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Over 80% of Westchester School Districts have proposed lower tax
increases
increases
Katonah-Lewisboro district anticipates widespread layoffs Feb16, 09 (source: Journal
LEWISBORO - Katonah-Lewisboro school administrators will recommend cutting at least 45 staff members, many
likely through layoffs, when it presents its proposed 2009-10 budget to the school board later this month.
The district notified staff members who could be affected, including approximately 20 teachers, during the first
week of February. Superintendent Robert Roelle said last week that he had promised during staff meetings in
December that employees would be told as soon as administrators had a firm idea of the reductions on the table.
Roelle said it wasn't premature to notify employees because, "if anything, it would be more, not less." The district
has about 700 employees. A handful of positions would have been eliminated even without the economic
downturn because of declining enrollment, Roelle said.
More details will be available, including the impact on the district's educational programs, when Roelle's proposed
budget is released Feb. 23 and then presented at a Feb. 26 Board of Education meeting. The board will begin
deliberating the spending plan with an all-day meeting Feb. 28. School board President Warren Schloat said
board members would likely have a sense of their goal for final budget numbers after that session.
"Until then, it is just a guess," Schloat said.
This year's budget totals about $107.6 million, an increase of about $4 million from last year. The public will vote
on the 2009-10 budget May 19. Roelle said he hoped some layoffs could be avoided if people leave for other
jobs, but that it was unlikely that they could be averted entirely given the large number of positions up for
elimination. Roelle said all of the district's employees have been valuable. The choice of who would be laid off
would be made based on seniority within certification categories, Roelle said.
Other similar districts are also considering large-scale layoffs. The Chappaqua school board was presented with a
budget proposal that would keep spending flat and require the layoffs of almost 50 employees.
=======================================================================================
Byram Hills administrators to freeze salaries Feb 12, 2009 (source: Journal News)
ARMONK - Twenty administrators in the Byram Hills School District, both union and non-union, have agreed to
take no salary increase next year to help minimize the budget increase.
The Administrators' Association, which represents 16 principals, assistant principals, directors and department
chairmen, proposed the freeze and the district administrators - the superintendent, assistant superintendent,
acting business administrator and the director of curriculum - decided to participate. The freeze will save about
$90,000 next year. "We believe a $90,000 savings is quite substantial," Byram Hills Superintendent Jacquelyn
Taylor said.
The district administration, which will present its budget proposal on March 3, is attempting to keep next year's
spending increase below 4 percent, which will require cuts of several million dollars from the amount
that would be needed to keep programs and staffing steady. The district expects to reduce at least three teacher
positions, which aren't needed because of declining enrollment, and leave open perhaps three administrator
positions. Areas like overtime, athletics, transportation and professional development are also being looked at for
cuts.
Byram Hills is joining a growing club of districts where administrators are announcing salary freezes to try to help
out taxpayers and preserve academic programs. Unionized administrators in Byram Hills were slated to get 3.6
percent pay raises. Taylor makes $245,000 a year. Information on the budget is available at www.byramhills.org
under "Board of Education."
=========================================================================================
Yorktown considers 42 to 55 job cuts as budget takes shape
Feb 20, 09 (source: Journal News)
YORKTOWN - Schools Superintendent Ralph Napolitano has informed faculty and staff that it could take between
42 and 55 job cuts to keep property taxes on a par with recent years.
The announcement comes as several neighboring districts are pondering staff reductions in the face of massive
state aid cuts. Those affected in Yorktown could be notified as early as late next week, though a firm list of layoffs
likely won't be set until late March. Early efforts to trim spending on equipment, supplies, transportation, activities
and programs yielded only a 1 percent cut in the tax rate.
"I'd love to say it's the last resort, but it's probably a little disingenuous," Napolitano said of layoffs. "At the end of
the day, when you look at the nonpersonnel stuff, it's not really going to save a lot."
Gov. David Paterson has proposed cutting state aid to schools by $700 million to help close an anticipated $14
billion budget gap. Schools statewide would see cuts between 3 percent and 10 percent. Yorktown is facing a
loss of $1.4 million in state aid. That and contractual and other increases would yield a tax hike of nearly 11
percent at current staff levels. Napolitano called such an increase "preposterous" in this economy.
The district is not alone in considering staff cuts. Lakeland Superintendent Kenneth Connolly, facing a $2 million
aid shortfall, has said as many 30 district jobs are on the block. The school board will take up his
recommendations March 5. Hendrick Hudson is considering 40 job cuts, and in Bedford, as many as 50 could be
cut.
Councilman Nicholas Bianco, a Lakeland resident, said even a 4 percent school tax increase would be costly to
homeowners facing a number of other proposed increases and the proposed elimination of the State Tax
Assessment Relief program. The result, Bianco said he fears, is the average taxpayer could see up to $2,000 in
new taxes, even with job cuts. "And here's the sad part: I don't see anybody in the state Legislature saying
anything," he said. "What has to happen here, I think, is the state has to make education whole. That is so
paramount."
Napolitano said cuts would come from all job categories. But teachers and teaching assistants account for
three-quarters of all employees. While he would not rule out a salary freeze for himself and other administrators,
he said that would not have the needed impact of actual job cuts.
The district is pondering some creative cost-cutting measures, including extending retirement incentives through
mid-March and allowing teachers due to return from leave to remain out. He predicted the dire budget outlook
would not hurt students. "We're a pretty resilient group of people," Napolitano said. "Were' very creative. We'll
manage. We may have to do some things differently than we've done before, but we'll make sure to put our best
foot forward. The No. 1 priority is the kids."
LEWISBORO - Katonah-Lewisboro school administrators will recommend cutting at least 45 staff members, many
likely through layoffs, when it presents its proposed 2009-10 budget to the school board later this month.
The district notified staff members who could be affected, including approximately 20 teachers, during the first
week of February. Superintendent Robert Roelle said last week that he had promised during staff meetings in
December that employees would be told as soon as administrators had a firm idea of the reductions on the table.
Roelle said it wasn't premature to notify employees because, "if anything, it would be more, not less." The district
has about 700 employees. A handful of positions would have been eliminated even without the economic
downturn because of declining enrollment, Roelle said.
More details will be available, including the impact on the district's educational programs, when Roelle's proposed
budget is released Feb. 23 and then presented at a Feb. 26 Board of Education meeting. The board will begin
deliberating the spending plan with an all-day meeting Feb. 28. School board President Warren Schloat said
board members would likely have a sense of their goal for final budget numbers after that session.
"Until then, it is just a guess," Schloat said.
This year's budget totals about $107.6 million, an increase of about $4 million from last year. The public will vote
on the 2009-10 budget May 19. Roelle said he hoped some layoffs could be avoided if people leave for other
jobs, but that it was unlikely that they could be averted entirely given the large number of positions up for
elimination. Roelle said all of the district's employees have been valuable. The choice of who would be laid off
would be made based on seniority within certification categories, Roelle said.
Other similar districts are also considering large-scale layoffs. The Chappaqua school board was presented with a
budget proposal that would keep spending flat and require the layoffs of almost 50 employees.
=======================================================================================
Byram Hills administrators to freeze salaries Feb 12, 2009 (source: Journal News)
ARMONK - Twenty administrators in the Byram Hills School District, both union and non-union, have agreed to
take no salary increase next year to help minimize the budget increase.
The Administrators' Association, which represents 16 principals, assistant principals, directors and department
chairmen, proposed the freeze and the district administrators - the superintendent, assistant superintendent,
acting business administrator and the director of curriculum - decided to participate. The freeze will save about
$90,000 next year. "We believe a $90,000 savings is quite substantial," Byram Hills Superintendent Jacquelyn
Taylor said.
The district administration, which will present its budget proposal on March 3, is attempting to keep next year's
spending increase below 4 percent, which will require cuts of several million dollars from the amount
that would be needed to keep programs and staffing steady. The district expects to reduce at least three teacher
positions, which aren't needed because of declining enrollment, and leave open perhaps three administrator
positions. Areas like overtime, athletics, transportation and professional development are also being looked at for
cuts.
Byram Hills is joining a growing club of districts where administrators are announcing salary freezes to try to help
out taxpayers and preserve academic programs. Unionized administrators in Byram Hills were slated to get 3.6
percent pay raises. Taylor makes $245,000 a year. Information on the budget is available at www.byramhills.org
under "Board of Education."
=========================================================================================
Yorktown considers 42 to 55 job cuts as budget takes shape
Feb 20, 09 (source: Journal News)
YORKTOWN - Schools Superintendent Ralph Napolitano has informed faculty and staff that it could take between
42 and 55 job cuts to keep property taxes on a par with recent years.
The announcement comes as several neighboring districts are pondering staff reductions in the face of massive
state aid cuts. Those affected in Yorktown could be notified as early as late next week, though a firm list of layoffs
likely won't be set until late March. Early efforts to trim spending on equipment, supplies, transportation, activities
and programs yielded only a 1 percent cut in the tax rate.
"I'd love to say it's the last resort, but it's probably a little disingenuous," Napolitano said of layoffs. "At the end of
the day, when you look at the nonpersonnel stuff, it's not really going to save a lot."
Gov. David Paterson has proposed cutting state aid to schools by $700 million to help close an anticipated $14
billion budget gap. Schools statewide would see cuts between 3 percent and 10 percent. Yorktown is facing a
loss of $1.4 million in state aid. That and contractual and other increases would yield a tax hike of nearly 11
percent at current staff levels. Napolitano called such an increase "preposterous" in this economy.
The district is not alone in considering staff cuts. Lakeland Superintendent Kenneth Connolly, facing a $2 million
aid shortfall, has said as many 30 district jobs are on the block. The school board will take up his
recommendations March 5. Hendrick Hudson is considering 40 job cuts, and in Bedford, as many as 50 could be
cut.
Councilman Nicholas Bianco, a Lakeland resident, said even a 4 percent school tax increase would be costly to
homeowners facing a number of other proposed increases and the proposed elimination of the State Tax
Assessment Relief program. The result, Bianco said he fears, is the average taxpayer could see up to $2,000 in
new taxes, even with job cuts. "And here's the sad part: I don't see anybody in the state Legislature saying
anything," he said. "What has to happen here, I think, is the state has to make education whole. That is so
paramount."
Napolitano said cuts would come from all job categories. But teachers and teaching assistants account for
three-quarters of all employees. While he would not rule out a salary freeze for himself and other administrators,
he said that would not have the needed impact of actual job cuts.
The district is pondering some creative cost-cutting measures, including extending retirement incentives through
mid-March and allowing teachers due to return from leave to remain out. He predicted the dire budget outlook
would not hurt students. "We're a pretty resilient group of people," Napolitano said. "Were' very creative. We'll
manage. We may have to do some things differently than we've done before, but we'll make sure to put our best
foot forward. The No. 1 priority is the kids."
Other Counties:
Hen Hud schools look at layoffs as budget talks advance (read story at LoHud Journal News)
Hen Hud schools look at layoffs as budget talks advance (read story at LoHud Journal News)