A $122, 464,394 budget was recommended for the 2010-2011 school year by Mamaroneck Superintendent Paul Fried to the Board of Education and community last night, which at $1,769,317 more than last year, represents a 1.47 percent budget-to-budget increase.

"I believe this is the lowest budget-to-budget increase in the history of the school district," Fried told an audience of about 50 people in the tiered classroom at Mamaroneck High School.

As has been previously reported, rolling over this year's budget would result in an additional 9 percent increase in costs. Not wanting to burden taxpayers further, particularly in these tough economic times, Dr. Fried said he hoped to keep the tax increase to under 3 percent. To facilitate this, a series of close to $9 million cuts were needed.

In an effort to keep the community involved in the process, the Board of Education held three unprecedented "Budget Reduction Initiative" meetings in February and March. There, diverse options for reductions and cuts were considered, including a half-day kindergarten program, reducing funding to the middle school and high school musicals and raising class sizes. Certain options, such as the half-day kindergarten, were met with significant opposition and were, in fact, not included in last night's proposed budget.

"We listen carefully to the things that matter to people in our community," Fried said when beginning his discussion.

In this version, the school tax rate would increase by 2.81 percent, a reduction from the 4.45 percent and 5.82 percent mentioned at earlier budget meetings.

One of the main ways the budget was able to offset the tax increase was to lower expenses in areas such as equipment, contracted services, materials and supplies. In addition, money was taken from workers' compensation and unemployment reserve funds.

As for cuts, a total of 53 staff positions would be eliminated, including 11 teaching positions. However, on the high school level, an English teacher and financial aid officer positions were restored. When it came to the financial aid position, Fried explained that over 40 percent of students seek help from the financial aid officer so the importance in keeping that position intact became apparent.

Other eliminations include field trips, the Lincoln Center program, Pep band and 11 extra-curricular clubs in the high school and Hommocks, practice tests in grades 3-5 and the ERB in grade 5.

In particular, the reduction of funding to the Hommocks and high school musicals was a point of contention at earlier meetings. In this version of the budget, they will be funded at 50 percent. Funding was reduced to the Teacher Institute, Counseling Center and Semi-Royal Shakespeare Company and Performing Arts Curriculum Experience.

As for athletics, the budget calls for three teams per sport, resulting in the elimination of 8 teams and 9 coaches. It's estimated that this will affect about 175 children.

Although the audience was considerably smaller than at the Budget Reduction Initiative meetings, many continued to voice their opinion. Concern over long-term planning was apparent, and a few expressed interest in having the community involved in the contract negotiations that will occur in 2011. 

Dr. Fried ended his presentation explaining that if the community votes down the budget twice, a contingency budget will go into effect. The contingency budget of a 0 percent increase would result in another $1.8 million in cuts, possibly including an additional 19 staff members, he said.

On Saturday, March 20 at 9 a.m., there will be a meeting to go over the budget line by line.

Changes to the proposed budget can be made until April 20, when it will be officially adopted by the Board. On May 18, the community will vote on it.