LI schools stunned by budget rejections in NJ

April 21, 2010 by JOHN HILDEBRAND / john.hildebrand@newsday.com

New Jersey's stunning rejection of school budgets is sending shock waves through Long Island, where educators warn that any such setbacks here could produce massive teacher layoffs and program cuts.

Local school officials add that New York State's zero percent cap on "contingency" budgets for 2010-11 threatens to aggravate the situation. Under that cap, many districts where budgets fail could be barred from any increased spending at all next year.

On Tuesday, New Jersey voters turned down 315 of 537 school budgets statewide - the biggest "no" vote since 1976. New York State holds its budget votes May 18.

"Certainly, anything like what's happening in New Jersey sends shivers up our spines," said Wendell Chu, superintendent of East Islip schools and president of Suffolk County's School Superintendents Association.

Like many Island districts, East Islip is still putting together a budget, which is to be approved by the school board Thursday night before being submitted to voters. Already, Chu says, the district has decided to cut 10 teaching jobs next year - a figure that could rise to close to 30 if residents vote "no" on the budget.

Dozens of local districts that held tax increases low this year have predicted higher raises next year, according to a recent survey by the State Council of School Superintendents. The biggest reason: a threatened $172.6 million cut in the region's school aid by Gov. David A. Paterson, who is struggling to close a state budget deficit.

Huntington, for example, is calling for a $108.7 million budget for next year with a 3.6 percent spending increase and a 3.54 percent hike in taxes. This year's increases were 1.16 percent and 1.42 percent, respectively. Even with higher spending, Huntington plans to cut more than two dozen jobs next year for teachers and other staffers.

Garden City, meanwhile, proposes a $98.2 million budget with spending and tax increases of 3.21 percent and 4.52 percent, respectively. This year's increases were 0.75 percent and 1.57 percent. The proposed budget cuts 10 percent of student clubs at the secondary level, along with four junior-varsity "B" teams and half the district's summer remedial tutoring.

Garden City's superintendent Robert Feirsen notes that local residents approved a $36.5 million bond issue for school remodeling just five months ago. He's hopeful voters there will maintain their traditional support for schools, regardless of what happened in New Jersey.

"Who was it who said, 'All politics is local?' " Feirsen quipped.

Taxpayer representatives hope, on the other hand, that New Jersey's vote - and New York's tight spending cap - will convince Island residents that their ballots can make a difference. Typically, less than 20 percent of Island voters participate in school elections.

One Island activist who watched New Jersey returns is Frank Russo of Port Washington, a founder of the regional Long Islanders for Educational Reform taxpayer group. "I'm hoping it motivates voters to turn out," he said.