With both the Mamaroneck and Rye Neck union free school districts releasing their proposed budgets for the upcoming school year, both Mamaroneck Superintendent Dr. Paul Fried and Rye Neck Superintendent Dr. Peter Mustich are preparing for what could be a heated battle with taxpayers.

Both superintendents understand the current economic climate and that people don't want an increase in their taxes, but it's their jobs to keep up the quality of education without sacrificing too much, explained Fried and Mustich to a few dozen concerned citizens, school board members and government officials at yesterday's monthly local Summit breakfast at the Nautilus Diner.

"The health of our community is connected to the health of our schools," said Fried yesterday. "We want to keep the excellence at our schools. We see this as a united effort."

Also chiming in at the March 16 event were Dr, Kimberly Bucci, assistant supervisor for business and finance for Rye Neck Schools, and Meryl Rubinstein, assistant superintendent for business for Mamaroneck Schools.

The proposed budget for the Mamaroneck Schools, which was presented last night to the Board of Education and the community, calls for $122,464,394, an increase of 1.47 percent over last year, resulting in a 2.81 percent tax growth; while the Rye Neck Schools are asking for $34,880,460, a 1.08 percent increase, which would be a 1.42 percent increase on the total tax levy. Rye Neck's 2010-11 budget is the lowest spending percentage change in 17 years. (The Board of Education had its first budget hearing this morning. Report to follow.)

The Mamaroneck budget already contains district reductions of 13 teachers, another 56 staff members, and provides less money for the theatre department, class trips and athletics. If the Mamaroneck taxpayers don't vote in favor of the new budget, there will either be a second vote or they could turn immediately to the contingency budget, where another $1.77 million in reductions would have to be carried out.

"My perception of it would be that it would be devastating to the education community if we were forced to have to reduce another 16 teachers," said Fried. "Last year we saw 34 reductions [in staff] and we don't anticipate next year being any better."

Even with a student population of one third the size of Mamaroneck, Rye Neck faces similar reductions in key areas at a proportional scale.

"We realized that last year was dramatic, and we knew this year would be similar," Mustich said. "It's important that people understand the school budget and the impact on tax payers and the impact on house values and school programs. I would say not only the impact, but how it might translate to the quality of programs in the school and how we can ensure the quality with state funding, teacher contracts and through areas like  bussing."

Fried said that the school district is limited to what they can do, but hopes that after next year they can lower salary increases to curtail the increasing budget. Mamaroneck has also explored the possibility of college-like lecture classes and virtual courses for the future.

At Rye Neck, this season they made the unpopular decision to charge fees to municipal leagues using their courts and fields. As Mustich explained, there are over 1,000 athletes using their basketball courts, they should have to share in the maintenance of keeping them up.

Since state aid has dropped for both districts the past two years, they have been forced to look to other ways to alleviate that burden.

Mustich would like to see the end of mandated state testing every year, which costs money and keeps teachers out of the classrooms for extended times. Since the school is consistently in the top of the rankings, he feels the state should reward and promote them.

"They should do it less frequently for schools like ours and acknowledge the fact that we are better," he said. "The state should make sure that schools like ours are well funded and recognized for what they are doing, and replicated."

Fried would like to keep the size of classrooms intact, "preserving our framework for excellence." To do that, however, will most likely mean the budget will have to be passed, to ensure that more teachers don't lose their jobs.

Voting for the school budgets take place on May 18.