Lew-Port closing in on finalizing 2007-08 budget

by Terry Duffy
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, April 7, 2007

The days are drawing ever so close to April 20 – the state Education Department’s deadline date for adoption of a Lewiston-Porter School District budget for 2007-08 by the School Board -- en route to the May 15 budget/board vote by residents.

With that in mind, Lew-Port Interim Superintendent Don Rappold went over the numbers Tuesday evening with district administrators and attending school board members on just what the proposed $38,451,048 budget entails with respect to its cost to property owners versus anticipated revenues. “This is the budget that people will vote for,” announced Rappold of the $38.451 million plan, which as of Tuesday, still had an extra $715,642 in “wiggle room” at the board’s option for additional offerings to reach a maximum imposed spending limit of $39.166 million.

While the actual 2007-08 tax levy is still not finalized, for area property owners, as written it reflects a very modest $676,067 or 1.79 percent spending increase over last year’s approved district base budget of $37.74 million. Serving Lew-Port’s estimated 3,000 students, it also represents one of the smallest proposed plans seen by school districts in the area. Just south, Niagara-Wheatfield School District property owners are looking at a potential $63.933 million 2007-08 budget along with a potential 0.7 percent increase for its 4,000-plus students, while on Grand Island that district is eyeing a $47.341 million plan for its roughly 4,100-plus students, which brings a projected 0.6 percent tax hike for Island property owners.

Potential Items

Among its offerings, the Lew-Port plan factors in such potential items as an additional kindergarten teacher in the Primary Education Center, which currently has 121 student commitments in its kindergarten program for 2007-08 – a figure that could rise to 161, according to Primary Ed Principal Margaret Beach. It also includes a request for an additional 5th grade instructor for the Intermediate Education Center, which is now encountering a problem of increased class sizes. “It’s critical,” says Intermediate School Principal Tamara Larson, as to the building’s ongoing need to reduce 5th grade classroom numbers.

And it includes a new math teacher for the high school, which is now contending with mandated state Education Department changes to Math A and the preparations of a new math curriculum, plus establishment of an Integrated Algebra lab. It also has the potential for new or reconfigured computer hardware for the high school, and additional special education enhancements.

‘Low End’ State Funding

Rappold said the relatively lean 2007-08 L-P budget includes a “low end” 3.01 percent funding increase in projected state aid over last year, not yet factoring in STAR reimbursements, for the Lew-Port School District. For Lew-Port, it ranks as the second lowest state aid allocation in all of Niagara County, he pointed out, noting that North Tonawanda, for example, was projected to receive a mere 1.21 percent. On the opposite end, Niagara Falls leads the pack in state aid projections with 12.5 percent, nearby Starpoint Central is looking at an 11.15 percent increase and Niagara-Wheatfield, a 07.40 percent increase. Rappold said the state Legislature consistently views Lew-Port as “a wealthy school district” and also that its student population numbers have remained relatively stable while others have grown, thus accounting for its low aid increases to Lew-Port.

But he said the district nonetheless has been and continues to be able to maintain a cost-efficient operation, thanks to sound budgeting decisions and such revenue streams as real property taxes – described as the largest source of revenue; STAR reimbursements; PILOT revenues, from such sources as the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, Modern Corporation and Lewiston Country Estates, and the annual gross receipts tax payments it receives from CWM Chemical Services as part of its Community Host Agreement with the district. Rappold estimated the district will receive $205,000 in CWM payments over the coming year.

Future Monies

And the proposed L-P spending plan for 2007-08 does not factor in the lead-off bonus monies or the anticipated future annual funding, including 1.5 mw in monthly power allocations to Lew-Port from the forthcoming 50-year New York Power Authority settlement package, nor any potential Greenway funding which the district could apply to use toward its debt service payments for its capital improvements, for example. Both are expected to be major factors in the district’s future financial planning, both Rappold and Board President Dave Schaubert pointed out.

The Board is expected to finalize the plan toward adoption of the budget at its regular Tuesday, April 17, meeting, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Resource Center meeting room. The annual district budget hearing will take place Tuesday, May 1, beginning at 6:30 p.m., also in the Resource Center meeting room, and the budget/board vote itself will occur Tuesday, May 15, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Stay tuned to the Sentinel for updates.