The following article,
written by Klaus Gaebel, is reprinted from The
Saugerties Post Star, 04-17-08 Saugerties Post Star , April 17,
2008 The Saugerties Board of Education, not satisfied with a
proposed tax levy increase of 6.3% over last year, has sent
the budget back to Superintendent Richard Rhau and Business
Manager Joe Dziadik for reduction. Although the special
meeting on Tuesday April 15th included an agenda item to
approve a budget - that approval will now have to wait.
The school board was presented with the most recent
budget, referred to as budget run #4, by Dziadik, for the
2008-09 school year in the amount of $52,583,535. The
budget represents a $2.8 million spending increase over the
previous year, or 5.63%. Since the state has not yet set equalization rates, only
estimates are available. Using those estimates, it’s
expected the tax levy in the proposed budget would rise
6.32% over the previous year. Tax levy increases in prior years were 2005-06 3.2%,
2006-2007 3.16%, and 2007-08 1.9%. An earlier budget discussed at the meeting, referred to
as budget run #3, did not include figures to save salary and
benefits for 4 retiring teachers by replacing them with new
and presumably lower paid replacements. Such savings are
referred to as breakage. That budget also retained a
full-time custodial position that had been proposed as a new
position in the 2008-2009 budget. This budget would increase
spending 5.98% over the previous year, and yield a 7.00% tax
levy increase. Budget run #4 included the savings due to breakage and
did not include the proposed new custodial position. School district superintendent Richard Rhau suggested to
the board that they vote on budget run #3, which would allow
the board to build up the fund balance since it didn’t
take into consideration the savings for the breakage, and if
it didn’t pass, to then vote on budget run #4. Rhau
said whether option #3 or #4 was considered by the board
“it‘s going to be critical for the entire board to
support the budget.” Board president Don Tucker stated he was looking for an
increase “considerably less than what’s
proposed.” Vice-President George Heidcamp indicated
that with the bad news in the press over the economy, he
could not support even the lower tax levy increase of the
two. Trustee Jim Steinhilber suggested Rhau and Dziadik go
back and suggest further reductions since the presented
budget would cause a strain to taxpayers. Trustee Michael
Brennan said “I don’t support this either, it has
to be under 5%.” Trustee Sam Fisco indicated he could
not support the budget as proposed. Trustee Robert McCaig
asked that the administration come back with a reduced
budget run #5. Trustee Mark Tompkins asked for additional
option runs “up to the point where the savings would
not impact the educational requirements of the
kids.” Board members asked numerous questions of Rhau and
Dziadik in the hope of finding budget items to reduce.
Tucker mentioned the possible consideration of a
“hiring freeze on all new employees”. He
summarized board suggestions including “the possibility
of eliminating summer school, the possibility of eliminating
drivers ed, unnecessary equipment that had been
proposed,” and some new positions that had been
proposed unless they were mandated. Petramale suggested administration look at savings that
could be realized where class sizes had shrunk. He also
suggested that an austerity budget be drawn up and then work
upwards instead of down to arrive at a final budget. Rhau asked for a dollar amount that he should seek to
reduce. Tucker responded “I’m not going to give a
dollar amount. I’m going to ask that the business
manager come back, if it’s acceptable to the board,
come back with a considerable reduction to the budget, to be
investigated again at a special meeting by the board, to see
if it’s enough. If it’s not enough, then
we’ll tell you at that time that it’s not
enough.” Tucker said another special meeting will be called soon
in an attempt to finalize the budget. A budget has to be presented to voters on May 20th.
Three Board of Education seats will also be on the ballot on
that date.