$1.5 Million Rye Neck School Budget Increase

The increase in this year’s Rye Neck School District’s proposed 2013-14 budget is nearly double the increase from last year, but still within the allowable 3.59 percent tax cap, which must be approved by 50 percent of voters.

The $38.2 million budget is $1.5 million higher—a little over 4 percent—than last year’s $36.7 million budget, with a 3.59 percent increase in the tax levy.

Though the school has not provided average estimated increases in property taxes, homeowners can plug their numbers into a calculator on the district’s website here for their individual rate. 

As they have done in previous years, the district considered several cuts to reduce budgetary expenses including increasing class sizes in elementary grades; cutting staff positions; and reducing kindergarten to a half-day.

Instead, the district has proposed cutting a BOCES teaching assistant position and part-time food services position, but will add a fifth grade teacher, a .2 high school social studies teacher, two teaching assistants (one part-time), and one safety position for the elementary schools for a net total of 2.2 positions, at a cost of $69,234 to the district.

In last year’s budget, the district cut nearly six staff positions, trimming $257K in expenses.

But, the vast majority of the budget—like many other school districts and municipalities—is the 77 percent allotted for mandated costs like salaries and benefits, which account for a whopping $1.1 million increase from 2012-13.

The district will need to do additional trimming should the budget not pass muster with voters, to the tune of $1.2 million.

Over the past five years, the district has reduced staff by 18.80 members in an effort to cut costs, saving a total of $1.02 million.

In addition to the budget, the public will also be voting on a $1.47 million bond for a district capital improvement plan for security. 

In the wake of the Newtown tragedy, the district plans to beef up their current security measures by adding a district-wide phone/communication system that would be synced with panic alarm and camera systems currently in place. The plan also calls for a new, district-wide security camera, card reader access system tied into cameras, a new single entry point system and security booth at each of the schools, visitor management system software and window film.

Budget hearings will take place on April 3 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.; the budget will be adopted on April 17.  A final budget hearing will take place on May 8 at 9:00 a.m. and the budget /capital bond vote will be on May 21 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the MS/HS Library at Rye Neck High School. For a full copy of the budget, please click here.