School Superintendent sees easy road to avoid going above state-mandated tax cap

In what might well be considered the heart of the school budget for 2022-23 — education — Superintendent Brian Doelger, Ed.D., unveiled the second leg of a draft spending plan Monday night, promising not to go beyond the State-imposed 2% tax cap limit.

He predicted the final proposal will be under the allowable 2% tax cap increase, coming in at 1.5%, or less.

The draft shows a 2.55% hike in academic administration and general classroom instruction, with projected spending at $3.8 million, compared with the current year’s spending of $3.7 million.

Two items that show major spending increases in that part of the draft result from reclassification of employees from other areas of the budget, meaning the increases will be offset by decreases in other budget areas, Mr. Doelger said.

Occupational education costs are expected to drop because rates are set by Eastern Suffolk BOCES that works on a three-year rolling average. The current year’s spending on occupational education courses is budgeted at $42,999 based on tuition for three students, compared with payment for only one student in 2022-23 at $14,618, thanks to that rolling average calculation.

Special education costs are projected to drop by 3.51% from $1.15 million this year to $1.1 million next year. The summer school program is expected to be up by 6% from $23,575 during the summer of 2021 compared with this summer projected at $24,990.

Library and computer instruction is anticipated to cost $314,876 compared with $305,012 in the next budget.

A hike in guidance, counseling and health from $496,316 to $539,414 results again from a reclassification of an employee to this area and will reflect a drop in spending in another area.

Proposed spending for co-curricular activities and athletics would go up from $276,413 this year to $286,094 next year.

But Todd Gulluscio, Director of Physical Education, Health, Wellness & Personnel, noted that some teams are unlikely to materialize for lack of sufficient student interest.

On Feb. 15, Mr. Doelger will outline proposed spending for facilities, transportation and capital projects. Then on Feb. 28, he and the Board of Education will be eying the full proposal for possible changes. The aim is to ensure spending is adequate to maintain necessary programs and to identify possible cuts if there are estimates seen as higher than necessary or where spending could be delayed for a future year.

That process will continue on March 14. On April 11, the Board of Education will finalize its budget proposal to be submitted to voters on May 17.

Although it will then be too late for changes, a formal budget hearing is slated for May 9.

Voting on May 17 takes place at the school gymnasium between noon and 9 p.m.

Two incumbent Board of Education members are likely to seek re-election. Board Vice President Katherine Rossi-Snook said she is definitely seeking re-election. Former Board president Kathleen Lynch, who last year considered not seeking re-election, said she’s probably going to seek another term.