School district continues discussion on budget

by Kathleen Duff
Grand Island Dispatch, April 4, 2008

With the public vote on the 2008-09 school budget coming on May 20, the Grand Island Board of Education Monday evening continued discussions on the latest draft of “the numbers.”

Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance Loraine Ingrasci and Superintendent Robert Christmann said that an approximate tax rate increase of 2.4 percent or lower is possible. “This is not a final number,” Christmann emphasized. By the time the final draft is presented to trustees for approval on April 7, “It should go down,” he said.

“School budgeting is really difficult to do,” Christmann said, “because there are so many unknowns,” including the governor’s budget from Albany. He also stated that approximately “$3.2 million will be spent. ... We have been finding ways to add revenues.” Christmann said that the challenge with each budget is to preserve the student program while respecting the wishes of the taxpayer.

In addition, for review by the public on May 8 will be two finance resolutions. Ingrasci informed trustees that, if passed, one resolution would allow the district to create a capital reserve account, whose goal would be to save toward capital improvement projects so that future building in the district would have “no tax consequences.” The public would have to vote “yes” or “no” each time money is taken in or out of the account. The other item for public vote involves purchases of buses. Ingrasci indicated that there would be no tax consequences for the transportation.

In other business, Christmann reported that New York state Assemblyman Dale Volker is one of several officials working toward keeping 90 School Resource Officers, or SROs, on the job next school year. When former Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced he intended to re-assign the officers to high crime urban areas, school districts through out the state, including Grand Island, began a vigorous campaign with state legislators to stop the governor’s action. Christmann said that there has been “lots of public response and response from the students.” He is “optimistic” the SROs will be funded.

In good news, the board presented two awards to Ken-Ton BOCES students. Alicia Camizzi was named Ken-Ton Professional of the Month for January/February in the area of Early Childhood Education II. Joe Romano was named Ken-Ton Student of the Month for Culinary Skills I.

The Grand Island Board of Education will meet again on Monday, April 7, at 7 p.m. in the High School Large Cafeteria for a regular business meeting and for adoption of the 2008-09 budget.