Next year’s proposed Rye City School District budget totaling $75.6 million calls for a 2.7 percent increase in spending, but includes $2.1 million in cuts to staff.

 

By Sarah Varney

 

Next year’s proposed Rye City School District budget totaling $75.6 million calls for a 2.7 percent increase in spending, but includes $2.1 million in cuts to staff.

 

During Tuesday’s Board of Education meeting, District officials presented a proposed budget of $75,593,200. They declined to specify whether or not the cuts to the staff line item includes teachers. They also did not say how many full-time jobs might be eliminated for the 2013-14 school year. The budget also proposes $110,000 in cuts to facilities and technology spending.

 

Salaries and benefits comprise 82 percent of expenses in the proposed 2013-14 school budget.

 

Parental reaction to the proposed reductions was immediate. Middle School parent Kim O’Connor said, “I was actually impressed that they were able to protect programs under the second year of the (state tax) cap.”

 

Board President Laura Slack stressed the goal of preserving programs for students. “We’re lucky . . . that we can find these reductions without affecting programs. We’re hopeful we can make reductions that won’t hurt the kids,’’ Stack said.

 

Assistant Superintendent for Business Kathleen Ryan projected an estimated tax levy of $67,799,900, an increase of nearly $2 million over this year’s school levy. The proposed budget includes using $2.3 million from the Reserved Funds Balance. Rye is expected to receive a total of $5.5 million in non-tax revenue, including $2.9 million in state aid.

 

While Superintendent Dr. Frank Alvarez did not present any specific program cuts, he alluded to increasing “efficiencies” in the areas of Administration, Programs and Operations. For example, District Management Council, an educational consultancy contracted last year to suggest remedies for decreasing middle school test scores, will be “rethinking efficiencies” in the area of Special Education.

 

District officials said a major reason for the overall budget increase is the higher percentage of pension contributions for teachers required by the state. Last year’s budget absorbed an 11.8 percent rate for defined pay while this year’s requirement is set at 16.25 percent. The rate increase translates to an increase of $1.5 million over last year. Ryan did not present the increased contribution rate for non-teaching staff.

 

“These (required pension contributions) increases are killing this district and every other district in this area,” said board member Ed Fox. “They are wildly in excess of the tax increases that we can levy. If you give us a tax cap along with a 20 percent increase in pension costs, it doesn’t add up,” Fox said.

 

The school board meets again on February 26.