Nanuet Voting Guide: Who and What are You Voting For?

Going out and voting is important, but so is being an educated citizen and knowing the issues that you’re voting on. Here’s a breakdown of what’s on the ballot tomorrow:

• Peter Whalen, Edward Dingman, Anne Byrne, Charleen Caulk, Scott Walters, Robert Schucker
• There are six candidates and only four seats to be filled
• Go check out this for their positions on certain school topics.
• Also, visit Patch's Local Voices to see Scott Walters’ blog where he outlines his opinion on certain issues

The 2011-12 budget is facing a .02 percent decrease of $12,309. The 2011-12 budget is $61,532,341, down from the 2010-11 budget of $61,544,650.

Major points from the finalized budget:

• The largest factor influencing next year’s tax rates is the district’s agreement with Pfizer.
• The tax levy decreased -.74 percent
• The budget decreased -.02 percent
• The change in bussing and end/start times of each school cut $289,023 from transportation expenses
• 10.3 staff positions were cut saving $638,908
• The 12-year-old computers in the elementary schools needed to be replaced causing a technology expense increase of $250,000
• There was an increase of $744,362 in pension contributions
• All Educational programs were maintained

Expenditures

• Programs are decreasing by $359,758. This is mostly due to the bussing change
• Capital increased by $153,747. This includes debt service and lease expenses, legal judgments, facility costs/construction/renovation/repair/maintenance, custodial benefits/salaries, supplies/utilities
• Administrative costs incrased by $193,702. This includes staff salaries and benefits, Board/central office/school management costs, planning/consulting costs not directly related to studence

Revenue

• State Aid decreased by $214,371
• Federal Aid is $356,691
• Tuition stayed the same at $190,000. Tuition means the students that attend an alternative high school or BOCES.
• Investments increased from by $244,245
• Taxes to be Raised by Taxes: $53,410,877 down from last year by $398,874

Nanuet School District by the Numbers

• 75 percent of Nanuet residents do not have children in the Nanuet schools
• In 09-10, 98 percent of students graduated with a regents diploma inclusive of special education students
• In 2010, the Nanuet schools had a 100 percent graduation rate
• In 2010, 96 percent of the graduates were college bound

Cutting School Staff

“Given all the economic circumstances, with Pfizer being a big one, we had to reduce the staff. It was a very hard decision for the Board,” said Anne Byrne, current Board of Education president.

10.3 staff positions were cut saving $638,908:

• 2.5 teaching assistants
• 7.8 teachers:

• 1.0 music
• 2.0 elementary
• 1.0 elementary—special education
• 1.0 high school—special education
• .9 remedial health
• .5 foreign language
• .4 art
• 1.0 health

Tax Rate

“We don’t know what it’ll be until the end of August because the tax rate depends on four factors,” said Byrne.

• School Budget—This is the only factor that the Board can control
• State Aid—Byrne said that this number usually does not come until much later
• Assessment of homes, homestead and non-homestead—typically done in July/August
• Equalization Rate—typically done in the third week of August

Because the Board's budget comes in at a 0 percent increase and since that's the only factor that they control, any increases to the tax rate are caused by the other three factors.

The current Library Board Vice President

The 2011-12 budget is facing a 4.48 percent increase of $102,800. The 2011-12 budget is $2,398,600, up from the 2010-11 budget of $2,295,800.

Major points from the finalized budget:

• Staff has been cut
• No salary increases
• Services, such as programming, has been cut
• The library expansion had been put indefinitely on hold.
• Collection has been cut
• Hours have been cut—the Library calendar will be cut by two days during the budget year
• Despite the reduced hours, the library is still open 63 hours a week

The large increases in the budget are not in the Board’s control and are fixed costs:

• Technology costs
• Utility fees
• Personnel benefits are determined by New York State

Expenditures

• Personnel decreased by $17,000
• Personnel benefits increased by 108,100
• Library Collection decreased by $26,500
• Telephone, supplies, rent/repairs/maintenance, travel, programming decreased by about $2,000 each
• Payroll processing and Internet provider decreased by a few hundred
• Utilities, dues, Automation/maintenance, insurance increased by $1,000-3,600
• Total Expenditure for 2011-2012 is $2,650,600 up from last year by $58,800

Revenues

• Fines increased by $3,000
• Grants/Miscellaneous increased by $5,000
• Interest & Book Revenues decreased by $2,000
• Allocation of the Fund Balance decreased by $50,000
• Total Revenue for 2011-2012 is $2,398,600 down from last year by $44,000
• Taxes to be Raised by Taxes: $2,398,600 up from last year by $102,800

Nanuet Library by the Numbers (July 2009-June 2010):

• Open 65 hours a week and 58 hours a week in the summer
• 73,315 Adult books
• 53,561 Children’s books
• 3,288 Electronic books
• 201 Magazine subscriptions
• 6,288 DVDs
• 8,007 CD and Audio books
• 89,588 Electronic materials
• 36 Databases
• 22,148 estimated number of internet users
• 25,474 program attendees
• 1,037 programs for children, young adults and adults
• 205,487 library visitors
• 255,712 Circulation
• 8,406 NUFSD resident library cardholders
• 9,008 reference transactions