 2.29 percent increase over the current $98.99 million budget.
“This is the levy we talked about with the budget that was passed. There’s no change,” Costigan said.
The board delayed the transfer of funds from the reserve for employees retirement contributions to pay a tax certiorari obligation of $346,891 for the 2012-13 school year. The county is currently requiring school districts to pay for prior year judgments on tax appeals formerly covered by Nassau County. Nassau County School Districts are currently challenging that shift in court.
Herricks Superintendent of Schools John Bierwirth said the amount involved was relatively low but he also said the county’s tax assessment system should be reformed before school districts are required to make up for revenue shortfalls.
“Our position is, you’ve got to get your assessments straight. You’re the ones who screwed up the system,” Bierwirth said. “You’ve got to clean this up before you ask the school districts to pay for it.”
School board Vice President Jim Gounaris also criticized state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) for voting in favor of a bill that would have required school districts to consider a student’s home life and cultural environment when determining special education placements. Gounaris said the bill, which was vetoed by Gov, Andrew Cuomo, could have resulted in school districts paying for special education students to attend private religious schools.
“As a board member, it’s important that our residents know how our legislative representatives are voting on issues that affect our pocket books,” said Gounaris, who complained that neither Martins nor state Assemblywoman Michelle Schimel (D-Neck), who voted against the bill, had contacted the school board before voting on the bill.
Bierwirth described the bill as “a nice political statement without thinking through the consequences.”
Board members also passed a resolution calling on Cuomo to veto a bill passed by both houses of the Legislature – and supported by Martins and Schimel – that would grant seniority rights to laid-off employees in situations where they could be hired back by school districts.
“This would not be something that’s good for the school districts,” Gounaris said. “Once again, they voted without contacting any of us.”
Board members did not reach a consensus on the issue of setting fees to charge outside organizations, including community organizations, that use its playing fields and indoor school facilities.
Costigan said Herricks Athletic Director Jim Petricca bases field usage fees at $30 per hour, but caps weekly usage at that level. Extrapolating that rate for other organizations, Costigan said the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra’s use of one room in the Herricks High School for two hours could be calculated at $75 while its use of four rooms at the middle school could be calculated at $300.
“It’s only fair it we’re charging athletic teams, we should charge other organizations for using facilities,” said Trustee Brian Hassan, who is also a member of the Herricks Athletic Boosters.
Gounaris said outside organization usage rates should be set at a “flat-level minimum.”
Board President Christine Turner said the board had previously discussed setting a minimum of $50 for usage fees.
The board had previously reached a consensus on not charging organization whose membership comprise 80 percent of school district residents.
Bierwirth suggested the board contact the respective organizations to be affected by the imposition of fees before the next board meeting in early September.
In other developments:
• The board voted to accept the sale of $9 million in tax anticipation notes for the 2012-13 school year at a net interest rate of 0.2695 percent.
Costigan said the money would be used to pay for the school district’s operational costs until property taxes are paid in the fall.
“It’s short-term. We’ll pay it back by next year,” she said.
• The board accepted a gift valued at $2,041.20 from the Herricks Athletic Boosters for the purchase of tennis wind screens for the high school tennis courts. The board also accepted a gift valued at $3,577 from the athletic boosters to purchase a Smith Press machine for the high school fitness room.
• Bierwirth announced that Lori Langer de Ramirez, head of the school district’s world languages program, is giving up her job to take a position at the Dalton School in Manhattan.
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