By ALVIN REINER
WESTPORT — About 60 people showed up to voice their opinions on spending practices at the 2010-11 Westport School budget presentation.
The overall budget is expected to increase 2.56 percent, or $134,000.
"This will be an excellent year to use some of the fund balance to help reduce the tax levy," Westport Superintendent of Schools Dr. John Gallagher said at the meeting, held last week.
He gave some budget figures but said that due to the uncertainty of state funding, "this is not a complete picture.
"We will be adjusting the budget until we adopt it."
ASSESSMENTS UP
In Westport, 28 percent of the properties went up in assessment values, with 2 percent lowered and 70 percent stable.
A $55,000 reduction in the operations and administration portions of the budget is forecast.
Fuel oil will be bid through the St. Lawrence BOCES consortium, in which a fixed rate of $2.59 per gallon was given.
"We have been doing a good job with practicing conservation, so we will project less usage than last year," Gallagher said. The school plans on filling up its 7,000 gallon tank at the end of August at the current $1.96 rate.
SALARIES
An approximate $17,500 increase in professional salaries has been anticipated, though the board is still in negotiations with the Teachers Association.
No changes in the equipment, supplies, library, software, audio-visual and the driver-education portions of the budget are expected.
Textbook purchases would be reduced by $3,000, and $3,000 could be cut from special education.
For a savings of $1,500, the school's baseball uniforms won't be replaced.
"We will be eliminating the school-detention costs and try to come up with a more creative way to deal with it," Gallagher said. This would eliminate extra bus runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The co-curricular portion of the budget — which includes band, school plays and clubs such as Quiz Bowl and Future Business Leaders of America — would increase about 10-percent.
Health insurance is expected to rise about 6 to 7 percent.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
During the public-comment period, parent Kathryn Cramer said she researched unfunded mandates such as special education and special services, and she countered apparent criticisms that the district is buying a "Cadillac" when a "Chevy" will do.
The written evidence she presented to the board indicated that: "Westport is not exceeding its mandates in any large-scale way. Rather, Westport is doing a cost-effective job of satisfying its mandates in a state that systematically underfunds special education and that we should be proud of our school and the community that supports it."
COST CONCERNS
"I assume the board is very much in favor of a quality education, but I think you are spending too much money per pupil," resident Ulrich "Rick" Hoffmann told the board.
He cited figures of more than $22,098 per general-education pupil at Westport against $16,987 in similar district schools and $38,344 versus $24,153 per special-education student.
"Special education is needed and desired, but that is a tremendous difference. The problem is that government is the same here, (believing) that it's OK for taxes to go up. You're nibbling at the budget, but at some point you will have to take a big bite.
"The union has to play its part in this. Other unions have taken reductions, and I think you do, too," Hoffmann said.
SUPPORT
"I am a satisfied customer," said resident Elizabeth Lee. "My daughters received an excellent education, and the taxes are my share to pay."
"This is a magnificent School District," resident John Ferree said. "My problem is boards of education are short-term. They need to study the pros and cons of school consolidation."
Former board member Hokey McKinley said consolidation has been discussed in the past and that it won't save money.
Budget sessions, open to all, continue at 6 p.m. Monday in the cafeteria.
E-mail Alvin Reiner at: rondackrambler@yahoo.com
