On Tuesday, May 17, our community will vote on the proposed 2016-17 school budget. We encourage all residents to vote yes. It is imperative that we all go to the polls and vote in support of the proposed budget.
We must come together to vote for the future of our children and our community.
The proposed budget delivers high- quality education that is within the New York State-mandated tax cap.
This year, our school district has worked hard to put forth a budget that stays within the 0.8 percent tax cap, the lowest since the enactment of the tax cap law. This was a herculean task, especially because of continued growth in enrollment in our schools.
We are very excited, as the proposed budget includes additional teachers and staff both to help meet the enrollment growth and to lower class sizes in our schools.
The budget adds five new elementary classes; one guidance counselor and one business teacher at Schreiber; three ESL teachers; one ENL-bilingual teacher; and part-time reading, math and physical education teachers in our elementary schools.
The budget also preserves all current extracurricular activities, clubs and athletic programs and teams.
A failed budget would be disastrous for our children and community.
Defeat could potentially mean the loss of up to 16 teachers, resulting in increased class sizes in all grades.
Defeat could also result in reduced course offerings at Schreiber; only half-day kindergarten; cuts in art
and music programs at all schools; cuts in clubs and sports at Weber and Schreiber; elimination of the PEP program; and the loss of elementary school librarians and guidance counselors.
In addition to voting yes on the budget (Proposition 1), we also urge residents to vote yes on Proposition 2. This allows the sale of district-owned property in Sands Point. Revenue from the sale will be used to reduce taxes in subsequent years.
The school budget vote and board election will take place on Tuesday, May 17, from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Weber on Campus Drive. All registered voters are eligible to vote. Please join us in voting yes for the school budget. Your vote does matter.
—Lynn Steinberg and Jennifer Mannion, copresidents, Port Washington Parents’ Council
