Informational Meetings and Community Budget Forums

Tuesday, January 14, 2014: Board of Education Meeting & Budget Review
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014: Board of Education Meeting & Budget Review
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014: Community Budget Forum
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014: Board of Education Business Meeting & Budget Review
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 13, 2014: Community Budget Forum
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014: Board of Education Meeting/ Executive Budget Proposal/Budget Hearing
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014: French Road Elementary School PTSA Meeting & Budget Presentation
488 French Road School, Main Office Conference Room
Noon

Friday, March 21, 2014: Council Rock Primary School PTSA Meeting & Budget Presentation
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
12:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014: : Board of Education Business & Budget Review Meeting
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014: Twelve Corners Middle School PTSA Meeting & Budget Presentation
2643 Elmwood Avenue, Library Classroom
Noon

Thursday, March 27, 2014: Rescheduled Daytime Community Budget Forum
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 3, 2014: Brighton High School PTSA Meeting & Budget Presentation
1150 Winton Road South, BHS Career Center
Noon

Tuesday, April 8, 2014: Board of Education Business Meeting/Budget Hearing & Budget Adoption
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014: Board of Education Business Meeting & Budget Hearing
2035 Monroe Avenue, Administration Building, Board Conference Room
7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014: School Board Candidate and Budget Vote
1150 Winton Road South, Brighton High School, Lower Level
7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. 

Proposed 2014-15 Budget Questions & Answers

The Executive Budget Proposal was presented at the March 18 Board of Education meeting and updated at a Board of Education meeting on April 8. The Board continued reviewing all aspects of the proposed budget before adopting a budget on April 8 to be voted on by the community on May 20. The budget proposal maintains all current programs and services despite a significant lack of funding being provided by New York State. The proposal calls for a 2.02% increase in spending which would mean an approximate tax levy increase of 3.3%. The rate increase for homeowners will be approximately 2.15%. We thought that it might be helpful to provide answers to questions that you may be asking yourself at this point in the process.

What will your proposal cost in real dollars and cents?

On a home valued at $200,000 this budget would mean an increase of $111. Staying at the property tax cap would require spending reductions of $707,400 and would still require a tax increase of $84.

What does the property tax cap have to do with this?

Brighton's cap is 1.81%. The percentage is based on a state formula and is different for every district. We have been under the cap every year since it has been in place. In fact, we have collected nearly $1,000,000 less in taxes than the cap would have allowed over the past two years. We did not levy taxes up to the cap because we didn't think it was right to over tax and save the money for this upcoming year when our cap number was projected to be lower. Our proposed increase is approximately $707,000 over the current cap number. We cannot be under the cap without cutting programs and services.

What have you done to try and reduce spending so that you could stay under the cap?

The proposed spending increase of 2.02% is actually our second lowest in the last ten years. We have reviewed all areas of program, services and every expense. Over the past four years we have reduced 71 positions and found $2.87 million in savings by being more efficient. We feel that our only options for reducing expensesto the magnitude required to close the gap would be to reduce programs and services that are not mandated.

What programs and services would have to be cut in order to reduce spending and taxes?

Our students are doing very well. They have an incredible opportunity to receive a rigorous and engaging school experience focused on developing their individual talents, gifts and interests. We do not want to reduce what makes this experience special. Non-mandated programs such as some extracurricular and athletic programming, extended studies, foreign language in grade 6, instrumental music in grade 4, elective courses at BHS, academic student support beyond mandated programming and efforts to reduce class size are what make our educational program so widely valued by our community.

Very few districts are presenting budgets that require going over the tax cap. What makes us different?

We are in very good financial health overall, but have heard from the community that it is important to maintain programs and services. State and other revenues are down, and the only way to maintain programs and services is for them to be paid for by the local property tax. We are using more of our reserves but do not feel that we should spend more from savings to support ongoing expenses. We feel that this could jeopardize our long-term financial health.

Why are other revenues down?

The state has not fully funded state aid. We are not receiving $5.57 million that we are due. The state is also continuing to balance the state budget through a program called the "Gap Elimination Adjustment” (GEA). The GEA is a program whereby the state takes money away from the money due to each district. Based on Governor Cuomo's proposed budget, we are scheduled to lose an additional $1,663,275 in aid due. In total, this represents a 15% increase in the tax burden to our district's taxpayers. 

What are you doing about this?

We are advocating with our local state representatives and constantly explaining the impact that lack of state funding is having on the local taxpayer. We are working with advocacy groups and trying to clearly communicate that the state owes this funding to children and taxpayers. We are also advocating for mandate relief. We have no control over some of the cost increases as they are billed to us by the state. We do not feel that the state should be adding new programs before they pay for what they have already committed to.

What would you do if the state fulfilled its obligations?

We could freeze taxes! That's right, we would be able to freeze property taxes now and have minimal, if any, increases for several budget years.

What are the next steps?

We need to hear from the community. We have outlined a budget that supports excellence in programming. We recognize that this is about choosing a spending plan that maintains what is available to students at a cost of approximately $100 more than a budget that would require spending reductions totaling $700,000. We're all ears and open to suggestions. Our budget materials and schedules for forums and presentations are all listed above. Please join the discussion and thank you for your feedback.