At one time, Batavia School District officials spoke of a possible 10-percent tax increase on local property owners, but the final approved budget includes only a 1.23 percent increase.
District Business Manager Scott Rozanski told The Batavian's news partner WBTA, that past years' conservative budgeting -- underestimating revenue and holding a line on expenses -- has made it easier for the district to weather big cuts in state aid.
"There may be a greater impact next year and in future years if the trend continues," Rozanski said.
The 1.23-percent increase works out to 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, so on a home assessed at $80,000, the taxpayer will pay the school district an additional $21.60.
Rozanski said that over the past few months, the district has been able to cut expenses, which contributed to the district's ability to hold down the tax increase.
WBTA has posted a historical chart of tax increases (and decreases) from the district as well as an MP3 of its interview with Rozanski (click here).
Voters will be asked to approve the budget May 18.
These "cuts in expenses"
These "cuts in expenses" included changing bus routes so that my 5 year old daughter and 9 year old son would have to walk to a bus stop. They only gave us 2 days notice to teach them where to go and to make arrangements with an adult to walk with them. I am new to the "city", so I am not sure if it is a common thing for 5 year old's to be walking the street, but you won't see mine doing that! At least there is no child molesters in Batavia...oh wait! I love my new house, but I am starting to have some regrets. I understand that increases in taxes are always frowned upon, but come on...the district isn't willing to pay the money to make sure my kids get to school safe?
TAXES NEVER GO DOWN IN NY
TAXES NEVER GO DOWN IN NY STATE!
school taxes should not be
school taxes should not be going up, they should find cuts they can make, we are taxed to death now, give us a break.
Sarah/Bill, It's only going
Sarah/Bill,
It's only going to get worst. I serve as a budget ambassodor and on the Audit com., and I can tell you with the decreases in funding over the next 5 years, this is nothing. The schools will either have to eliminate positions and buildings to levels never before seen, raise taxes or more likely, both.
Phil, first of all, thanks
Phil, first of all, thanks for your service.
I can't help but agree with the previous comments that the district could make some additional cuts. In my humble opinion, there is LOTS OF FAT at the administration level. Just go onto the school district's homepage and look at the administration link. I mean do we really need a 'Director of Special Education and Alternative Education', an 'Administrator of Student Assessment/Data Analysis' and a 'Director of Learning, K-12'? What the hell does Ms. Puzio do? Surely she could pick up some of those duties.
This is just one example of the bloat that (again in my opinion) is in the school budget. When you couple that with the overbuilt infrastructure (from the Stutzman years it's a prescription for rampant waste.
Then there's the issue of the $6 million + "reserve" that the state comptroller found in the recent audit.
When you couple all the above, I think it takes a lot of nerve for the BOE to impose ANY tax increase on the taxpayers of the district.
Oh...and one last thing. This district was ranked in the bottom quarter of all schools in WNY in a couple of key categories. 68th out of 97 in Cost Effectiveness and 77th out of 97 in Administrative Efficiency as ranked in last year's Buffalo Business First rankings. Perhaps they could put some effort into some strategies that would result in improvement in those and other rankings which might lead to some cost savings?? I haven't heard anything about any efforts to do so.
David meyer is on the money.
David meyer is on the money.
Dave Thank you for your
Dave Thank you for your service
Actually Bill he isn't.
The reserve report was inaccurate at best. The millions of dallars that the district had laying around as was claimed was just false. Yes we have reserves, but they are purposed for capitol projects, Unemployment and the like. We have something like 15 reserve funds that directly attached to something.
Second, I refuse to believe that having a reserve is to be seen as a bad thing, that is just ridiculous. The district has used a lot of that money this year to reduce the tax levy from what it started at, around 15%. The news flash here is that this is not a one year problem. The state has laid of the deficit predictions for the next five years and unless this district paces itself, our kids won't have a school at all. That is unless Bill and everyone won't mind a 20% increase! Yes, it's that bad.
Third, those positions were not created for fun, they were mandated by not only the state, but the federal government as well. There is a reason why "No Child Left Behind" was a complete joke. One was the program's need to create positions without funding it. We may have different titles than other districts, but based on demographics and size, we have to have those programs.
What does Ms. Puzio do? Quite a lot actually. That office is full to the brim with tasks beyond belief. Call her sometime and ask.
Last, with all do respect to First Buffalo, which I believe is the publication you are referring, has had Batavia like that for awhile. No offense, but their top ranked Buffalo area schools got gigged on their audits for the way they use and funnell money, so no offense, I don't hold much water. Batavia is open about their funds.
Guys I will say this a hundred times over, please join the Budget Ambassodors program next year. Come see for yourself where the money goes and how the state screws us every year! I hate tax increases, but the district didn't make this mess.
Phil, you've been on the
Phil, you've been on the inside and I haven't but with all due respect to you, I think I'll respect the position of the Comptroller of the state of New York that the reserves were excessive before I'll believe the position of the district that just tries to dismiss those findings by saying "they're wrong". That's not to say that it's a bad thing to have some $$ in the bank and I understand enough about how this freakin' state works to know that the budgeting process is probably a nightmare, but I don't think that needs to add up to $6 million +.
You mentioned capital projects. Given the building boom that's gone on in the district in recent years - we've added on to every building in the district and improved what needed to be improved - I would not think that there would be many if any capital improvements that would need to started...at least for a few years.
With regard to your justification for the 3 postitions, I find it interesting that at one of those positions never existed until the former principal at the high school was replaced. I guess I disagree that just because NCLB says that certain programs have to be created it doesn't necessarily follow that a position is required to administer those programs. How about an expectation that administrative staff be more efficient?
Which brings me to your 'Pooh Pooh' of the Buffalo Business First rankings. Maybe there's a reason that the rankings of Batavia have been "like that for a while" as you say. Perhaps there's some validity to them. (see above). You can bet your sweet behind that if the district was on the other end of the rankings they would be shouting it from the hilltops - and rightfully so. I have no idea what goes into creating those rankings, but I doubt it's an insignificant amount of effort and to simply dismiss them as unimportant doesn't seem fair.
Please understand, this isn't an attack on you, because as I said, you've been there and I haven't, but I hope you can understand at least one taxpayer's frustrations.
No David, I understand two,
No David, I understand two, mine as well as yours. I'm not going to argue over the validity of the comptroller's office, but instaed offer this: This is the same office that has published that the school disticts could afford this reduction because they have reserves. Which is fine right?
Right, only they continue the reductions for the next five years. So let me ask you this, If you spend all of your savings in year one, how do you continue to spend your savings in year two. This what the State has said.
The Capital Reserve is an ongoing account that feeds itself. We are one of the only districts to do it! You yourself have pointed out all the expansions over the past five years, right? In that same time the levy has gone down! This is beacuse, unlike other districts our reserves constantly are paying the payments with no additional cost to the levy. That is smart business.
NCLB at the federal level states that, now dive into the state mandates and look further.
My "Pooh, Pooh" :-) as you call it, I like that, is because there rankings are very high level. They do not go into see how things really work and they do not compare to similar size districts, so yeah it's nice, but that's it for me. I will concede this, if the district became #1 I would bet my sweet whatever that they would shout it from the hilltops! No doubt! They have been criticized for so long, that it might be cause for some relief. Then the wouldn't have people like us looking at it and saying hmmm.
David, there is no perfect answer in a system that doesn't tell you your revenues until six months AFTER you pass your budget! This whole system is a flat joke. I have been running businesses for a decade and if I worked like this, I would be out on my keister.
Let's all just storm Albany, instead of Washington Street! ;-)