Hauppauge School Board Adopts $101 Million Budget

The Hauppauge Board of Education voted Tuesday night to approve the 2013-14 school budget of $101,834,716.

The new spending plan represents an increase of $3,188,605 from the current year's budget, and carries a 3.6-percent tax levy increase, which will result in a tax rate increase of about $200 for the average Hauppauge homeowner.

The bulk of the increase has to do with skyrocketing pension costs, which are mandated by the state. Employer contributions into the teachers’ retirement system will increase by 37 percent, school officials said at a budget meeting last Tuesday. In addition, the district’s contributions into the employee retirement system, which includes most non-instructional personal, will jump by 22 percent. The increases have forced the district's pension costs up by roughly $2.5 million.

The other main cost drivers are related to employee benefits including workers compensation, social security, life insurance, unemployment insurance, disability insurance and medical insurance.

Last year, the district saw a 3 percent increase in health insurance costs. This year, the district will see an additional 8 percent increase. 

Despite rising costs, the district will not be laying off any teachers due to budget cuts, Superintendent Patricia Sullivan-Kriss said at a previous board meeting. However, three educators on the elementary level will be let go due to lower enrollment. Two of those positions are due to retirements and will not be filled.

One unique aspect of Hauppauge's budget this year is that business districts will contribute more to the 2013-14 school budget than resident taxpayers. 

Businesses and commercial industries will foot the bill for approximately 55-percent of the tax levy, while homeowners will contribute about 45-percent, according to James Stucchio, assistant superintendent for business of operations.

Before the budget was adopted, the board made its decision as to where to put $422,494 in state aid. The board voted Tuesday to put $200,000 of the additional funds toward keeping the retirement reserves fund at its current level, make up for the loss of $90,000 in federal funding loss from sequestration and to transfer $132,494 to capital funding. 

With its capital reserves the board is looking to replace windows in parts of the Whiporwil building and conduct asphalt repairs and paving at Bretton Woods and the High School. Those projects would use $1,215,000 from the capital reserves fund.

The district also voted to approve a transfer of capital of $382,494 to put control access doors at each of the elementary schools and improve the high school's earth science labs.

In addition to voting on the budget May 21, residents will also vote on the capital projects, as well elect three individuals to the school board.