Budget Fighters Begone!

[patriot2415]

To everyone who posts. It is great that forums like this exist where people can share their thoughts. However it is discouraging that so little effort is given by members of this community to actually get involved. As a member of the Plainedge Parents Athletic Club, I and other parents gave up our summer for the kids. We saw the same faces at all the events and we thank everyone for their effort. At the last PPAC community meeting 75 people attended. As a member of the Plainedge Tax Relief Association, again a very small number of residents are involved. At the last PTRA community meeting 45 residents attended. At the last 2 BOE meetings there were 18 and 16 residents attending. That is 154 residents, most of them are the same person attending all four meetings. We as a community need to make a decision, are we just going to complain, or are we going to put ourselves on the line and get things done. Although some believe the letter writing is a waste of time, we have spoken to local and state officials and their reply was, it certainly does make a difference. But we can't send 20, 50 or 100 letters. We need to send 1000's of letters. Every voter in every home should be sending letters to local and state officials. Even our children can send a letter and describe what a failed budget meant to them. We must also go to board meetings AS A COMMUNITY, and challenge the administration and BOE on how the budget will be formed. We need financial professionals and legal experts to attend the BOE meetings so we in the community can address our questions to them which will enable us to be prepared for the discussions at the BOE meetings. If you own a home in the district or rent, the topics of school budgets, school taxes and state aid affects YOU, everyone has a stake in this, everyone has something to lose and something to gain.

We are less then 3 months from the next school budget vote, I urge you to get involved, be informed, and vote. This is OUR district, this is OUR home, these are OUR KIDS... lets protect it ALL

[thewildrover]

Go P-Edge

See what happens…two somewhat positive, possibly even productive, posts are put up looking for solutions………recognizing that there is a huge issue of division in this community…constructively putting forth some suggestions and ideas to help us move forward in a positive manner…recognizing a board member for his positive actions. Talking… about “we and us”…. a call to “stop the bickering”….

What happens?…Lets just say the olive branch was clearly declined… and there’s the rub.
When a persons own personal agenda takes priority over the betterment of the masses, it never ends up in a positive.

In an earlier post I stated, “I’m sensing that the first group feels that the second group’s efforts give fuel to the eager ears of the “NO” voters. The negative messages being presented could only hurt their kid’s chances of having a full, well-rounded, educational experience”

That perception is closer to realization since reading the latest posts.

As long as this very palpable divide continues to be perpetuated by those that refuse to stop the bickering….”we’ll all be rooned”…to quote an old Irish poem.

Your hope that “WE” cease the bickering seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

As for OUR exchange of ideas, a letter writing campaign targeted the current BOE and Administration is an excellent idea, as well as a “candidates night” sponsored by the community. Those ideas could be further pursued at one of the meetings held by the active parents. I do know that a dynamic course of action is in the works. Meetings, rallies, flyers and signs made, voter registration drives for the seniors in PHS, absentee ballots being mailed to graduated alumni, parades, car washes…ALL positive community based, people driven actions…. ready to move forward if the board puts forth a “fair and reasonable” budget.

What must be stressed to all WE come into contact with in our daily rounds in P-Town is attendance at the Board meetings. Being part of the process by showing up and voicing ones opinion. I will tell you honestly, I learned this lesson too late, and spent the past summer not as planned. The turn out after such a painful year is sad.

See you March 14th.

IT’S ABOUT THE KIDS!

[gopybl]

FPresuto.....Thanks for looking out for this community. Now we just need to get 2 more on the BOE who feel the same way. Thanks again.

[thewildrover]

Oh, and one more favorite quote:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

March 14th

IT'S ABOUT THE KIDS

[Go Plainedge!]

Don't let the opinions of the average man sway you. Dream, and he thinks you're crazy. Succeed, and he thinks you're lucky. Acquire wealth, and he thinks you're greedy. Pay no attention. He simply doesn't understand. Robert G. Allen


The ones that continue to bicker will be left behind.

[thewildrover]

"The ones that continue to bicker will be left behind."

As for me, I'll look at 'em from my rear view mirror while driving forward on the positive road to save P-Town.

See you March 14th

ITS ABOUT THE KIDS!

[justfacts]

Can the BOE learn a lesson from the past?

The First failed Budget for last year was for $59,949,303.
The Second failed Budget for last year was for $59,949,303.

The Contingency Budget used for last year was for $57,492,449. The Community's addition to that was for $570,000. That makes a total of $58.07 Million.

How many would have Voted YES to a budget less than the "cast in concrete" number of $59.95 Million, but more than $58.07 Million to be spent this year. Fifty?, a hundred?, That's all it would have taken!

That actual spending level is $1.88 Million less than the failed budget amounts! Would a Second Budget, reduced by about half that much, have passed?

Let's see - "What if the second budget was for a little less - say a nice round $58.95 Million?" That reduced Budget is $1 Million less than the "cast in concrete number" but its almost $1 Million more than the Contingency and the "community gift" total.

Could that Million Dollar cut have been passed as a Second Budget Number? Wouldn't the extra money then have paid not only for varsity sports, but have left much more money for other Program items?

In other words, by being insistent in demanding the first Budget number, and the first number only, the BOE passed up a chance to have a more reasonable Budget passed, one that would have given more money than they end up with this year - and one that would have not needed a heroic gift of money from a few of the parents and children in this District!

Can they learn that lesson this year?

They might! If you go to the Budget hearings and shout it in their ears![/i]

Remember - the Budget job the community has is to see that the Children get their fair share of the budget money!

[elphaba65]

Just facts: This information you posted on another website contains inaccurate information once again. Aside from Wantagh, the school districts you have listed below Plainedge are not K-12 districts, therefore they do not fit into this comparison. Sewanhaka is a high school district only. Merrick, North Merrick and North Bellmore are all elementary districts. Therefore, Plainedge is actually second from the bottom in ranking.

Can you also tell us why the rest of the Nassau County school districts are not on your list, and why you don't have the "actual" expenditures listed for all other districts?

On second thought ... forget about that. Instead,why don't you start explaining your library budget, which we will be voting on soon. I have read from this site and Newsday that it is ranked #9 in Nassau County. Why does the Plainedge library employ more people than any of our elementary schools? Why is 69% of the library budget spent on salaries and benefits, and so little spent on library materials and computers? You can't be adequately serving the Plainedge taxpayers as a Library Trustee if you're spending all of your time obsessing over the school budget (without attending ANY meetings, as you ask everyone else to do). Seems YOU could save the taxpayers some money if you paid more attention to your own budget. Now wouldn't THAT be a PRODUCTIVE activity to keep you busy into the wee hours of the morning?!

The following table is taken from a Report of State School District Statistics. I know we've been given some different figure from the District but the numbers below are what has been filed with the State for the year 2004-2005.



What to make of the figures is something else. Note that the highest Dollars per Student is for Island Park - but I don't think anyone believes that Island Park therefore has a better Educational system that Plainedge - or some of the other Districts that are lower. Rankings by quality of Education vs Dollars per Pupil has not been done in any place that I can find.



School District 2004/5 Budget Enrollment Dollars/Pupil

Island Park $ 24,758,472 800 $30,948

Jericho $ 77,557,541 3235 $23,975

Carle Place $ 33,565,722 1650 $20,343

Uniondale $122,974,000 6376 $19,287

Valley Stream #24 $ 20,606,873 1099 $18,751

Bellmore $ 22,996,121 1262 $18,222

Levittown $145,082,285 7993 $18,151

Bethpage $ 55,356,055 3085 $17,944

Glen Cove $ 54,301,365 3031 $17,915

Garden City $ 76,061,612 4277 $17,784

Herricks $ 72,323,963 4077 $17,740

Westbury $ 71,184,386 4037 $17,633

Hempstead $120,145,354 7040 $17,066

Valley Stream CHS $ 75,986,105 4556 $16,678

Hicksville $ 84,648,982 5234 $16,173

Bellmore-Merrick $ 94,493,646 5881 $16,068

Roosevelt $ 50,797,670 3207 $15,840

Freeport $112,772,779 7182 $15,702

Plainedge (Actual) $ 55,933,372 3616 $15,468

Massapequa $128,884,991 8353 $15,430

Seaford $ 42,211,493 2739 $15,411

Plainedge (Budget) $ 55,313,909 3616 $15,297

Merrick $ 29,397,279 1949 $15,083

North Merrick $ 19,678,028 1324 $14,863

Wantagh $ 51,006,666 3682 $13,853

North Bellmore $ 34,022,490 2463 $13,813

Sewanhaka $118,403,756 8630 $13,720



Averages $ 68,535,738 4089 $17,376



Ed.

[justfacts]

My Thoughts and opinions on the Budget Process

(Some facts included)

The present School Budget process allows for two Budget propositions to be voted on and a third Contingency budget to be used if both of the first two Budgets are rejected.

The latter, the Contingency Budget, provides an increase over the past approved budget which is 20% more than the CPI for the Programs and Administration parts of the Budget. Whatever the third part of the Budget, the Capital part, was proposed to be increased - it is increased that much - be it a 5% increase or a 10 to 15% increase.

Now to the first proposed Budget - I think it should be a "what we reasonably would like to have" to provide the same level of education as we had last year plus some extra for improved education and/or increased Programs for the children. This to be done on the basis that very tight and effective fiscal controls and policy are implemented by the Administration under the review and control of the BOE to keep expenses to the approved voter level.

The Second proposed budget: Would again be like the first one, but with a drop in some of the extras for improved education and/or increased programs for the children. Again this is done on the basis of tight and effective fiscal controls and policy that keeps expenses to the approved level.

This would provide voters with a "buying choice" of three levels of funding -
Prime, Choice and Status-Quo.

Now there are some that will always try to vote NO on the first Budget - because they tend to buy cheap. But most of us, especially when it comes to such a vital issue as our children's education, will always select Prime by voting YES on the first reliable Budget.

And for those times that the economics of the Real World are not reflected in a reliable budget - there is always the escape valve of a Status-Quo Contingency Budget increase.

That's what could have happened last year and did not - and what did happen the year before.

This year I'd like to see the increase devoted, not to Administration, not to Capital, but all to Programs. If only the Programs rose in cost by about $1.7 Million, that would mean, as the fund balance is transferred to offset property tax costs, that the increase in property tax would be zero! Hell!, I'd take even more of an increase in property tax - if, and only if, the money went into just the Programs.

But if, as shown by the "can't control these costs crowd" the money was going to excess Capital Reserves and Administration, especially to more raises - I'd fight it tooth and nail.

So, I'll be tearing into this coming first legitimate presentation of a reasonable budget by the BOE to find out what is in Programs, Administration and Capital and just what is the balance in the proposed changes in each.

That is - if the way they release the figures are in the true three part Budget as they are required to do - but have yet to do. Budget presentations by this Administration have not been meeting Education Department requirements - which makes evaluating them very difficult. Almost a "shell game", to quote one of our voters, in his appeal to the Commissioner.

[yruohk]

PPS Budget Newsletter....should be factual.

Could this be an ever so subtle chortle regarding the Plainedge community?

Estimated Tax Increase (before deductions) on an average home assessed @ $422,000

:oWhose house in Plainedge is assessed this amount? Certainly not mine! That's a glaring deception, ahem, error. That $894 appears to be a mere pittance compared to this SUPPOSED $422,000 assessment. Guess someone doesn't know assessment from market values.

Maybe we should call Stefanich's office and investigate whose home this could be. Guess the budget makers ought to use a magnifying glass to look at their tax bill for the REAL figures.

$320 Estimated ANNUAL Tax Increase (over last year)

8-)One glaring sleight of hand leads one to believe there's more up those well covered arms. The magician only shows you what he/she wants you to see. What you see, is NOT what you end up with! I know this figure to be closer to $600. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see through the 'smoke & mirrors'. Just check the figures and when they don't add up, ask yourself why not?

:'(And who's really hurting the kids? The crafty magicians or the ones paying their salaries with hard-earned tax $$$?

;)Just remember, the left hand moves while your eyes are on the rabbit being pulled from the hat.

Tsk, tsk.

[thewildrover]

I took some time and went to this web site:

www.nassaucountyny.gov/ncasmt/index.jsp

Inputted my home address and a few of my neighbors, and what a shock

My home was assesed at exactly $430,000!!!

My neighbors?? All about the same.!!!

And we live in the section of town where there are not large splits but comfortable sized ranches and capes!

Have fun doing your research.!!

[yruohk]

Sorry to disappoint you but please take a careful look at your tax bill or Receipt for Taxes. You will notice Total Assessment which is in the column Taxable Value. There you will find your assessment.

Mine is $2,027...a far cry from $430,000!

[justfacts]

WILDROVER

Guess you owe the lady a beer! She's right!

Here's a cut & paste directly from the County Assessor's site:

Values Used For: School ('05-06)-County/Town '06'______School ('06-07)-County/Town '07'______School ('07-08)-County/Town '08'

Adjusted Market Values:___$344,600___________________________$394,400___________________________ $418,000
(Equalized Full Value)

Level of Assessment:_______0.5%______________________________0.25%________________________ _____0.25%
(% of Market Value)

Assessed Value:__________$1,723______________________________$986______________________________$1,045


As you can see the MARKET VALUES are in the $400,000 range - but the houses are ASSESSED at 1/4% of the MARKET VALUE.

So one has to divide the MARKET VALUE by 400 to get the ASSESSED VALUE! ASSESSED VALUE for homes in Plainedge are in the $1,000 range.

Additionally, there has been a 6% cap on how much the MARKET VALUE can increase in one year. If your house has a MARKET VALUE of $430,000 this year it can be changed to have a MARKET VALUE of say, $490,000 next year.

BUT! (Big BUT!) the MARKET VALUE cap used for ASSESSMENT only allows the increase to be 6% - or $25,800. So the largest your MARKET VALUE for assessment purposes can be next year would be $455,800. The ASSESSED value would be 1/4% of the number - or $1139.50

Your present ASSESSED VALUE of your house is $430,000 divided by 400 --- or $1075! So your maximun ASSESSED VALUE increase next year would be $64.50! No more!

Sorry for the dash of cold water wildrover - but I've seen how the District has bemused and confused those of us in the District with their mixed up numbers. And this is one topic I've been working on to clarify for one and all. Despite what the District has published - THERE are no homes in Plainedge assessed at $400 thousand!

You can win Beer Money based on a bet like that!

Ed.

P.S. For those that are interested as to what my property is like, I leave you with this information. See if you can find out what I am assessed at for the coming 7/8 School year. Fair Market Value: $490,500.

[thewildrover]

Y,

If Ed says it,

I'm Buying,

Bud, Coors Light or Corona???

[justfacts]

wildrover

And I owe her the second round! Yruohk was one of the very early fighters for sane responses from the BOE to the community. Taxes drove her out of owning a house in Plainedge, and she is recently renting here. She works multiple jobs to stay here where her children grew up and went to school.

The sad part of this nonsense about Assessments, Market Values, Tax Rates and Tax Levys - is that the terms only mean something when it comes to dividing up the taxes between individual homes. When the bill is split apart to send a part to each house.

When it comes to the community - the total Property Tax is really the only thing that matters! We, the homeowners, pay anywhere from 83% to 86% of that total bill as Class 1 property owners. And we divide the amount up between 6242 homes to see what it costs the "Average House"!

WHY? - To try to make the hit look smaller! It is the first step towards divide and conquer!

But the money collected by the Town comes to the total Property Tax Levy - whether paid for by Class 1 or Class 4 property tax owners. Papalardo's taxes are as real to him as ours' are!

A united community can work with the facts about the total hit on everybody. Only a divided community worries about what's YOURS and whats MINE! OUR neighbors problems should be as real as our own - and cause as much concern to us.

That's the lesson I learned growing up during the depression. It's led to a much better lifestyle than those I see the "Gimme-Gimme-Gimme: Take-Steal-Take" people have in recent Newspaper headlines!


Ed.