MEET THE BAUMANN SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS
SCHOOLS
051404 District attracts families because, of the quality of our schools, vote `yes' on May 18 ,
Katonah-Lewisboro School District
To the Editor:
As voting day nears, KatonahLewisboro residents can feel confident about passing a fiscally responsible and educationally sound budget for school year 2004-05. The district this year collaborated with educators, administrators, parents, and community groups to develop a spending plan that benefits our children but is fair to taxpayers.
Defeating the budget would be a defeat to all. Without this year's reasonably modest spending increase, the district will not be able to hire additional school staff, keep class size under 30 students, implement a literacy program for grades 1-8, maintain certain electives, or upgrade technology. At worst, a contingency budget could lead to a loss of AP classes, overcrowded, classrooms, and the reduction or elimination of sports and extracurricular activities.
We have heard some rumors that an initial budget defeat forces the administration and the board to make "more reasonable cuts" in order to ultimately pass the budget in a revote. This is simply not true. On March 30, culminating four weeks of study, the board spent four and a half hours scrutinizing every budget line and made every possible cut. There are no other "reasonable" cuts. The next reductions would most certainly impact our students - class size, course selection, activities, etc.
This year's spending plan, up 8.95 percent over last year, aims to keep pace with a growing student population and increases in state mandates. This increase is slightly below average when compared to other districts here in Westchester County. Our increase ranks 10th out of 4 similar school districts (e.g.,15 percent in Croton, 10.9 percent in Edgemont, 10.62, percent in Chappaqua, 10.8 percent in Scarsdale, and 11 percent in Brewster).
Defeating the budget would be a mistake. Taxpayers may be surprised to learn that taxes will increase even if the budget is defeated and a contingency budget is put in place. True, the margin of the tax increase is smaller, but only by a few percentage points. Programs that are removed may take years to return.
The district acknowledges that rising costs are a burden to the community. However, our district continues to attract families because of the quality of our schools. Over time, investment in our children's education is an investment in our community at large, our homes, and our neighborhoods.
Robert V Lichtenfeld
Katonah-Lewisboro
Superintendent of Schools