District 13 budget revote set for July 28

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Valley Stream District 13 is holding a school budget revote on Tuesday, July 28 after voters narrowly defeated its initial proposed 2020-2021 budget on June 16. Polling sites will be open at district residents’ respective elementary school buildings from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The revised budget makes more than $880,00 in cuts to spending including more than $400,000 in cuts to teacher and employee retirement and health insurance spending, $108,000 in reductions to the summer recreation program and $105,000 in cuts to pre-kindergarten. It would also hold off on equipment and textbook and classroom furniture purchases, as well as the hiring of two part-time instructors, among other cost-saving measures.

Coming in at $54.4 million the budget reduces any additional spending by roughly half, and would raise expenses by 2.51 percent and taxes by nearly 1 percent. Originally, expenses were set to increase by $2.2 million, or roughly 4.2 percent over the current year, and property taxes, 1.99 percent.

“We have listened to the concerns of the community and have reduced our budget by a sizable $880,118. While we understand the monumental impact of the pandemic, we believe it is critical to not let our children’s education suffer,” Schools Superintendent Dr. Constance Evelyn said in a statement. “Being an elementary school district, we take pride in providing the foundation for our children’s education and the future of the Valley Stream community.”

Should the revised budget fail to pass, the district would automatically adopt a contingency budget with a tax freeze and across-the-board cuts to expenditures, except those “considered essential to maintain an educational program, preserve property and ensure the health and safety of students and staff,” according to State Education Department guidelines.

The proposed revote budget is nearly $505,000 more than the contingency budget, which district officials said would eliminate many crucial educational programs and services directly impacting the education of students in the district. The revised budget, they said, would preserve district programs and services.

Social distancing and other guidelines from the  New York State Department of Health will be provided for during all voting hours at all voting locations to minimize dangers posed by the coronavirus. An absentee ballot can be requested by contacting the district 13 clerk.