Bruce Dennis, the Bedford Central School District s Superintendent Of schools, presented a proposed budget to the board of education Wednesday night that would increase district spending by 12.57 percent and raise local property taxes by even higher percentages.

The Superintendent's budget of $69,325,960 represents a $7,741,398 increase over this year's spending plan.

While Bedford's school taxes were lowered slightly last year the proposed budget would raise the school tax rate in Bedford next year by 14.14 percent. The tax rate would increase by 14.06 percent. in

Mount Kisco, 15.38 percent in New Castle 15.52 percent in Pound Ridge and 26.24 percent in North

Castle North Castle’s rate would be significantly affected by a change in it's equalization rate caused by rising home sale prices.

"The staff and I recognize the magnitude of this increase," Dr, Dennis noted in a memo to the board, "and (we) have already made substantial reductions to the initial budgets presented to us by principals and directors."

Previous budget-to-budget increases proposed by Dr. Dennis since 1993 have averaged 4.87 percent. This budget proposal's increase is the largest in recent memory

First reaction

The first reaction from the school board came from Elin Sullivan who stated, "A budget calling for a 12.57 percent increase in spending won't be put forward to the public this Year. That figure has to come down. We may ask the administration to come back with another budget proposal."

Board member Mel Comberiati stated that part of the problem was the board's own doing when it applied $1.5 million in excess fund balance last year to reducing this year's taxes.

"We should have put that money in a reserve fund to pay off tax certiorari settlements," he said. "That was a mistake."

Dr. Dennis stated that "multiple factors account for the high and unprecedented increase in the budget proposal, and many of them are matters over which we have virtually no control."

He said that the New York State Commissioner of E d u c a t i o n Richard Mills and the Board of Regents have not only raised the academic bar, but have also required expanded levels of academic intervention and instructional support for all students who have not yet met or are in danger of not meeting the new requirements.

All students who are presently in seventh grade and below will have to pass five Regents, exams in order to graduate from high school. Many will need the levels of academic intervention that the state now requires; none of those costs will be reimbursed by the state to the districts, however.

Dr. Dennis said that many teacher positions had to be added to the budgeted staff this year to meet the needs of special education students in achieving the new state standards.

Other budgeted costs that are being exceeded this year include the costs of legal services, health and medical benefits, operations and maintenance, pupil transportation and tax certioraris.

Enrollment growth

Dr, Dennis stated that enrollment growth is another significant factor in the district's rising costs. Next year air additional 157 students are expected, bringing tile total enrollment Up to 3,893 3 from I lie, current population of 3,736. This amounts to an increase of 4.2 percent

Our English as a Second Language ESL population continues to increase at all even higher rate," Dr. Dennis said, -While we can only speculate on the number of ESL children in next years kindergarten, we do know that at the elementary

level alone, our K-5 ESL population has grown by 12.88 percent between June 1999 and March I."

Most Of the increase is accounted for by Spanish speaking children of immigrants from Central American countries, including Guatemala, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Most attend Mount Kisco Elementary School.

Salaries

Dr. Dennis reported that negotiated salary increases for next. year, along with existing but unbudgeted current teaching positions, amount to $2.5 million of the proposed budget increase, When the cost of benefits is added, salaries of personnel account for $3.95 million of the proposed $7.74 million total proposed budget increase - "or 51 percent of what is driving Our costs up," Dr. Dennis said.

Other rising expenses include $545,336 1 or pupil transportation to cover tile addition of seven new, bus routes to meet special education requirements; $380,000 for higher utility costs; $272,000 for bus replacements; $216,000 for new technology leases; arid $125,000 in additional legal fees,

One area in which Dr. Dennis proposed to trim the budget was in ongoing district maintenance and building improvements, whose budget allotment was reduced from $1.2 million to $800,000,

A budget workshop will be held at Fox Lane Middle School from 9 to 2 p.m. tomorrow Saturday, March 11, with another to Follow at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15.

Budget Sessions with opportunities for public participation have been scheduled for consecutive Wednesdays, March 22, March 29 and April 5. The board will adopt the budget at a meeting on Wednesday, April 12, and hold a formal budget, hearing on Wednesday, May 3.

The budget will be submitted to the voters for approval on Tuesday, May 16. At that time the two board of education seats currently held by school board president Paul Alcorn and board member Dot Fallon will also be up for election.