Hicksville Board Of Education Adopts 2019-20 Budget
After numerous meetings and discussions with school district staff and community members over the last few months, the Hicksville School District Board of Education has officially adopted their budget for the 2019-20 school year. The proposed budget of $139,348,682, not including an additional $60,000 to be appropriated to the Gregory Museum for educational services, is a $3,662,459 increase over the 2018-19 budget’s amount of $135,686,223, and represents a 1.99 percent tax levy increase—just within the state tax levy cap of 2 percent.
Broken down by category, next year’s budget includes: $15,481,930 for general support; $78,606,907 for instructional support; $8,583,236 for pupil transportation; $203,900 for recreational programs; $42,565 for community services, which will increase to $102,565 in support of the Gregory Museum should the budget receive a passing vote from residents; and $36,430,144 for “undistributed and other debt.” In comparison to last year’s budget, funds allocated to instructional support increased by $1,957,204, and funds for pupil transportation increased by $152,676.
(Photos by Ida Ynner Lagerqvist)
In terms of revenue included in next year’s budget: Real property tax is calculated to be $104,334,048, which is a $2,034,338 increase from last year; “all other state aid” totals at $735,212, which includes revenue from a $459,712 premium on the bond and reflects a $519,712 increase from last year; state-sourced foundation aid comes to $12,429,951, a $299,062 increase; BOCES funds are at $1,483,909, which is $240,458 more than last year; “miscellaneous state aid” totals $5,688,428, reflecting a $129,861 decrease from last year’s budget; and federal aid comes to $200,000, which is $100,000 more than last year.
Among the uses for the budget during the 2019-20 school year are: Maintaining all existing programs and services in the school district, as well as providing program and facilities enhancements; including new math and science courses at the middle and high school level; expanding the foreign language programs across the elementary schools; acquiring new textbooks; aiding in professional development; and gaining additional staff for alternative high school programs, like WINGS.
In an effort to elevate the climate within every school in the district and promote healthy air quality and an enhanced learning environment, the budget also includes funds to go toward capital projects to improve the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The high school will also receive funds for the relocation and creation of new tennis courts.
In a bulletin sent out by the Hicksville School District, on behalf of Superintendent Marianne Litzman and the board of education, “Our unwavering goal is to continue improving wherever possible in a fiscally responsible manner thereby protecting the taxpayers’ interests.”
On the day of the budget vote, voters will also be asked to vote on two additional propositions. Proposition No. 2—Capital Reserve Fund will establish the Phase III HVAC Capital Reserve Fund, effective June 30 of this year. The amount of $1,559,180, funded by a transfer from the 2018-19 district retirement contribution reserve, will have a term of three years for the purpose of heating, ventilation and air conditioning projects at a number of district buildings. Proposition No. 3—Gregory Museum will appropriate $60,000 to the Hicksville Gregory Museum for educational services. These two propositions are contingent on the approval by voters on Proposition No. 1, which is the vote for the 2019-20 school budget.
The budget vote and trustee election will take place Tuesday, May 21, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at your local district elementary school. A ballot will also be included to vote on the Hicksville Public Library budget and election of the library board of trustees. Voters must be at least 18, a U.S. citizen, a resident of the Hicksville School District for at least 30 days prior to voting day and currently registered with the school district or has voted in the general election in the last four years.
For more information, visit www.hicksvillepublicschools.org.
