Schools

What You Need to Know: School Budget and Board of Education Vote

A voter's guide to candidates, budget numbers and voting information.

Residents will have the opportunity to vote on the 2012-2013 school budget on Tuesday at RJO Intermediate School from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Residents will also be able to vote for two open board of education positions.

  • Budget by the numbers: Kings Park residents will vote whether or not to approve the $80,832,817 budget that was unanimously adopted by the Board of Education last month.
  • What the cuts include: Cuts due to the budget include 4.7 teaching positions, and several non-teaching positions including a mechanic, two custodians, five aides, and one maintenance position.The consolidation of bus routes will result in the loss of four bus drivers, three of who are retiring.
  • Tax Levy Increase: The 2012-13 budget is a 2.18 percent increase over the current budget with a tax levy increase of 2.49 percent.
  • Your tax bill: The tax rate applied to homeowners is anticipated to be an increase of 2.49 percent as well. Kings Park residents can, on average, expect to see about a $186.17 increase for the year on their tax bill, or about $15.51 monthly.
  • If the budget fails: If the budget does not pass, the board has the opportunity to present the same budget again or make changes to the proposed budget and put it out again for a public vote. If the budget were voted down again, a contingent budget would be put into place.
  • If the budget fails twice:According to Phil Kenter, assistant superintendent for finance, if a contingent budget must be adopted for the next year, that budget must result in a tax levy no greater than the tax levy this year, which means a zero percent increase in the levy.

Board of Education Candidates

Residents will choose two candidates from a pool of three to fill vacancies left by outgoing trustee Steve Weber and president Bill Motherway.

Find out what's happening in Kings Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Question and and answer series with the candidates:

More budget headlines:

Find out what's happening in Kings Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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