School board cuts tax hike to zero

Contingency budget would cut further

by Karen Keefe
Grand Island Dispatch, June 3, 2005

The Grand Island School Board on Tuesday voted to cut the tax hike to zero, rather than risk a second defeat at the polls that would bring on a contingency budget. They achieved the goal without cutting academic programs and with little or no impact on sports programs.

Board member Jeri Schopp said she and her colleagues would walk “a dangerous line if the tax shows any increase.”

The revote will take place June 28 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Grand Island High School.

Bus proposition back on

Board members also decided to put the bus proposition back on the ballot, but felt safe in resubmitting the same failed proposal. This time, they’ll work to show voters that buying seven new buses won’t cost the district an extra dime, due to state reimbursement of 66 percent, plus the fact that the money already has been allocated.

The board found $392,619 in cuts to achieve a zero increase and bring the budget to $42,764,295.

Equipment purchases cut

Items eliminated include field trips, travel and conference expenses and $111,000 in equipment purchases. Trustees also shaved hours from some jobs, such as a nurse, mail carrier and a new BOCES English Language Arts position. Also, schools will only be cleaned every other day, for a savings of $80,000.

The board heard from about 20 speakers, the majority of whom had voted “yes” on May 17 for a $43.2 million budget and its 2.8 percent tax increase.

Consensus reached

But following the resounding budget defeat, most of the “yes” people now agreed with the “no” people that a zero percent increase was the only way to go.

Incoming board member Myrna Blair said the message from the budget defeat was clear: “No new taxes.”

The administration took the cue from the emerging consensus and chose a pragmatic course to avoid the deeper cuts a contingency budget would impose.

Theresa Winder was in the mainstream among Tuesday’s voters. “Put a zero budget up,” she urged. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than the alternative, she reasoned. This time, Winder advised, the board should “give some clear examples of what it means.”

Area ‘already overtaxed’

Mark Danahy came from a different perspective in pushing for a zero increase. “I have to take exception to a raise in taxes. It’s way too much in an area that’s already overtaxed.” He urged the board to continue the zero increase for as long as possible.

Robert Ratajczak encouraged the board to think outside the box in achieving a zero increase. “Just because it’s mandated doesn’t mean it’s sacred.” He suggested cutting costs of office supplies, cutting back on community education and making some clerical reductions, “We have to avoid the cuts that directly affect our students.”

Other Culprits

Resident Paul Westmoore thought the original 2.8 percent increase was “very reasonable,” considering that the average tax hike in Western New York was about 7 percent.

For Westmoore, the culprits causing higher education costs are the federal government with its unfunded mandates and Island developers who have “plunked down houses like they were tulips,” while commercial development lagged behind.

James Sharpe agreed, “If you don’t have a business base, you don’t have a tax base. Nonetheless Sharpe, former taxpayer advocate, councilman and Chamber of Commerce president, was unhappy with the budget defeat. “I think we made a mistake. I do not want to see the children of Grand Island suffer because someone wants to make a point.”

Impassioned Pleas

Several parents made impassioned pleas for no program cuts, to rousing applause. They stressed the importance of music, sports, AP classes and extracurricular activities in helping their children get into excellent colleges and universities.

Athletic Director Jon Roth said he was directed by Superintendent Dr. Thomas Ramming to find an additional $25,000 in cuts. During the meeting, he said one program with low enrollment that might have to go is gymnastics.

“If I can do it without taking programs, I will,” he told the Dispatch. “But that might not be realistic.”

The next meetings are:

•Monday, June 13: 6 p.m., Retirement Reception, high school foyer; 7 p.m., regular business meeting, high school large cafeteria.

•Monday, June 20, budget hearing, 7 p.m., high school auditorium.

•Tuesday, June 28, school budget vote, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., high school.