From the Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Andy Irvin

 

From the Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Andy Irvin

Dear Carmel Community,
Everyone has their favorite season. I am very happy when football season begins and I wait all winter for baseball season to start again.  However, the one season I have a difficult time with in recent years is school budget season.
It should be an exciting time where we focus on what is best for kids – supporting initiatives that prepare our students for a rapidly changing world.  Unfortunately as in several aspects of public education, the bureaucracy of New York State has made it an absolutely dreadful part of the year.  A tax levy cap of close to 0 percent, the broken promise of fully funded Foundation Aid and the continued burden of a Gap Elimination Adjustment (at a time when the state touts a budget surplus!) has the potential to devastate our schools.
Like many reforms initiated by New York State, it begins with good intention. School budgets were outpacing the communities’ ability to fund them. So the governor implemented the”2% tax levy cap” legislation. The current law, however, has significant shortcomings. Primarily, it is not really a 2% cap – the cap is based on a complicated formula that allows tax levies to grow by either 2% or the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI)-whichever is less. The CPI changes year over year. This year, based on the CPI the cap is tagged at 0.12%. You may have seen this reported in the local press. Yet, it does not reflect an accurate picture as there are a variety of factors school districts must take into account in establishing their cap. In reality, Carmel’s cap may be more or less than the reported 0.12% (either way, the misleading information in the media will not make the process any easier, only more difficult to explain). I support property tax relief, but not at the expense of students. Overall, the volatility of CPI makes it difficult for school districts to plan for the sustainability of programs.
Then there’s the governor’s proposed budget. Two areas in particular are problematic. First is the GEA. In early reports, the governor said GEA should go away completely.  I agree. GEA has taken over $15 million from Carmel since 2008.  But alas, it didn’t quite go away….  Hardly! Under the governor’s proposed budget for 2016-2017, GEA will take another $826,222 from Carmel. This is real money due us that could go a long way in supporting our students.
Next, there is this thing called “Foundation Aid.” Webster’s dictionary defines foundation as “thebasis or groundwork of anything.” Makes sense. Our Foundation Aid provides the cornerstone for building our budget.  It is aid that school districts are promised by New York State. The problem is Foundation Aid has not been fully funded by New York State over the past several years. Carmel has been shortchanged over $2 million in each of the past several years.
Between the GEA and inadequate Foundation Aid, we begin the budget season minus at least $2.8 million in NYS aid.  These are dollars that the taxpayers — this community in fact — have paid to NYS.  In addition, we struggle to sustain programs best for kids due to the volatility of the CPI.Unless the legislature takes action this money will be lost and will negatively impact our ability to improve the education for our children.
I’m not asking anyone to make the budget season easy.  But our schools need fair funding now! Your help is essential in making this happen. School districts are obligated to follow guidelines — and so should those who govern.  Call upon your legislators to provide adequate funding for schools. Start by asking for them to fully fund Foundation Aid and put an end to GEA.
Andy Irvin
Superintendent
Carmel Central School District
#bestforkids
P.S. For your convenience, Westchester Putnam School Boards Association provides a link to e-letters to your legislators against underfunding schools. Visit https://www.votervoice.net/WPSBA/campaigns/43792/respond

Author: Harlem Valley News