What Effect Would the Two Percent Tax Cap Have On Mamaroneck Schools?

The Mamaroneck Union Free School District’s (MUFSD) Community Engagement meeting—a follow-up to a Jan. 25   (CBAC) Meeting in which the 2011-12 “rollover” budget was discussed—gave local residents an idea of how Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed two percent property tax cap could effect the 2011-12 budget.

The meeting was intended to facilitate discussion among residents about the upcoming year’s budget, a topic that’s particularly poignant this year in light of the proposed property tax cap as well as overall increases in mandated costs, like health benefits.

Approximately 130 local residents filled the Hommocks Middle School Library to hear Superintendent of MUFSD Dr. Robert Shaps’ presentation followed by individual group discussion.

Shaps began the meeting by pointing out that the budget discussion is based on projected expenses and revenue for next year, but not an actual budget.

“It’s the current educational program at next year’s prices,” he said, echoing a sentiment that committee member Cindy Habig made at a previous meeting.

The two percent cap—passed by the Senate last week and up for an Assembly vote sometime in the spring—would limit the amount of additional revenue MUFSD could raise through property taxes to a $2.2 million tax levy.  Current estimations of where the budget might stand in the next year—“2010-11 programs at 2011-12 prices”—have calculated that an additional $6.2 million will be needed in the upcoming year to maintain current programs. That leaves the MUFSD with a $4 million gap that would need be bridged through an unknown combination of cost-cutting and increased revenue. 

Additionally, Shaps pointed out, $1.9 million of the $2.2 million tax levy would be taken up by mandated increases to pension contributions. 

Within the last two years, the district has taken steps to lower costs by eliminating 86 staff positions, 50 of which were certified—teachers and school administration that require certification—and 36 non-certified employees.

Some of the things Shaps has been working on in light of budgetary concerns is to initiate discussions with unions to understand collective bargaining challenges and secure fiscally responsible contracts, establishing the CBAC, development of multi-year financial models, implementation of a sound program to evaluate program performance on student outcome, and prioritizing efficiencies in all major categories of expenditures.   

Public opinion seemed to be unanimously swayed toward prioritizing the maintenance of academic excellence in the schools. Many of the  groups seemed to agree both that short-term budget reductions were necessary during lean times and that, in the future, more long-term structural changes would be needed to maintain greater budget consistency from year to year.