BUDGET VOTE 2012-13
Thank
you for your support!
Voters
approve school district budget
 Port Jervis
residents overwhelmingly approved
the proposed 2012-13 budget.
The tally was
715 yes votes; 321 no votes
On May 15,
Port Jervis School District residents
approved the proposed 2012-13 budget by a 69
percent margin of 715 yes votes to 321 no
votes. The $60.7 million budget represents a
modest spending increase of 2.4 percent over
the current budget. It carries an estimated
tax levy increase of 1.52 percent.
In the Board of Education election, Noeleen
Casey-Tomasi, incumbent Michael Bello and
Reyes Torres were elected to serve
three-year terms, which begin July 1.
Richard McElroy won the fourth seat, which
carries a one-year term. He will be sworn in
at the May 17 School Board meeting. Board
President William Onofry lost his bid for
re-election along with candidate Danny
VanKleeck.
Passage of the budget, which is below the
new state levy limit, will allow the
District to preserve all existing
educational programs and services, and avoid
staff layoffs.
The process of developing the budget was
particularly challenging this year due to
the significant loss of state support,
combined with other factors related to the
overall economy. The District was able to
keep the tax increase below the two percent
state levy limit by applying $1.125 million
from its reserve funds to the budget and
reducing program costs.
“This budget represents a real effort to
balance core programs with cost reductions,”
said Superintendent John Xanthis. “We are
extremely appreciative of the voting
public’s overwhelming support and continued
commitment to our students. I can assure you
that we will remain steadfast in our
commitment to provide every student in this
community with the best possible education.”
Budget Vote & School Board Elections are May
15
Budget Newsletter
Proposed budget maintains educational
programs & services,
and is below the new state tax levy limit.
•
Proposed Budget: $60,711,255
•
Increase Over 2011-12 Budget: 2.4 %
•
Estimated Tax Levy Increase: 1.52%
On Tuesday, May 15, the District is holding
its annual Budget Vote and School Board
election. The proposed budget carries an
estimated tax levy increase of 1.52 percent.
The budget is below the new state tax levy
limit. It is also one of the lowest tax levy
increases in Orange, Ulster and Sullivan
Counties. According to a special report
published in Sunday’s Times-Herald Record,
Port Jervis has the fourth lowest increase
in Orange County where many districts are
being forced to cut staff and educational
programs to compensate for lagging state
educational aid. Close to 470 jobs are being
cut in budget proposals in the Hudson Valley
and Catskills, and many schools are losing
art, music and athletic programs.
Port Jervis is proposing a budget that
maintains all existing programs, services,
and teaching positions. The Board of
Education arrived at the spending plan after
working with the administration for months
to develop a budget that balances student
program needs with cost reductions.
“Throughout the process, our efforts focused
on protecting core academic programming
directly related to student achievement,
while keeping the tax levy increase below
two percent,” said Board of Education
President William Onofry.
The process was particularly challenging for
Port Jervis, and other New York school
districts, who were all facing huge revenue
shortfalls bought on by a combination of
increasing costs and the fourth year of
significant state aid reductions.
In Port Jervis, cost-saving initiatives, an
application of $1.125 million from the
District reserve funds to the budget and the
restoration of $565,000 in state aid, filled
the budget gap. Additionally, savings from
teacher retirements, program efficiencies,
and the acceptance of the central
administrators’ offer to take a salary
freeze allowed the Board to hold down costs.
“We used our reserve funds and tightened our
belts,” said Onofry, noting that the
proposed budget will allow the Board to
“continue our commitment to provide
educational opportunities for all of the
children in our community.”
Polls will be open May 15 from 6 a.m. to
9 p.m.
District residents have three locations
to vote May 15: Port Jervis Middle
School, Port Jervis High School and Hamilton
Bicentennial Elementary School.
Not sure where to vote?
Please call the District Clerk at 858-3100,
Ext.15511.
Six candidates
running for Board of Education
Four of the nine seats on the Board of
Education are up for election May 15.
Incumbents William Onofry and Michael Bello
are running along with Noeleen Casey-Tomasi,
Richard McElroy, Reyes Torres, and Danny
VanKleeck to fill these seats.
MORE
School Board adopts 2012-13 budget proposal
APRIL 18,
2012 -
The Board of Education has adopted a $60.7
million budget proposal for the 2012-13 school year. The
proposed budget carries an estimated tax levy increase of 1.52
percent.
The Board arrived
at the spending plan after working with the administration for
months to develop a budget that supports students’ educational
needs, while keeping the tax levy increase below two percent.
District officials entered the process facing a huge revenue
shortfall, bought on by a combination of increasing costs and
the fourth year of significant state aid reductions.
The revenue gap
was closed primarily by the District’s application of $1.125
from the reserve funds to the budget and the State’s restoration
of $565,000 in state aid. On the expenditure side, substantial
savings resulted from staff reductions, program efficiencies,
and the acceptance of the central administrators’ offer to take
a salary freeze. Staff reductions for next year include the
elimination of 12 positions.
The retirement of six teachers,
combined with additional cost-saving measures, allowed the
Board to lower the tax levy from the originally- projected
amount so that it is now below the state’s
new tax levy cap. District officials are also pleased to
announce that, due to the large number of retirements, they will
not have to lay off any employees as originally anticipated. The
needed staff reductions will be covered through attrition.
Residents will vote on the proposed budget
and school board candidates May 15.
Public Budget Hearing Presentation
(PDF)
April 17 budget presentation
Budget Presentation with information on
Reserve Funds -
Presented March 20, 2012
DISTRICT BUDGET NEWS
BOE postpones adoption of proposed budget
APRIL 4,
2012 -
The Board of Education delayed last night's
scheduled adoption of the 2012-13 proposed budget until April 17
when it will have answers to two important questions: How many
teachers are retiring? Will the PJTA accept a pay freeze?
Teachers have until April 15 to notify the district if they will
retire at the end of the school year. The district is also
waiting to hear if the teachers' union will join administrators
in a salary freeze that would save Port Jervis taxpayers close
to $500,000 - or close to 2 points on the tax levy.
MORE
April 2 Budget Presentation
PJTA stand could bring
negative change to district
POSTED:
APRIL 3,
2012
The teachers
association’s negative advertising campaign is nothing more than
smoke and mirrors. "The ads are an obvious attempt by union
leaders to deflect public attention from the fact that they are
not willing to join the administrators in a salary freeze that
would save Port Jervis taxpayers close to $500,000 – or close to
2 points on the tax levy," said Superintendent John Xanthis.
MORE
Reserve funds should be used wisely to maintain financial
stability
POSTED: MARCH 16,
2012
Realistically, the only way to close the looming financial gap
created by state aid cuts, and the elimination of federal
stimulus monies, is to reduce staffing costs. Teacher salaries
and benefits alone account for 49 percent of the projected
2012-2013 budget.
MORE
Salary freeze
would save district half million dollars
Administration taking
pay freeze, asking teachers to join them
March 5, 2012 - In an
advertisement that appeared in the Port Jervis Gazette on
March 2, the Port Jervis Teachers Association (PJTA) provided
inaccurate and misleading information about the Port Jervis
School District.
The advertisement included a list of recommended cost-cutting
measures. What the ad failed to mention is
the single most significant
expense driving up next year’s school district budget –
contractual increases in salaries and benefits.
Realistically, the only way to close the looming financial gap
created by state aid cuts and the elimination of federal
stimulus monies is to reduce staffing costs. Teacher salaries
and benefits alone account for 49 percent of the projected
2012-2013 budget.
MORE
Understanding the Tax Levy Cap & executive budget proposal
Port Jervis facing $1 Million Revenue
Shortfall
In a special report provided to the Board of
Education on January 24, Assistant Superintendent for
Business Lorelei Case estimated that the 2012-13
budget shortfall could be
as large as $1 Million dollars. This
calculation is based on preliminary figures that are
being used to develop next year's budget.
MORE
Click here to view
Case's PowerPoint Presentation.
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