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Image provided by: Suffolk Cooperative Library System
June 3 ,2 0 1 0 , BEACON N E W S P A P E R . 3 WB School Board sets second budget vote for Tuesday, June 15th The Bayview Elem entary School in W est Islip celebrated the month’s character trait by participating in a PEACE Walk. Three hundred fifty students wore white shirts and lined up on the letters P-E-A -C -E, which were chalked on the school field by the buildings and grounds crew. The activity was organized by the building’s Character Education Com m ittee, reports Principal Rhonda Pratt, “which actively prom otes the many different character traits.” In addition to the PEACE W alk, students were given paper puzzle pieces to write on and decorate. The “Puzzle Pieces for Peace” are on display in the school illustrating the ways p eace can be prom oted at home\ in class, and throughout the community. West Islip Students line up to-support PEACE (Contunued from cover) in the adm inistration wing of the high school. Residents at the school board meeting last night asked questions about the process, some saying they believed the new budget vote was being rushed through. Mark Flower, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations, said the district was complying with the time line as set by New York State. A n o ther resident, Frank Bustam ante, m ade an impassioned statem ent to the board. He said he believed the 4.95 percent tax rate increase was still too high. “W e have people in this d istrict w ho have been laid off and can’t find work,” he said. “Use the reserves you have to cut that increase down to no m ore than 2.5 or three percent,” he said. A n o th e r re s id e n t, W illia m H ill, a g re e d , say in g now is th e tim e fo r th e d i s t r i c t to use the reserves it has saved for a rainy day. “People are hurting and that does not seem to affect this board,” he said. “You continue to hold on to those reserves to make yourselves comfortable.” Both Superintendent o f Schools Anthony Cacciola and Trustee Carm ine G alletta responded to Hill. Cacciola said that the district must have reserves to be fiscally responsible and that W est Babylon probably ranks as having one o f the lowest reserve fund accounts of comparable districts on Long Island. “If we used a large portion o f this money in one shot as has been suggested, it would put is into a very serious financial situation next year,” said Cacciola. “Those funds will have to be made up and it would be a disaster” The district has approximately $10 million in reserves and is applying several million dollars o f those funds to the 2010-2011 budget to help reduce the tax rate. Galletta, a local businessman, said he understood the sentiments of those who point to the current econom ic crisis. “As a taxpayer and businessman, I know how hard it is to make ends meet,” he said. “But if you are going to have a strong business— and a strong school district—you need reserves.” Hill pressed the trustees to commit to a plan that would pass along any increase in state aid that the district may realize when a state budget is passed. The district has used the Gov. David Paterson’s proposal, which passes along a $2 million reduction in aid for next year, in the current budget proposal. “Are you willing to tell the public that if you get more you will use that to reduce the tax rate in the fall?” asked Hill. G a lletta said the b o a rd would have to discuss that, w h ile C a c c io la said th a t decision could not be made until the district gets its final assessment figures. In general, assessment figures that come in higher than anticipated, drive dow n th e ta x rate, while lower than anticipated assessm e n ts d rive it up. Hill said it was simply a case of building trust between the public and the board. “You have not included any more funding than the governor has proposed in this budget,” he said . “So th e re is no reason why you can’t commit to passing along additional funding to the taxpayer in the form of a tax-rate reduction.” “I d isa g r e e ,” co u n te r e d Cacciola. A student at West Babylon High School in the West Babylon School District recently won this y ear’s Astoria Federal Savings B ank Teen Photo Contest. The them e was People in My Neighborhood. Jennifer Hirshkowitz, who is in 10th grade, will receive a $250 grant which she will receive at a reception. Additionally, West Babylon’s art departm ent was awarded a $ 1 0 0 grant fo r the photography departm ent. H er w inning photo is shown above. Babylon Business Women hold annual scholarshi The Babylon Business and Professional W om en Association celebrated its 75th anniversary at the H arbor Club recently. The day was dedicated to one of its longtime members, Anita N orth, who died a week before the event. M any Village stores contributed to the success of the party and helped th e asso c iatio n in its scholarship program . The Babylon Chorale entertained with music and public officials, including Babylon Village M ayor Ralph Scordino and S.C. Leg. Wayne Horsley stopped by to say hello and thank the Association for its com m itm ent to the community. event
