Recently, Governor Cuomo announced a 3 percent statewide school aid increase in his proposed Executive Budget. Although his school aid budget may have increased, this “increase” did not materialize for most Nassau County school districts. In fact, Island Trees experienced a slight school aid decrease in this “increased” 2014-15 Executive Budget. Unfortunately, since the start of the Great Recession of 2010, Island Trees school aid has decreased a total of $7,628,347, the equivalent of a 19 percent increase on the tax levy.
Although our budget challenges have grown with dwindling state aid, the Island Trees Board of Education has found sensible ways to balance the school budget with very modest increases to the tax levy. In this increasingly grim climate, the Board has made conscientious reductions and has found creative solutions to address the state aid issues with minimal impact to our quality educational programs and services. Incredibly, at this point in the 2014 budgeting process (March), our projected tax levy increase, .66 percent (less than one percent), is the lowest in well over a decade. By and large, the Board has been able to strike a healthy balance between meeting the needs of our students and responding to the financial concerns of the community and will continue to do so.
Island Trees Board of Education
Kenneth Rochon, President
Kristen Daum, Vice President
Daniel Donahue
Patricia Mahon
Kim McDonough
Barbara Medellin
George Storm
