WAPPINGERS SCHOOL DISTRICT—Following months of discussion, cuts, add-backs, and input from the community, the Wappingers school board finalized its 2009-10 budget April 21.

The budget, adopted in a 6 to 3 vote, is $178,623,391. This represents an increase of 2.08 percent, or $3.6 million, over the contingency budget of $174.9 million under which the district is currently operating.

Although budget discussions at the Board of Education level usually don’t commence until late winter or early spring, this year trustees have been wrangling with dollars-and-cents decisions since last December. Ultimately, they trimmed $4.4 million from the district’s budget by eliminating or curtailing programs and staff and implementing other cost saving measures like aligning the school calendar with local parochial schools and instituting an energy conservation program.

Some of the cuts, particularly the elimination of three freshman sports teams and 1.5 social worker positions, generated discussion and concerns among some board members, staff, and residents.

A number of parents, coaches, and incoming freshman were in attendance at the April 21 meeting and they addressed the board prior to the adoption of the budget, urging trustees one final time not to eliminate freshman sports, a program only begun a few years ago.

“No is an easy word,” said coach Darren Garrett, who called the cut a “travesty” and asked the board to look closely at the budget and trim excess spending somewhere else.

“There’s money out there,” he said. “We just have to put our resources together to try to find it.”

When the time came to adopt the budget, three trustees refused to raise their hands in support of it, but for different reasons.

Trustee Joe Porpora said he didn’t vote to approve the budget as a “matter of conscience.

“I will not support this budget because as far back as December I said I would never raise my hand to support a budget that cuts mental health services,” Porpora said, making reference to the elimination of 1.5 social worker positions. Trustee Anthony LoCicero also did not vote for the budget, for the same reason as Porpora.

Calling the budget a “blueprint for doing business as usual,” trustee Joe Incoronato lambasted the plan, dubbing the various cuts “superficial” and “feather-duster” in nature.

“Tax relief must become a reality rather than a platitude,” he said. “[This budget] should be sent to the guillotine.”

Although the budget didn’t meet trustee Mary McGeary’s goal of a zero percent budget-to-budget increase, she nevertheless approved it.

“It’s not what I would like it to be, but I will support it,” she said, noting that do otherwise would be divisive.

As it is required to do by law, the board also adopted a contingency budget, in the amount of $178,221,936, which is $401,455 less than the regular budget and represents a budget to budget increase of 1.85 percent over the current year. If the regular fails at the polls next month, the board can opt to hold a second vote on the same budget, put a modified budget to voters, or implement the contingency budget immediately.

If the regular budget is approved by voters, the increase in the tax levy, the amount of the budget to be paid by local taxes, would be 2.72 percent, or about $3 million. The tax levy for the 2008-09 school year was $112.7 million.

Superintendent of Schools Richard Powell reminded residents that the increase in the tax levy is not the same as an increase in the tax rate. In 2003, for example, the tax levy increased six percent and the four largest municipalities comprising the WCSD saw homestead tax rate increases ranging from less than one percent to nine percent. Tax rates, the amount per $1,000 of assessed value that homeowners pay, vary from one municipality to another and are determined using a complex formula that involves assessments, state-established equalization rates, and the tax levy. Tax rates are generally announced in late August or early September.

Both this year’s proposed 2.08 percent budget increase and 2.72 percent tax levy increase are the lowest seen in the WCSD in a number of years. Budget to budget increases have averaged about six percent since the late 1990s and most tax levy increases during that period have been in the eight to nine percent range.

Wappingers School District residents will cast their ballots on the 2009-10 budget Tuesday, May 19. Also on the ballot will be a $1.7 million bus replacement proposition and five candidates vying for three seats on the Board of Education.

The board will hold a state-mandated budget hearing at its next meeting, Tuesday, May 5 at 8:15 p.m. at Ketcham High School.

Powell’s April 21 budget presentation can be viewed Monday nights (May 4, 11, and 18) on Cablevision channel 21 from 7 to 7:30 p.m. as well as on the district website, www.wappingersschools.org. Additional information about the budget is available on the website and will be published in both the forthcoming WCSD in Print newsletter and upcoming editions of the Southern Dutchess News. Residents may also e-mail their budget questions to WCSD.Board@WappingersSchools.org.