Schools

Speak Out: Forum Tackles Property Tax Cap and Impact on PC Schools

District leaders look for feedback as they construct a budget limited for the first time by New York's new property tax cap.

Like their counterparts across New York, school leaders in Port Chester will sit down to craft a budget for the first time under the state's new property tax cap.

Last year, the district and even axed to save money on printing costs. This year promises more belt-tightening -- according to an administrative newsletter from Superintendent Edward Kliszus, Port Chester schools face a budget shortfall of between $2 and $4 million.

Parents, homeowners and concerned community members will get their chance to weigh in on the budget process next week, when the district hosts a budget forum at Port Chester Middle School.

Find out what's happening in Port Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Port Chester leaders will get a better indication of the size of the budget gap in February, when the state releases details on health insurance and pension costs, among other mandated expenditures. Like administrators in other districts, they're also waiting to see whether state aid will be slashed or remain at last year's levels, Kliszus wrote in the letter to faculty.

Kliszus and the school board are looking at several options in worst-case scenarios, from cutting bus and transportation costs to educating some special education students in-house instead of outside programs.

Find out what's happening in Port Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The letter also mentions the possibility of exceeding the tax levy cap with "get out the vote" campaigns and input from local PTAs. Since last year's budget passed by fewer than 70 votes, and sidestepping the state tax levy cap requires the approval of 60 percent of voters, the superintendent didn't frame that option in optimistic terms.

Kliszus said he'd spoken to fellow superintendents across Westchester County, and "the general consensus" indicates voters won't support such a measure.

"Considering the state of many local economies, this is not surprising," Kliszus wrote.

And while the state tax cap was met with strong opposition in some circles -- including the state's teachers union -- homeowners widely approved the move earlier this year. It's unlikely those voters can be persuaded to vote for a tax cap bypass, observers say, even though leaders in some districts are trying.

For school officials, the greatest challenge will be reconciling an as-yet unknown budget gap while keeping popular and necessary programs intact.

What's the best way to do that? School leaders want your input. Speak out on the budget process on Monday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m.  in the Port Chester Middle School Auditorium.

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