Coalition Speakers Explain New 2% Property Tax Cap

New York State Assembly Member Charles Lavine, Landing School Principal Michael Israel, Glen Cove Superintendent of Schools Joseph Laria, Glen Cove School Board Member Gail Nedbor-Gross, Coalition President Helen Kotzky, and Coalition members Donald Scarl and Leslie Wanzorkle at the 21 November 2011 Coalition meeting.

On November 21st, the Coalition for Glen Cove presented a meeting about the new 2% tax cap legislation that will effect upcoming school budget preparations and the school budget vote this spring. Guest speakers were State Assemblyman Charles Lavine and Dr. Joseph Laria, Superintendent of the Glen Cove Schools.

The property tax cap places a 2% cap on the levy increase. Local residents can override the cap as long as there is a 60% supermajority approving the levy above the 2% limit. This past spring, the average tax levy for Long Island school districts was 3.4 %. Most of these budgets were approved by the 60% majority, including in Glen Cove. This is an indication that communities understand the value of public education as well as appreciate the good faith efforts that school districts took to contain costs.

In order to achieve these modest increases, districts made difficult choices and cut administration, teachers, and support staff across the board. Dr. Laria, explained that in Glen Cove, “Our backs are to the wall.” We are now entering the unchartered waters of a budget process where we have already made extensive cuts, including the $4.3 million from last years budget. Dr. Laria could not say yet where this year’s cuts will come from, but did indicate that our expenses already exceed the 2% limit, taking into account all the unfunded state mandates, employee benefits and contractual agreements.

Assemblyman Lavine told the coalition that $800 million of additional state aid has been set aside for New York school districts, though it is not known yet how much of that aid will go to Glen Cove. Lavine talked about the inherent unfairness of the way schools are funded and said that we are likely to see consolidation of districts and services in the coming decades. This is a very unpopular reform and is unlikely to happen anytime soon, though it has worked successfully in other parts of the country. Currently, Nassau County has 56 districts and Suffolk has 68.

The meeting was well attended and the participants included 2 school board members, 2 school principals, and several teachers as well as concerned parents and community members. All those present felt the need to reconvene in January and find ways to reach out to the community to encourage their support for our schools in these difficult times ahead and to help maintain the quality of public education for the students of Glen Cove.